第一篇：天安门英文导游辞

Tian’anmen Rostrum

Tian’anmen(the Gate of Heavenly peace), is located in the center of Beijing.It was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen(the Gate of Heavenly Succession).At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by war.When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tian’anmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and residential quarters for court officials and retainers.The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate.The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five –room deep.According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five, when combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian’anmen was the place where state ceremonies took place.The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts, which followed these steps:

1)The Minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian(Hall of Supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court.The minister would then carry the decree on a yunpan(tray of cloud), and withdraw from the hall via Taihemen(Gate of supreme Harmony)

2)The Minister would put the tray in a miniature longting(dragon pavilion).Beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen(Meridian Gate), to Tian’anmen Gate tower.3)A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict.The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed.4)The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord.The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.5)The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.Such a process was historically recorded as “ Imperial Edict Issued by Golden phoenix”.During the Ming and Qing dynasties Tian’anmen was the most important passage.It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.

On the Westside of Tian’anmen stands Zhongshanpark(Dr.Sun Yat-sen’s park), and on the east side, the Working people’s Cultural palave.The park was formerly called Shejitan(Altar of Land and Grain), built in 1420 for offering sacrificial items to the God of Land.It was opened to the public as a park in 1914 and its name was changed in 1928 to the present one in memory of the great pioneer of the Chinese Democratic Revolution.The Working people’s Cultural palace used to be Taimiao(the Supreme Ancestral Temple), where tablets of the deceased dynastic rulers were kept.The stream in front of Tian’anmen is called Waijinshuihe(Outer Golden River),with seven marble bridges spanning over it.Of these seven bridges,historical records say the middle one was for the exclusive use of the emperor and was accordingly called Yuluqiao(Imperial Bridge).The bridges flanking it on either side were meant for the members of the royal family and were therefore called Wanggongqiao(Royal’s Bridges).Farther away on each side of the two were bridges for officials ranking above the third order and were named pinjiqiao(ministerial Bridges).The remaining two bridges were for the use by the retinue below the third order and wre called Gongshengqiao(common Bridges).They anr the one in front of the Supreme Ancestral Temple to the east and the one in front of the Altar of land and Grain to the west.The two stone lions by the Gate of Tian’anmen, one on each side were meant as sentries.They gaze toward the middle axis, guarding the emperor’s walkway.In front of the gate stands a pair of marble columns called Huabiao.They are elaborately cut in bas-relief following the pattern of a legendary dragon.Behind the gate stands another pair of similar columns.The story of Huabiao may be traced to a couple of sources.One of the versions accredits its invention to one of the Chinese sage kings named Yao, who was said to have set up a wooden pillar in order to allow the ordinary people to expose evil-doers, hence it was originally called a slander pillar.Later it ws reduced to a signpost, and now it serves as an ornament.The beast sitting on the top of the column is called” hou”, a legendary animal, which is said to have been a watcher of an emperor’s behaviour.He was doing such duties as warning the emperor against staying too long outside the palace or indulging in pleasure and urging him to go to the people for their complaints or return in due time.Therefore, the two pairs of beasts were given the names” Wangjunhui”(Expecting the emperor’s coming back)and “ wangjunchu”(Expecting the emperor’s going out)respectinvely.In the old days, Tian’anmen, as a part of the Imperial City, was meant for important occasions.The two rows of chaofang(antechamber), on the sides behind the main gate, wre reserved for civil and military members of the government waiting for imperial audience and in front of the gate, were offices of imperial administration.On October 1, 1949, chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed on Tian’anmen Rostrum the founding of the people’s Republic of China.Since then Tian’anmen has been the symbol of New Chinea.Chairman Mao’s portrait is hung above the central entrance, flanked by two slogans:” Long Live the Great Unity of the peoples of the World”.Today , the splendour of Tian’anmen attracts million of visitors from all over the world.The Rostrum on its top was opened in 1988 to the public for the first time in its history.It offers a panoramic view of the Square and the city proper.Tian’anmen Square

Situated due south of Tian’anmen, the Square has an area of 44 hectares(109 acres)that can accommodate as many as one million people for public gatherings.It has witnessed may historical events in China’s modern history and is a place for celebrations on such festive days as international Labour Day on May 1st and national Day on October 1st.Around the Square are several famous buildings:

The Great Hall of the people

This is one of the largest congressional buildings in the world.Built in 1959, the hall consists of three parts: a 10,000-seat auditorium in the center, a banquet hall in the north wing facing Chang’an Street, with a seating capacity of 5,000, and offices for the Standing Committee of the National peoples’ Congress of China in the south.In addition, thirty-four reception chambers are named after various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly unde the Central Government, plus Hong Kong and Macao.Each is different from the other in decoration and furnishings to stress their local features.2 The Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution

These two museums were also built in 1959.the museum of Chinese History houses a permanent exhibition in four parts, covering the entire process of Chinese history spanning from 1.7 million years ago to 1919:

1)The primitive Society(1.7 million years ago to the 21st century BC);

2)The Slave Society(21st century BC to 476 BC.);

3)The Feudal Society(475 BC.To 1840 AD.);

4)The Semi-Colonial and Semi-Fedual Society(1840 to 1919.)

