中国传统文化词汇（三）
在中国悠久的历史中，传统文化得到了持续的传承与发展，也塑造了中国文化有别于世界其它文化的特点。在将中国文化译介到其它语言里，如何准确以及正确地用其他语言表达，是一个极大的挑战。
不过，经过几代翻译者的努力，很多中国传统文化词汇都形成了较为固定的表达方式，也获得了英语本族语人士的认可。
翻吧君收集了一些有关中国传统文化的词汇，在此与大家共享和学习。以下是
第二部分中国文字与绘画。
（更正：第一部分出现了一些拼写错误，在此更正：Spring Festival couplets春联、Visiting Temple Fairs 赶庙会、filial piety孝顺。rural 感谢同学们的指正！）
中国民居Chinese Folk Residence
Siheyuan (courtyard houses/ Quadrangles) 四合院
Siheyuan，a compound enclosed by inward-facing houses and high walls on four sides, is the folk residence in north China(四合院是中国北方的民居，由东、南、西、北四面房屋及墙围合起来). Beijing Quadrangles (周围有建筑物的)四方院子are symmetrical in design, and the inhabitants follow strict rules of hierarchy.
Layout of Beijing siheyuan 北京四合院的布局
The four buildings of a siheyuan are normally positioned along the north-south and east-west axis. The building positioned to the north and facing the south（坐南朝北）is considered the main house (正房). The buildings adjoining the main house and facing east and west（坐东朝西） are called side houses (廂房). The northern, eastern and western buildings are connected by beautifully decorated pathways (廊). These passages serve as shelters from the sunshine during the day, and provide a cool place to appreciate the view of the courtyard at night. The building that faces north is known as the opposite house (倒座房). Behind the northern building, there would often be a separate backside building (后罩房), the only place where two-story buildings are allowed to be constructed for the traditional siheyuan.
The layout of a simple courtyard represents traditional Chinese morality and Confucian ethics（中国传统伦理）. In Beijing, four buildings in a single courtyard receive different amounts of sunlight. The northern main building receives the most, thus serving as the living room and bedroom of the owner or head of the family（族长）. The eastern and western side buildings receive less, and serve as the rooms for children or less important members of the family. The southern building receives the least sunlight, and usually functions as a reception room（门房） and the servants' dwelling, or where the family would gather to relax, eat or study. The backside building is for unmarried daughters and female servants: because unmarried girls were not allowed direct exposure to the public, they occupied the most secluded building in the siheyuan.
Cave Dwellings in Shaanxi 陕西窑洞
Cave dwellings, cave houses, are unique to the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi（陕北的黄土高原). A cave dwelling measures seven to eight meters deep and more than three meters in breath and height respectively. It is cool in summer and warm in winter, resistant to fire, and soundproof.
The cave dwelling, dating back to thousands of years ago, is an age-old form of residence for people on the Loess Plateau. Today, there are still 47 32342 47 15287 0 0 1606 0 0:00:20 0:00:09 0:00:11 3168 47 32342 47 15287 0 0 1517 0 0:00:21 0:00:10 0:00:11 3304 many people living in cave dwellings.
Cliffside Yaodong (庄窑，或崖庄窑)
Cliffside yaodongs are the most common among all types. People dig caves in the cliff on the edge of the loess slopes with the floor rectangular and the top arched. In front of the cave is an open space for lighting and ventilation, so that the user does not feel the space to be depressive. According to the number of cave holes, the yaodongs can be further classified into three-hole type, two-hole type, and single hole type. A typical example is the city of Yan'an.
Sunken Yaodong (土坑窑)
Those dug around an excavation conducted at the surface, serving as interior courtyard, called yaodong-well or sunken courtyard (photo cons). In the Loess Plateau, without hillsides and ravines available, peasants skillfully use loess's features (wall stability) to dig a square pit on the spot and then dig the cave horizontally on the four walls to form the underground courtyard. In most parts of western Henan, this form of caves is called the "pit yard”.
Hoop Yaodong (箍窑)
The Hoop yaogong, also called independent yaodong, is usually built wholly or partially outdoors, with an arched structure inspired by the underground dwellings. This arch-shaped form, not only reflects the Chinese traditional thinking of a Round sky and Square earth（“天圆地方”）, more importantly, the high arch of the cave plus high windows allows the sun to further penetrate inside the the cave in winter, therefore making full use of solar radiation.
Fujian Tulou 福建土楼
Tulou (Hakka tulou,earth dwelling) is a self-defensive folk residence built by the Hakka(客家人) living in such areas as Longyan and Zhangzhou(龙岩、漳州) in Fujian Province to protect their clans（宗族，部落）. It is usually round or square, and big enough for an entire clan.
The Ancestral Temple 祠堂
The center of a Tulou is the ancestral temple, which is used to offer sacrifices to ancestors and for clan gatherings.
