中山公园郁金香，遇见一场跨越时空的和谐融合
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老桑说
在春天，
我总是喜欢去北京的中山公园
转转那里的郁金香节。
在这一两周的时间里，
这个公园闪烁着各式各样、
五颜六色的郁金香。
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「 朋友，你好！我是老桑。 」
老桑与孙中山像
在西方文化中，
新娘的婚礼上经常会伴随着下面这首歌：
Something old,
something new,
something borrowed,
something blue.
一点旧,
一点新,
一点借来的 ,
一点蓝。
这个传统的英文歌谣向人们介绍了新娘穿着的象征着好运的服饰。“一点旧”代表延续，“一点新”通常是新郎送来的象征美好未来的礼物，“借来的”象征着身边人们的美好祝愿，而“蓝色”则是纯洁和fidelity（忠诚）的象征。
在经典的美剧《老友记》的“赌城集”中，莫妮卡对钱德勒说她想要“一点旧，一点新,一点借来的 ,一点蓝”来为结婚做好准备。在一片歇斯底里般的混乱之中，他们只得匆忙地准备一些物品来满足这一传统。
老友记剧情一
老友记剧情二
当新娘拥有了这四件东西之后，她的婚纱才能说是“完整的”，她才可以出席最隆重的典礼。
正如婚姻对于一对伴侣来说就像人生的全新开始一样，春天也是我们生活中的一个新的篇章。随着花朵开放和天气渐暖，我们能够感受到上天赐予我们的“一点新”——特别是在今年异常漫长的冬季之后。
每年的这个时候，很多人都会有“春困”现象。随着天气的逐渐变暖，我们应该更多在室外活动，而不是宅在室内，这样我们会变得更有能量和vitality（活力）。随着这一学年即将进入尾声，一些同学可能会开始“松懈”。继续前进，我的朋友！不要荒废春天的时光，夏天可能会随时悄然而至了。
在春天，我总是喜欢去北京的中山公园郁金香节参观。在这一两周的时间里，这个公园闪烁着各式各样、五颜六色的郁金香。
郁金香花展
最令我感到惊奇的是，郁金香并不是中国的传统花卉。相比于它来讲，我在中国更习惯于看到在中国艺术文化中象征着“一年四季”的四季之花：兰花（春季）、莲花（夏季）、菊花（秋季）和梅花（冬季）。但郁金香并不在其中，因为它是源于荷兰的。
中山公园的郁金香
中山公园的位置也坐落于中国的中心——位于紫禁城和中南海之间。中山公园以前是社稷坛，现在则是纪念孙中山的公园。如此看来，这座具有丰富历史底蕴和象征意义的公园与大型郁金香展览好像难以联系到一起。
然而，仔细一看，郁金香其实完美地融入其中。例如，中山公园里拥有数百棵古柏树，这是中国古老艺术和文化的传统的体现。当它们与新鲜的郁金香放在一起时，就代表着新旧之间、国内外之间的鲜明又harmonious（和谐的）对比。
社稷坛
社稷坛的历史可追溯到1421年的永乐皇帝时期。社稷坛的建筑群中还包括后来1949中国人民政治协商会议第一届全体会议的会议地址，以及中山音乐堂——中西方音乐盛宴的交融之地。
我在郁金香节期间参观了中山公园，当时有超过5000名游客和我一起，各种各样的人们在公园里摩肩接踵。有年轻人、老人、中国人和外国人，就像是一个完整的人性组合。
生活的缩影
microcosm
在我游逛时，我意识到中山公园的每一个方面都可以代表我们生活的一部分。
古老的柏树见证了几个世纪以来的沧海桑田，而在树荫下生长的郁金香在春天招手迎春。古柏象征着中国5000年的悠久历史，郁金香则代表了国际园艺之美的精髓。尽管他们年代不同、起源不同，但他们能够很好地和平、和谐、和睦地相处。
古老的社稷坛会带我们回溯到过去的时代，但该坛在近代的使用又见证了新中国的形成，音乐堂又可以让全球音乐在这里彰显魅力——这一切都发生在同一个地方。
对于古、今、中、外的完美融合是中山公园的精髓所在。它展示了包容一切的气度。
与此同时，我们也可以以同样的方式来生活：在追求现代化的同时不忘学习古人的精神，在珍惜本国文化的同时吸纳其他文化。
这种跨越时间和空间的融合能够帮助我们拓展视野，让我们更加全球化发展，并开发出我们巨大的潜力。更重要的是，能够书写着一曲春天的优美篇章。
这个公园以孙中山的名字命名也正好体现了这些特质。他精通中国文化，也曾在国外学习和实践。他知道中国的政治体系需要作出如何的改革与变化。（详情请看我的文章——孙中山：闪耀你的前路）
正如同西方新娘要在结婚典礼前集齐四件事物以求得吉祥好运一样，我们可以将“古今中外”这四个元素视为我们自身发展的四个关键要素。
孙中山像
My friend，如果你有机会去中山公园走一走，不妨看看你是否发现了自己身上的这四点要素呢。是否具备了古人的思想？现代的精神？中国的继承？外国的吸纳？当你参观中山公园时，我相信你会找到很多帮助自己提高这种意识的途径，这反过来也会帮助你更全面地思考自己和你的人生道路。
谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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A place to cross time and space
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Hello, my friend! I’m John Smagula. In Western culture, on her wedding day a bride will usually wear:
Something old,
something new,
something borrowed,
something blue.
This traditional English rhyme sets forth what the bride can wear for good luck. Something “old” represents continuity, something “new” is usually a gift from the groom to show optimism for the future, something “borrowed” symbolizes the support of the community around her, and something “blue” was a sign of purity and fidelity.