The Museum of the Chinese Revolution covers the period from 1919 to 1949.The Monument to the people’s Heroes

the monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people.Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958.in the form of an obelisk, the Monument as made of more than 17,000 pieces of tranite and white marble.The purple piece inlaid in the front of the Monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong province.It is 38 meters(124ft 8 in)high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country.Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.On the front side of the Monument is an engraved inscription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads” Eternal Glory to the people’s Heroes!”.On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, but in Chinese calligraphy by the late premier Zhou Enlai.At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude.At the base of the monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840.They are:

1)The Burning of Opium in 1840:

2)The uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;

3)The Revolution of 1911;

4)The May Fourth Movement of 1919;

5)The May 30th Movement of 1925;

6)The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi;

7)The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;

8)The Victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the peoples’s Liberation Army in 1949.This relief is flanked by two smaller ones—“ Supplying the Front” and “ Greeting the p.L.A.”.Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum

Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the people’s pepublic of China, passed away on Sepember 9, 1976.In commemoration of this great man, a mausoleum began to be constructed in November 1976, and was completes in August the following year.The Mausoleum was officially opened on September 9, 1977.The mausoleum is surrounded by four groups of sculpture.East of the northern entrance is the sculpture depicting the period of the New Democratic Revolution(1919-1949), and west of it is the one signifying the great achievements of the Chinese people during the period of slcialist revolution and construction since 1949.The sculptures in front of the southern gate are figures of workers, peasants soldiers, intellectuals, technicians and children.Inside the Mausoleum are three main sections: A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is mounted on a platform in the front lobby.On the wall behind the statue is a 24-metre-long(79-foot-long)tapestry, a fine needlepoint work with beautiful landscapes of the country.In the main hall there is a crystal coffin, in which Chairman Mao’s body lies stately with the Communist party’s flag covering over him.On the wall of the southern lobby, a poem by Chairman Mao and in his own calligraphy is inscribed in gold inlay.It expresses his full great expectations for the country.Tian’ anmen Square has now completed its renovation after eight months’ hard work to welcome the 50th anniversary of the people’s Republic in 1999.

第二篇：韶山英文导游辞

Good morning!Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today, we will go and visit Shaoshan, the hometown of Chairman Mao.Shaoshan is a small mountain village about 100km southwest of Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, with some fairly beautiful scenery and a once typically Hunan village atmosphere, Shaoshan has been irreparably changed by history.On the 26th December 1893, a baby was born in a little house in this village, to a relatively wealthy peasant couple.The child was to grow up to become China“s Great Helmsman, Chairman Mao Zedong, and it was in this region that he spent his childhood and youth, attending school and helping his father with his work.As the hometown of the great man of the generation, now Shaoshan is one of the important tourist zones in Hunan province.The major tourist sites including the Former residence of Chairman Mao, Memorial Hall of Mao Zedong, Water-dripping Cave and Steles Forest of Mao”s poems，and so on.The former residence of Chairman Mao is the most interesting site.Entered through a courtyard, the house is of a sunny yellow, mud brick walls, with a nicely thatched roof, and is found on a wooded hillside, above some lush paddy fields.There are 13 and one half rooms in the Former residence, which include one and half central room, a kitchen, a dining room, three family bedrooms and a guest room.Within the rooms are various personal effects of Mao and his parents, as well as photos from Mao“s life.This is the central room, it was used by two families: Mao’s family and their neighbor.So we said that there is only one half of the central room belongs to Mao’s family.And this is there kitchen, where Chairman Mao often helped his mother doing some housework in his childhood.Go through the kitchen was Chairman Mao’s parent”s bedroom, there are two photos of Chairman Mao’s parents on the inner wall, and it was in this room where Chairman Mao was born.The Dripping Water Cave, about 3 km northwest of the village, is a very popular destination, possibly because of the fact that Mao allegedly spent 11 days here in the early days of the Cultural Revolution Years(1966-76), contemplating the unknown.

第三篇：岳阳楼英文导游辞

Good morning!Ladies and gentlemen:

Today we will go and visit the Yueyang Tower, Yueyang Tower lies in the west of Yueyang city, nearby the Dongting Lake, it is listed as three famous towers in the south of Yangtze River, together with Yellow Crane Tower at Wuhan, Hubei province and Tengwang Tower at Nanchang, Jiangxi province.Yueyang Tower was originally built for soldiers to rest on and watch out.In the Three kingdoms period, Lusu, General of Wu State, trained his soldiers here and then rebuilt it as a tower to review his troops.In the forth year(716 A.C)of Kaiyuan of Tang Dynasty, General Zhangshuo was dispatched to defend at yuezhou and he rebuilt it into a Tower named South Tower, and then Yueyang Tower.In the forth year(1044 A.C)of Qingli of Song Dynasty, Teng Zijing was stationed at Baling Jun, the ancient name of Yueyang city.In the second year, he had the Yueyang Tower repaired and had poems by previous poets inscribed on the walls of the Tower.Fan Zhongyan, a great artist and poet, was invited to write the well-known poem about Yueyang Tower, in his essay which entitled《 A panegyric of the Yueyang Tower》, the two sentences Fan writes :“ Be the first to worry about the troubles across the land, the last to enjoy universal happiness” have for thousands of years been a well-quoted dictum and made the tower even better known then before.The architectural style of Yueyang Tower is quite unique.The main tower is 21.35 meters high with 4 columns, 3 stories, flying eave, helmet roof and wood construction, the helmet-roof of such a large dimension is a rarity among the ancient architectures in China.Entering the tower, you“ll pass the famous couplet: ”Dongting is the water of the world, Yueyang is the tower of the world." Moving on, there is a platform(Dianjiang tai)that once functioned as the training ground for the navy of Three-Kingdom period general Lusu.To its south is the Huaifu pavilion in memory of Dufu(712-770AD), who was the famous poet during the Tang dynasty and wrote the famous poem <> and later died in the city.Stepping out of the Xiaoxiang Door, the Saint plum pavilion(Xianmei ting)and the Three Drunkards pavilion(Sanzui ting)can be seen standing on two sides.In the garden to the north of the tower is the tomb of Xiaoqiao, the wife of Zhouyu, another famous Three-Kingdom general.

第四篇：北京故宫英文导游辞

FORBIDDEN CITY(紫禁城)

(In front of the meridian gate)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am pleased to serve as your guide today.This is the palace museum;also know as the purple Forbidden City.It is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in China today.Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began in 1406.It took 14years to build the Forbidden City.The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi.For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor puyi was forced to abdicate the throne.In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Forbidden City was a world cultural legacy.It is believed that the palace Museum, or Zi Jin Cheng(purple Forbidden City), got its name from astronomy folklore, The ancient astronomers pided the constellations into groups and centered them around the Ziwei Yuan(North Star).The constellation containing the North Star was called the Constellation of Heavenly God and star itself was called the purple palace.Because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence.In folklore, the term ”an eastern purple cloud is drifting” became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, LaoZi, to the Hanghu pass.Here, purple is associated with auspicious developments.The word jin(forbidden)is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people.The red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic.Red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth.Yellow is the color of the earth on the Loess plateau, the original home of the Chinese people.Yellow became an imperial color during the Tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture.The Forbidden City is rectangular in shape.It is 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meter wide from east west.It has 9,900 rooms under a total roof area 150,000 square meters.A 52-meter-wide-moat encircles a 9.9-meter—high wall which encloses the complex.Octagon —shaped turrets rest on the four corners of the wall.There are four entrances into the city: the Meridian Gate to the south, the Shenwu Gate(Gate of Military prowess)to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Gate of military prowess)to the north, and the Xihua Gate(Western Flowery Gate)to the west ,the Donghua(Eastern Flowery Gate)to the east.Manpower and materials throughout the country were used to build the Forbidden City.A total of 230,000 artisans and one million laborers were employed.Marble was quarried from fangshan Country Mount pan in Jixian County in Hebei province.Granite was quarried in Quyang County in Hebei province.paving blocks were fired in kilns in Suzhou in southern China.Bricks and scarlet pigmentation used on the palatial walls came from linqing in Shandong province.Timber was cut ,processed and hauled from the northwestern and southern regions.The structure in front of us is the Meridian Gate.It is the main entrance to the forbidden City.It is also knows as Wufenglou(Five-phoenix Tower).Ming emperors held lavish banquets here on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar year in hornor of their counties.They also used this place for punishing officals by flogging them with sticks.Qing emperors used this building to announce the beginning of the new year.Qing Emperor Qianglong changed the original name of this announcement ceremony from ban li(announcement of calendar)to ban shou(announcement of new moon)to avoid coincidental association with another Emperor` s name, Hongli, which was considered a taboo at that time.Qing Dynasty emperors also used this place to hold audience and for other important ceremonies.For example,when the imperial army returned victoriously from the battlefield ,it was here that the Emperor presided over the ceremony to accept prisoners of war.(After entering the Meridian Gate and standing in front of the Five Marble Bridges on Golden Water River)

now we are inside the Forbidden City.Before we start our tour, I would like to briefly introduce you to the architectural patterns befour us.To complete this solemn, magnificent and palatial complex, a variety of buildings were arranged on a north-south axis, and 8-kilometer-long invisible line that has become an inseparable part of the City of Beijing.The Forbidden City covers roughly one –third of this central axis.Most of the important building in the Forbidden City weree arranged along this line.The design and arrangement of the palaces reflect the solemn dignity of the royal court and rigidly –stratified feudal system.The Forbidden City is pided into an outer and an inner count.We are now standing on the southernmost part of the outer count.In front of us lies the Gate of supreme Harmony.The gate is guarded by a pair of bronze lions ,symbolizing imperial power and dignity.The lions were the most exquisite and biggest of its kind.The one on the east playing with a ball is a male, and ball is said to represent state unity.The other one is a female.Underneath one of its fore claws is a cub that is considered to be a symbol of perpetual imperial succession.The winding brook before us is the Golden Water River.It functions both as decoration and fire control.The five bridges spanning the river represent the five virtues preached by Confucius :benevolence, righteousness, rites, intellence and fidelity.The river takes the shape of a bow and the north-south axis is its arrow.This was meant to show that the Emperors ruled the country on behalf of God.(In front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony)