Stilt house 吊脚楼
Diaojiaolou, or stilt house, is a residential house with a dense architectural flavor of the ethnic minority (Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Dong, Shui, Tujia Ethnics) in the southwestern provinces (Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Hubei, Sichuan provinces). The wooden building is built close to the mountain or above the water (creek or river) with an extended floor space. These houses are usually built on slopes with only supporting wood pillars and no foundation and are 100% made of wood without iron.
中华医药Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medical Science and Medicine 中医中药
Traditional Chinese medical science is the general designation of kinds of medicine practice by different ethnic groups(中医是中国各民族医学的总称), including those of the Hans, the Tibetans, the Mongolians and also the Miao ethnic group, etc.
The Diagnosis Method of Traditional Chinese Medicine 中医诊病
It is believed that the human body is an organic whole in traditional Chinese medicine. Thus, in diagnosis and treatment of a disease, examination includes first observing the symptom expression, then listening to the breathing sound, after that inquiring about the medical history, including the physical sensation, the diet and daily life of the patient, and finally feeling the pulse on the wrist. This method of diagnosis is summarized as “watching, hearing, asking and touching(望闻问切).”
Treatment of Diseases by Traditional Chinese Medicine中药治病
The raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine are mainly herb plants草药植物 with some animal and mineral substances. After being processed, these materials are classified into two main types: medicinal ingredients and ready-made medicines(中药材和中成药). The Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen(1518-1593) in the Ming Dynasty(明代李时珍的《本草纲目》) which has summarized the experience of medicinal treatment before the 16th century, played a very important role in the later development of traditional Chinese medicinal science, and this book now has already been translated into many languages such as English, French and Japanese, etc.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy 针灸疗法
The therapy of acupuncture and moxibustion is an important means of treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It applies specific needles or lighted moxa(艾火) on specific points (特定穴位) to stimulate, in order to regulate the physiological（生理的） functioning of the body (balance of the Yin and Yang （阴阳）in the Chinese thought) and to cure disease. If the needle is used, it is called the acupuncture therapy(针法); if moxa （艾；灸料）is used, it is called the moxibustion therapy(灸法). They are together called the acupuncture and moxibustion therapy.
Acupuncture Therapy 针法治病
With the fine needles of different lengths they invented for curative treatment, the ancient Chinese people treated patients by inserting and manipulating the needles into specific points on the body. By doing so, the patients were able to get certain responses, and their ailments(病痛) could be cured by repeating the stimulation.
Moxibustion Therapy 灸法治病
The Moxibustion therapy is a technique of applying a lit moxa roll close to the desired acupoints（穴位） or spots, or to conduct heat to these spots through a layer of medication (将艾卷点燃后，用它接近人体的特定穴位，进行灼烫；或将药物放置在人体的穴位上进行熏晕). The stimulation from the heat and medicine is meant to prevent or treat diseases.
Massage therapy 按摩疗法
Massage is also used for therapeutic purposes in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The application or combination of ramming, pressing, pinching and rubbing(推、按、捏、揉) of certain points are supposed to increase blood flow （增强血液循环）and fine-tune(微调，细调) the neutral system, so as to alleviate fatigue and restore health.
中华武术The Chinese Martial Art
The Shaolin Martial Art 少林功夫
As it is said that all genres of martial arts are derived from Shaoliln, thus, in talking about the Shaolin Temple, what first enter our minds is its martial art. This kind of Shaolin kungfu, accumulated in the course of more than a thousand years, and extensively drawing on the advantages of all other genres of martial arts, was founded on the basis of ancient Chinese art of health-building. It involves various methods of fighting techniques, consisting of Shaolin boxing, weaponry combat, art of attack and defense, free fighting and qigong (主要包括拳术、器械、技击、散打、气功).
Taiji Boxing太极拳
In traditional Chinese boxing, Taiji Boxing has its unique effect on cultivating moral character, keeping physical fitness and self-defending against violence(修身、健身和防身的效果). Regular practice of Taiji will be of great benefit to the central nervous system中央神经系统, the blood circulation system血液循环系统 and the respiratory [rɪ'spɪrət(ə)rɪ] system呼吸系统, and now it has already become a very popular exercise for keeping physical fitness all over the world.
The Origins of Taiji Boxing 太极拳源流
Ancient Chinese called the universe Taiji 太极，the Supreme Ultimate, and they explained the mechanism of boxing according to the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, the two opposing principles existing in all things under the heaven, hence the name of Taiji Boxing. This kind of boxing began to be taught and practiced in the transiting years from Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty(明末清初) and originated earliest from Chen Wangting, in Wen County, Henan Province(河南温县的陈王廷), which was known as Chen Style Taiji Boxing(陈氏太极拳). Later, as it was passed down, the schools of Yang style and Wu style(杨氏、吴氏等流派) were developed and evolved.