In the classic Friends episode "The One in Vegas," Monica says to Chandler she needs “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” so they can get married. In a hysterical series of events, they hastily assemble some random items to fulfill this tradition.
Once the bride has these four items, her wedding outfit is “complete,” and she can go forth with the ceremony.
As wedding is the beginning of a new life for the couple, spring is the beginning of a new chapter in of all of our lives. As the flowers bloom and weather warms up, we feel “new” with these gifts bestowed upon us by the heavens—especially after this year’s unusually long winter.
In the spring, I always enjoy visiting Beijing’s Zhongshan Park to see the tulips festival. During this 1-2 week period, the park is ablaze with various colors and varieties of tulips.
What intrigues me about this spectacle is that tulips are not a traditional flower in China. I’m more accustomed to seeing the Flowers of the Four Seasons in Chinese art and culture: orchid (spring), lotus (summer), chrysanthemum (autumn), and plum blossom (winter). But no tulips, which are of Dutch origin.
Zhongshan Park is also located right in the spiritual center of China, between the Forbidden City and Zhongnanhai. Formerly the imperial Altar of Land and Grain, Zhongshan Park is now a public park that commemorates Sun Yat-sen. It would seem given this storied history and symbolic location that a large display of tulips would be out of place.
Tulips in bloom at Zhongshan Park
Yet on closer look, the tulips fit perfectly into a much larger picture. For example, Zhongshan Park has hundreds of ancient cypress trees, which are traditional to Chinese art and culture. When placed with the freshly blooming tulips, it represents a harmonious contrast of the old and the new, the domestic and the foreign.
The Altar of Land and Grain dates back to Yongle Emperor in 1421. The temple complex also includes the site that was later used in 1949 for the first People's Political Consultative Conference. Then there is the Forbidden City Concert Hall, which features both Chinese and Western musical performances.
Sun Yat-sen Hall
I visited the park during the tulip festival, and there were over 5,000 visitors in the park at the time I was there. I saw people of all shapes and sizes. Young, old, Chinese, foreign. It was a complete mix of humanity.
A microcosm of life
As I walked around, I noticed that each aspect of Zhongshan Park can represent a part of our own lives.
The ancient cypresses have witnessed the great changes over the centuries. The tulips that grow in their shade beckon forth the spring. The cypresses represent the 5,000 years of Chinese history that lives within, and the tulips represent the essence of international horticultural beauty. Despite their different ages and places of origin, they live together peacefully.
The ancient Altar of Land and Grain reminds us of times past, the temple building’s more recent usage witnesses the formation of New China, and the concert hall keeps global music traditions alive--all in this very location.
This blending of old, new, Chinese, and foreign is the essence of Zhongshan Park. It demonstrates a tolerance of everything.
At the same time, we can live our lives in the same way: study the ancients while pursuing the modern, cherish our own culture while learning from others.
This blending of time and place expands horizons, globalizes our skill set, and creates great potential. It also can create a beautiful life story.
It’s fitting that this park is named after Sun Yat-sen, who embodied these traits. He was versed in Chinese culture, while studying wisdom and practice from abroad. He knew what to preserve in a governmental system, as well as what to transform. Please see my post Sun Yat-sen: Blaze your own trail
Like a Western bride who counts four things as necessary for an auspicious wedding, so can we count these four themes of old, new, Chinese, and foreign as part of our own development.
"All rivers run into the sea":
coming together as one
My friend, if you visit Zhongshan Park, see if you see these parts of yourself there. What’s old? What’s new? What’s Chinese? And what’s something you have adapted from abroad? As you tour the park, I’m sure you’ll find many ways to increase your own awareness, which in turn will help you think more holistically about yourself and your path in life.
1.Fidelity
a)含义：n.忠实, 忠诚
b)例句：
i.This traditional English rhyme sets forth what the bride can wear for good luck and something “blue” was a sign of purity and fidelity.
这个传统的英文歌谣向人们介绍了新娘穿着的象征着好运的服饰，而其中的“蓝色”则是纯洁和忠诚的象征。
ii.His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.
他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。
c)近义词： precision, loyalty, accuracy
2.Vitality
a)含义： n. 活力，生命力
n. 奇迹
b)例句：
i.As the weather warms up, we’d rather be outside than inside, and we may feel more energy and vitality.
随着天气的逐渐变暖，我们应该更多在室外活动，而不是宅在室内，这样我们会变得更有能量和活力。
ii.These important changes will give renewed vitality to our country.
这些重要的变化将给我们的国家带来新的活力。
c)近义词：energy, muscularity, vigor, health
3.Ablaze
a)含义：adj. 着火的；闪耀的；激昂的
b)例句：
i.During this 1-2 week period, the park is ablaze with various colors and varieties of tulips.
在这一两周的时间里，中山公园闪烁着各式各样、五颜六色的郁金香。
ii.It was springtime and the slopes were ablaze with almond blossoms.
时当春季，怒放的扁桃花使那片山坡鲜红似火。
c)近义词： blazing, burning, flaming, inflamed
4.Harmonious
a)含义：adj. 和谐的
b)例句：
i.It represents a harmonious contrast of the old and the new, the domestic and the foreign.
当它们与新鲜的郁金香放在一起时，就代表着新旧之间、国内外之间的鲜明又和谐的对比。
ii.Heart to heart chats conduce to the establishment of harmonious atmosphere among fellow workers.
谈心活动有助于造成员工间和谐的氛围。
c)近义词： consonant, harmonic, harmonized, in harmony, sympathetic
5.Microcosm
a)含义：n. 缩影，微观世界,小宇宙
b)例句：
i.This is a microcosm of life.
这就是生活的缩影。
ii.The developments in this town represent in microcosm what is happening in the country as a whole.
这座城镇的发展是整个国家发展的缩影。
c)近义词： model, example
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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