The Forbidden City consists of an outer countyard and an inner enclosure.The out count yard covers a vast space lying between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Heavenly purity.The “three big halls” of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and preserving Harmony constitute the center of this building group.Flanking them in bilateral symmetry are two groups of palaces: Wenhua(prominent Scholars)and Wuying(Brave Warriors).The three great halls are built on a spacious “H”-shaped, 8-meter-high, triple marble terrace, Each level of the triple terrace is taller than the on below and all are encircled by marble balustrades carved with dragon and phoenix designs.There are three carved stone staircases linking the three architectures.The hall of supreme Harmony is also the tallest and most exquisite ancient wooden-structured mansion in all of China.From the palace of Heavenly purith northward is what is known as the inner court, which is also built in bilaterally symmetrical patterns.In the center are the palace of Heavenly purity, the Hall of Union and peace and palace of Earthly Tranquility, a place where the Emperors lived with their families and attended to state affairs.Flanking these structures are palaces and halls in which concubines and princes lived.There are also three botanical gardens within the inner count, namely, the imperial Garden, Caning garden and Quailing garden.An inner Golden Water River flows eastwardly within the inner court.The brook winds through three minor halls or palaces and leads out of the Forbidden City.It is spanned by the White Jade Bridge.The river is lined with winding, marble –carved balustrades.Most of the structures within the Forbidden City have yellow glazed tile roofs.Aside from giving prominence to the north-south axis, other architectural methods were applied to make every group of palatial structures unique in terms of terraces, roofs, mythical monsters perching on the roofs and colored, drawing patterns.With these, the grand contour and different hierarchic spectrum of the complex were strengthened.Folklore has it that there are altogether 9,999 room-units in the Forbidden City.Since paradise only has 10,000 rooms, the Son of Heaven on earth cut the number by half a room.It is also rumoured that this half –room is located to the west of the Wenyuange pavilion(imperial library).As a matter of fact, although the Forbidden City has more than 9,000 room-units, this half-room is nonexistent.The Wenyuange pavilion is a library where “Si Ku Quan Shu”-China `s first comprehensive anthology-was stored.(In front of the hall f preserving Harmony)

this is the Hall of preserving Harmony.During the Qing Dynasty, banquets were held here on New Year` s eve in honour of Mongolian and Northwestern China` s xingjiang princes and ranking officials.The Emperor also dinned here with his new son-in-law on the wedding day.Imperial examinations were also held here once every three years.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county and prefectural level, the provincial level and national level.The national exam was presided over by the emperor.The civil service exam in ancient China started during the Han Dynasty.It served the purpose of recruiting Confucian scholars to the ministers and high officials.During the Tang and Qing dynasties reinstituted and ancient system.Once every three years, three hundred scholars from all over the country came to Beijing and took exams for three day and night.This system was abolished in 1905.(Behind the hall of preserving harmony)

this is the largest stone carving in the palace.It is 16.73 meters long, 3.07 meters wide and 1.7 meters thick.It weighs about 200 tons.The block was quarried in Fangshan County, roughly 70 kilometers away.To transport such a huge block to Beijing, laborers dug wells along the roadside half a kilometer apart, and used the groundwater to make a road of ice in the winter.Rolling blocks were used in the summer.In 1760, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered the carving of the existing cloud and dragon design in place of the old one which dated back to the Ming Dynasty.Note : From here, the tour can be conducted via three different routes: a western route(Route A), a central route(Route B)or an eastern route(Route C).The commentary for each follows.Route A

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City.Now I ` d like to show you around the hall of mental cultivation and the imperial garden.The hall of mental cultivation is situated is in the western part of the innermost enclosure and is symmetrical to Fengxian(enshrinement of forebears)Hall in the east.This hall was built during the Ming Dynasty.IT is a H-shaped structure consisting of an antechamber and a main building.The hall is surrounded by corridors.In front of the hall is the Office of privy Council.Before Emperor Kangxi of Qing the Dynasty came to power the Hall of Heavenly purity served as the living quarter of the emperors.Emperor Yongzheng chose to live in this hall and attended to every day state affairs from here.For the sake of protecting cultural relics, this hall is not open to the public.You can have a look at the inside from the door.The central hall was the audience chamber where the emperor read memorials, granted audience to officials and summoned his minsters for consultation.The western chamber of the hall was where the emperor read reports and discussed military and political affairs.The hall consists of many inner rooms and is decorated with images of Buddha and miniature pagodas.On the screen wall there hangs a picture of two emperors in the Han costume.In a southern room there three rare calligraphic scrolls, hence the name of the room “Sanxitang”(Room of Three Rare Treasures).The room on the eastern side is of historical interst because it was here that Empress Dowager Cixi usurped power and made decisions on behalf of the young emperor.A bamboo curtain was used to separate them.Empress Dowage Cixi was born in 1835 in Lu` an prefecture of shanxi province.She` s of Manchurian nationality and her father was a provincial governor from south China.When she was 17 years old ,she was selected to become a concubine of Emperor Xianfeng and moved into the Forbidden City.She gave birth to a son when she was 21years old and was made a concubine the following year.When the emperor passed away in the summer of 1861, her son ascended the throne and title of Cixi, meaning “Holy Mother” was conferred upon her and she became the Empress Dowager.In that same year Empress Dowager Cixi carried out a count coup d` etat and ruled behind the scenes with another empress dowager, Ci` an, for 48 years.She passed away in 1908 at the age of 73.It was in reference to this situation that the term “attending to state affairs behind a bamboo curtain” developed.In 1912 , Empress dowager Longyu declared the abdication of the last Qing emperor puyi.They were allowed to remain in the Forbidden City for the next 13 years.The royal family was forced to move out permanently in 1924.Behind the central hall were the living accommodation of 8 successive Qing emperors.Three of them actually passed away here.The side rooms flanking the hall were reserved for empresses and concubines.Now let` s continue with our tour.It will take us to the Hall of heavenly purity , the hall of union and peace ,the palace of earthly tranquility, and the imperial garden.Route B

(Inside the Hall of heavenly purity)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We are now entering the inner court.From the Gate of Heavenly purity northward lies the inner court where the emperors and empresses once lived.The Hall of heavenly purity is the central hall of the inner court ,and was completed during the Reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty.There are 10 pillars supporting the entire structure and the hall is 20 meters in height.In the center of the hall there a throne.Above it hangs a plaque with an inscription that reads “Be open and above-board,” written by Shenzhi,the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty.Beginning with Qianlong` s reign, the name of the successor to the throne was not publicly announced.instead, it was written on two pieces of paper, one to be kept on the emperor` s person throughout his reign, and the other placed in a small strongbox that was stored behind his plaque.The box was opened only after the emperor passed away.Altogether there where 4 emperors who ascended the throne in this way, namely Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daohuang and Xian feng.The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperors lived during the Ming and Qing dynasties.According to tradition ,extravagant annual banquets were held here on New Year` s Eve in honour of royal family members.Foreign ambassadors were received here during the late-Qing period.Two important “one thousand old men` s feasts” of the Qing Dynasty were also held here.All the invitees had to be at least 65 years of age.This hall was also used for mourning services.(Inside the palace of Union and peace)

this hall sits between the Hall of heavenly purity and the palace of Earthly Tranquility, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth ,as well as national peace.It was first built in 1420 and reconstructed in 1798.The hall is square in shape ,and is smaller than the Hall of complete Harmony.You will see a plaque here inscribed with two Chinese characters, wu wei, which were handwritten by Emperor Qianglong.A throne sits in the middle of the hall with a screen behind it.Above the throne there hangs a caisson ,or covered ceiling.The emperor held birthday celebrations and other major events here.In 1748 during Emperor Qianlong` s reign, 25 jade seals representing imperial authority were kept in this hall.No seals were allowed out of the room without the prior consent of the emperor.On each flack there is a water clock and a chiming clock.(Inside the palace of earthly tranquility)

This used to be the central hall where successive Ming empresses lived.During the Qing dynasty, it was converted into a place where sacrifices and wedding ceremonies were held.The room on the western side was used for sacrifices and the room on the east was the seeding chamber.Route C

Ladies and Gentlemen:

You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City.Now I` d like to show you around scenes of interest along the eastern route.The first is the Treasure Hall.This mansion is called the Hall of Imperial Zenith.This is where Sing Emperor Quailing lived after abdication.Nearly 1,000 artifacts and treasures are on display here, among which the Golden Hair Tower is one of the most famous.This tower is 1.53meters in height and its base is 0.53 meters in circumference.It was built under the order of Emperor Quailing to be used to collect fallen hair in commemoration of his mother.There is also a “Day harnessing Water Jade Hill ” on display here.Yu was a legendary monarch of the remote Ixia dynasty.Under his leadership, the people learned how to harness the Yellow River.This jade assemblage, 224 centimeters in height and 5 tons in weight, is the largest jade artwork in China.This mat was woven with peeled ivory.These artifacts are among China` s rarest treasures.(In front of the Nine-Dragon Screen)

this is the Nine-Dragon Relief Screen.Erected in 1773,it is 3.5 meters in height and 29.4 meters in width.Underneath is a foundation made of marble.The surface of the screen is laid with a total of 270 colored, glazed tiles in the design of 9 dragons ,some rocky mountains ,clouds and the sea.It was meant to ward off evil spirits The ancient Chinese regarded 9 dragons, some rocky mountains, clouds and the sea.It was meant to ward off evil spirits.The ancient Chinese regarded 9 as the largest numeral and the dragon as a auspicious beast.The 9 dragons are different in color and posture and all are made of glazed tiles.Interestingly a piece of the third dragon from the left is made of wood.It is believe that when the Nine-dragon Screen was almost finished ,a piece of glazed tile was damaged.Emperor Qianlong was scheduled to inspect the work the following day.Using quick wits, the craftsman in question molded the missing piece with clay and sailed through the imperial inspection.Later ,he asked a carpenter to carve a wooden one to replace the one made of clay.(Approaching the Imperial Garden)

Behind the palace of Earthly Tranquility and trading the north-south axis is the imperial Garden.There are old trees, rare flowers and exotic rock formation in this garden.It cover a space of 11,700 square meters, or roughly 1.7 percent of the Forbidden City.Most of the structures in the garden are symmetrically arranged.However, each is different in terms of parrern and decoration.Woods clumps of bamboo screen off the garden and strengthens its deep and serene atmosphere.There main structure of the Imperial Garden is the Qin` an Hall.positioned in the central-northern part of the garden ,this hall is flanked by other halls and pavilions on the east and west.The hall sits on a marble pedestal.The Taoist deity of Zhenwu is enshrined here and emperor would pay homage here a quarterly basis.Taoist rites were held during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty.In front of the hall there is a cypress that is 400 years old.In all there are a dozen such rare trees in the garden, and most of them are cypresses or pines.To the northwest of the hall , there is the Yanhui(Sustaining Sunshine)pavilion and to the northeast there lies the Duixiu(Accumulated Refinement)Hill.This Hill was built over the foundation of the long-pershed Guanhua(Admiring Flowers)Hall of the Ming Dynasty.It is 14 meters in height and made of al kinds of rocks quarried in jiang su province.At its base stand two nstone lions, each carrying a dragon shooting water 10 meters up into the air from its mouth.There are meandering paths leading to the hilltop.At the top of Duixiu Hill sits the Yujing(Imperial Viewing)pavilion.Traditionally, On the day of the Double Ninth Festival(the ninth day of the ninth lunar month), the emperor ,his consort, and his concubines would climb up to Yujing pavilion to enjoy the scenery.At the southeastern corner of the Garden is Jiangxue(Crimson Snowy)Verandah.Nearby to the southwest lies Yangxing Study(study of the cultivation of nature).The yangxing study was used as a royal library during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty.The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, puyi once studied English there.In front of the Jiangxue Verandah some Chinese flowering crabapples grow.The structure got its name from the crabapples who blossoms trun from crimson to snowy white.In front of the Verandah, there grows a rare flower that was brought from henna province under the order of Empress dowager Cixi.In the northest is Chizao Tang(Hall of Using Flowery Language), once used as a library where rare books were stored.There are also specific pavilions symbolizing the four seasons.The halls of Wanchun and Qianqiu ,representing spring and autumn respectively ,are square in shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shaped ridges.The halls of Chengrui and Fubi,dedecated to winter and summer, are characterized by two verandahs and bridges at their bases.paths were paved with colorful pebbles and arranged in 900 different designs.The Imperial Garden can be accessed through the Qiong yuan(Jade Garden)West gate or the qiong yuan east gate.A third gate, the shunzhen(Obedience and Fidelity)Gate, opens to the north.Its doors are laid in glazed tiles and it was only used by the empress or concubines.As our tour of the Forbidden City draws to a close, I hope that I have helped you understand why the palace is a treasure of China and one of the cultural relics of the world.It is under the strict protection of the Chinese government.Since 1949 when the people` s Rupublic of China was founded, nearly one trillion RMB was spent on its restoration and refurbishment.The Forbidden City has undergone four major facelifts to date.Each year, the government earmarks a large sum to gather, sort and study cultural relics.The palace now contains a total of 930,000cultural relics.Well, so much for today.Let` s go to reboard the coach.Thank you!

The end

Feb.25th, 2003

Collecting and Typing by foreverlydia

第五篇：北京故宫英文导游辞

北京-故宫英文导游词-导游英语 forbidden city(紫禁城)(in front of the meridian gate)ladies and gentlemen: i am pleased to serve as your guide today.this is the palace museum;also know as the purple forbidden city.it is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in china today.under ming emperor yongle, construction began in 1406.it took 14years to build the forbidden city.the first ruler who actually lived here was ming emperor zhudi.for five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when qing emperor puyi was forced to abdicate the throne.in 1987, the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization recognized the forbidden city was a world cultural legacy.it is believed that the palace museum, or zi jin cheng(purple forbidden city), got its name from astronomy folklore, the ancient astronomers pided the constellations into groups and centered them around the ziwei yuan(north star).the constellation containing the north star was called the constellation of heavenly god and star itself was called the purple palace.because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence.in folklore, the term ‖an eastern purple cloud is drifting‖ became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, laozi, to the hanghu pass.here, purple is associated with auspicious developments.the word jin(forbidden)is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people.the red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic.red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth.yellow is the color of the earth on the loess plateau, the original home of the chinese people.yellow became an imperial color during the tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture.manpower and materials throughout the country were used to build the forbidden city.a total of 230,000 artisans and one million laborers were employed.marble was quarried from fangshan country mount pan in jixian county in hebei province.granite was quarried in quyang county in hebei province.paving blocks were fired in kilns in suzhou in southern china.bricks and scarlet pigmentation used on the palatial walls came from linqing in shandong province.timber was cut ,processed and hauled from the northwestern and southern regions.the structure in front of us is the meridian gate.it is the main entrance to the forbidden city.it is also knows as wufenglou(five-phoenix tower).ming emperors held lavish banquets here on the 15th day of the first month of the chinese lunar year in hornor of their counties.they also used this place for punishing officals by flogging them with sticks.qing emperors used this building to announce the beginning of the new year.qing emperor qianglong changed the original name of this announcement ceremony from ban li(announcement of calendar)to ban shou(announcement of new moon)to avoid coincidental association with another emperor` s name, hongli, which was considered a taboo at that time.qing dynasty emperors also used this place to hold audience and for other important ceremonies.for example,when the imperial army returned victoriously from the battlefield ,it was here that the emperor presided over the ceremony to accept prisoners of war.(after entering the meridian gate and standing in front of the five marble bridges on golden water river)the forbidden city is pided into an outer and an inner count.we are now standing on the southernmost part of the outer count.in front of us lies the gate of supreme harmony.the gate is guarded by a pair of bronze lions ,symbolizing imperial power and dignity.the lions were the most exquisite and biggest of its kind.the one on the east playing with a ball is a male, and ball is said to represent state unity.the other one is a female.underneath one of its fore claws is a cub that is considered to be a symbol of perpetual imperial succession.the winding brook before us is the golden water river.it functions both as decoration and fire control.the five bridges spanning the river represent the five virtues preached by confucius :benevolence, righteousness, rites, intellence and fidelity.the river takes the shape of a bow and the north-south axis is its arrow.this was meant to show that the emperors ruled the country on behalf of god.(in front of the gate of supreme harmony)(after walking past the gate of supreme harmony)ladies and gentlemen, the great hall we are approaching is the hall of supreme harmony, the biggest and tallest of its king in the forbidden city.this structure covers a total building space of 2,377 square meters, and is know for its upturned, multiple counterpart eaves.the hall of supreme harmony sits on a triple ―h‖-shaped marble terrace the is 8meters high and linked by staircases.the staircase on the ground floor has 21 steps while the middle and upper stairways each have 9.the construction of the hall of supreme harmony began in 1406.it burned down three times and was severely damaged once during a mutiny.the existing architecture was built during the qing dynasty.on the corners of the eaves a line of animal-nails were usually fastened to the tiles.these animal-nails were later replace with mythical animals to ward off evil spirits.there are altogether 9 such fasteners on top of this hall.the number nine was regarded by the ancients to be the largest numeral accessible to man and to which only the emperors were entitled.there was a total of 24 successive emperors during the ming and qing dynasties who were enthroned here.the ball was also used for ceremonies which marked other great occasions: the winter solstice, the chinese lunar new year, the emperor` s birthday, conferral of the title of empress, the announcement of new laws and policies, and dispatches of generals to war.on such occasions, the emperor would hold audience for his court officials and receive their tributes.the last qing emperor puyi assumed the throne in 1908, at the age of three, his father carried him to the throne.at the start of the coronation, the sudden drum-beating and loud music caught the young emperor unprepared.he was so scared that he kept crying and shouting,‖i don’t want to stay here.i want to go home.‖ his father tried to soothe him, saying, ‖it` all soon be finished.it` all soon be finished ‖the ministers present at the event considered this incident inauspicious.coincidentally, the qing dynasty collapsed three years later and there with concluded china `s feudal system that had lasted for more than 2,000 years.(on the stone terrace of the hall of supreme harmony)this is a bronze incense burner.in it incense made of sandalwood would be burnt on important occasions.there are altogether 18 incense burners, representing all of the provinces under the rule of the sing monarchs.on either side of the hall, 4 bronze water-filled vats were placed in case of fire.next to the terrace on either side, there is a bronze crane and tortoise, symbols of longevity.this copper-cast grain measure is called ‖jialiang.‖ it served as the national standard during the qing dynasty.it was meant to show that the imperial ruler were just and open to rectification.on the other side there is a stone sundial, an ancient timepiece.the jialiang and the sundial were probably meant to show what the emperor represented: that he was the only person who should possess the standards of both measure and time.in the very forefront of the hall of supreme harmony , there are 12 scarlet , round pillars supporting the roof.the hall is 63 meters from east to west and 37 meters from north to south, it is 35 meters in height.in front of this architechture, there stands a triple terrace with five staircases leading up to the main entrance.it has 40 gold doors and 16 gold-key windows with colored drawings on the pillars and beams.in the middle of the hall, a throune carved with 9 dragons sits on a 2-meter-high platform.behind the throne there is a golden screen and in front of it, there is a imperial desk.the flanks are decorated with elephants, luduan(a legendary beast), cranes, and incense barrels.the elephant carries a vase on its back that holds five cereals(i.e.rice, two kinds of millet, wheat and beans),which was considered a symbol of prosperity.as ancient legend has it that luduan can travel 18,000 li(9,000 kilometers)in one day and knows all languages and dialects.only to a wise adjust monarch will this beast be a guardian.the hall is supported by a total of 72 thick pillars.of these, 6 are carved in dragon patterns and painted with gold and surround the throne.above the very center of this hall there is a zaojing, or covered ceiling, which is one of the specialities of china `s ancient architure.in the middle of the ceiling is a design of a dragon playing with a ball inlaid with peals.this copper ball, hollow inside and covered with mercury, is known as the xuanyuan mirror and is thought to be made xuanyuan, a legendary monarch dating back to remote antiquity.the placing of the caisson above the throne is meant to suggest that all of china` s successive emperors are zuanyuan` s descendants and hereditary heirs.now you might have noticed that the xuanyuan mirror is not directly above the throne.why? it is rumored that yuan shikai, a self-acclaimed warlord-turned emperor moved the throne further back because he was afraid that the mirror might fall on him.in 1916 when yuan shikai became emperor, he removed the original throne with a western-style, high-back chair.after the foundation of the people` s republic of china in 1949 the throne was found in a shabby furniture warehouse.it repaired and returned to the hall.(leading the tourist to the bronze vats either on the east or the west)(in front of the hall f preserving harmony)this is the hall of preserving harmony.during the qing dynasty, banquets were held here on new year` s eve in honour of mongolian and northwestern china` s xingjiang princes and ranking officials.the emperor also dinned here with his new son-in-law on the wedding day.imperial examinations were also held here once every three years.during the ming and qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county and prefectural level, the provincial level and national level.the national exam was presided over by the emperor.the civil service exam in ancient china started during the han dynasty.it served the purpose of recruiting confucian scholars to the ministers and high officials.during the tang and qing dynasties reinstituted and ancient system.once every three years, three hundred scholars from all over the country came to beijing and took exams for three day and night.this system was abolished in 1905.(behind the hall of preserving harmony)ladies and gentlemen: you have seen the three main halls of the forbidden city.now i ` d like to show you around the hall of mental cultivation and the imperial garden.the hall of mental cultivation is situated is in the western part of the innermost enclosure and is symmetrical篇二：北京故宫英语导游词

北京故宫英语导游词 ladies and gentlemen: i am pleased to serve as your guide today.this is the palace museum;also know as the purple forbidden city.it is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in china today.under ming emperor yongle, construction began in 1406.it took 14years to build the forbidden city.the first ruler who actually lived here was ming emperor zhudi.for five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when qing emperor puyi was forced to abdicate the throne.in 1987, the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization recognized the forbidden city was a world cultural legacy.it is believed that the palace museum, or zi jin cheng(purple forbidden city), got its name from astronomy folklore, the ancient astronomers pided the constellations into groups and centered them around the ziwei yuan(north star).the constellation containing the north star was called the constellation of heavenly god and star itself was called the purple palace.because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence.in folklore, the term ”an eastern purple cloud is drifting” became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, laozi, to the hanghu pass.here, purple is associated with auspicious developments.the word jin(forbidden)is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people.the red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic.red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth.yellow is the color of the earth on the loess plateau, the original home of the chinese people.yellow became an imperial color during the tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture.gate(western flowery gate)to the west ,the donghua(eastern flowery gate)to the east.篇三：北京故宫英文导游词

北京故宫

女士们、先生们，欢迎大家来到北京，北京是中国的首都，也是我国的四大古都之一。2008年奥运会的成功举办更使这座古老的城市为许多外国朋友所熟知。大家稍作休息，请允许我自我介绍一下。我是大家北京之行的地接导游员我的名字叫温辉辉，那在我身边的这位是我们的司机张师傅。我们将会竭尽全力为大家提供最优质的服务。像我一样热情好客的北京人将以他们最热情的方式欢迎世界各地发朋友来到北京。在北京期间我们将游览故宫、长城、颐和园等景点。希望古老而又时尚的北京会给大家留下一段美好的回忆。

在北京我们游览的第一个景点就是故宫。提起故宫大家首先会想到它是中国皇帝居住过的地方。但故宫的价值可不仅仅在于此。它更是我们中国历史、中国文化以及中国建筑的一个缩影。

故宫位于北京城的中心，是明清两朝的皇宫。它是世界上显存最大、最完整的宫殿建筑群。至今约有六百年的历史，先后有24位皇帝在这里统治全国近500年。故宫又名紫禁城，那是因为在封建社会皇帝拥有最高的权利因此这个地方是禁止一般人进出。紫色是象征这北极星的颜色，这被认为是宇宙的中心 所以又名紫禁城。

紫禁城的建筑布局是对称的分为前朝和内廷。前朝以太和、中和、保和三大殿为主体是举行大殿、朝贺、筵宴行使权力的地方。其中太和殿是故宫中规模最大等级最高的建筑。皇帝登基及册立皇后等重大仪式都在此举行。内廷以乾清宫、交太殿和坤宁宫为主体，是皇帝的寝宫和处理日常政务的地方。坤宁宫以北是御花园，是皇帝及其家人

游玩的地方。

现在我要问大家一个问题，故宫的房间是九千九百九十九间半吗? 传说天宫的房间是一万间，人间的皇帝作为天帝的儿子，皇宫自然不能超过天宫，于是故宫便造了九千九百九十九间半。其实古代建筑是以“四柱一间”为标准的。经过古建筑专家实地调查统计，故宫所有的房间数量是8707，并非传说所言。

俗话说百闻不如一见，带着您满心的好奇让我们走进故宫，让我们感悟中国文化感受中国帝王的兴衰历史。