The Vastness of China

中国幅员辽阔

I was born in Singapore. All through my teenager period, I was under the impression that: (a) Singapore River was the widest and longest river in the world; (b) Bukit Timah was the highest mountain; and (c) Clementi Road was the most winding road that ever existed (the Chinese in Singapore then called it the ‘nine bends and thirteen turn’).

我出生在新加坡。在我十几岁的时候，我的印象是： (a) 新加坡河是世界上最宽最长的河流； (b) 武吉知马是最高的山峰； (c) 金文泰路是有史以来最曲折的道路（当时新加坡的华人称之为“九弯十三转”）。

Only when I was studying in the secondary school that I realised that Singapore cannot even be found in the neighbourhood map of Singapore (try finding Singapore in the map above), let alone the map of the world. It then dawned on me that the 224 square miles of Singapore (bat-shaped, about 60 km wide, east to west (from Keppel Shipyard to Jurong Industrial Town) by 22 km long, north to south (from Chinatown to Johore Causeway) was just too small for a country to survive.

上中学的时候才发现，连新加坡的邻里地图都找不到新加坡（试着在上面的地图上找新加坡），更别说世界地图了。我才恍然大悟，224 平方英里的新加坡（蝙蝠形，宽约 60 公里，东西（从吉宝船厂到裕廊工业城），长 22 公里，南北（从牛车水到柔佛长堤）是太小了，一个国家无法生存。

Then I went on a Colombo Plan Scholarship to study and work in London’s South Kensington. Back in 1962, I was on my first aeroplane ride from Singapore to London’s Heathrow with two stopovers in Bahrain and in Rome, for refuelling. The long 22-hours journey hit home to me that there were so much of the world to see, to feel, and most important of all, to understand the religious cultures of so many races beside the four I knew - Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.

然后我继续获得科伦坡计划奖学金，在伦敦的南肯辛顿学习和工作。早在 1962 年，我第一次乘坐飞机从新加坡飞往伦敦希思罗机场，途中在巴林和罗马中途停留了两次，以便加油。 22 小时的漫长旅程让我明白了，除了我认识的四个种族——佛教、印度教、伊斯兰教——之外，世界上还有那么多东西可以看、可以感受，最重要的是，可以了解那么多种族的宗教文化和基督教。

Just last week, I borrowed a book entitled “Insight Guides - China” from the library and the vastness of China finally sunk into my mind. I had visited The People’s Republic of China for several times in the past, mostly for work and professional related activities and had visited major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Guangdong, perhaps also including Hong Kong, where I had stayed in the Island of Cheung Chau, off and on, for a period of three years.

就在上周，我从图书馆借了一本《洞察指南——中国》，中国的辽阔终于映入我的脑海。我过去曾多次访问中华人民共和国，主要是为了工作和专业相关活动，并访问了上海、北京、天津、广东等主要城市，也许还包括香港，我曾在香港逗留过长洲，断断续续，三年一期。

The book is mainly pictorial in nature but its contents cover wide ranging topics, including (1) China’s History, (2) her Geography in five areas of (a) The North; (b) the Central; (c) The South; (d) The South-West; and (e) The West, (3) Places to Visit, (4) Travel Tips and (5) Mini Maps.

这本书以图画为主，但内容涵盖范围广泛，包括（1）中国历史，（2）她在（a）北方五个地区的地理； (b) 中央； (c) 南方； (d) 西南地区； (e) 西方，(3) 游览地点，(4) 旅游贴士和 (5) 迷你地图。

A proper look of the map of China (below) on the back of the front cover, surprises us on at least two counts. One, we do not realise that the island of Hainan is closer to Singapore than Hong Kong and Macau. Two, we do not realise that this island is so much larger in land area than Singapore All we know about Hainan is how tasty the Hainanese chicken dish is, especially made from a secret recipe passed on down the descendants pf this island for centuries.

仔细看看封面背面的中国地图（下图），我们至少在两个方面感到惊讶。第一，我们没有意识到海南岛离新加坡比香港和澳门更近。第二，我们没有意识到这个岛的陆地面积比新加坡大很多 我们对海南的了解就是海南鸡的美味，尤其是用这个岛的后代传承了几个世纪的秘方制作而成。

Hainan Island has an area of 33,210 square kilometres and has a population, as at 2017, of 9.258 million. Singapore, in comparison, has only 728.6 square kilometres with a population of 5.454 million people as at 2021. Geographically, Hainan Island had been the ‘ignored island’ as it was constantly battered by typhoon. In the present day, Hainan Island is being promoted as a tropical resort destination - a China’s Hawaii. The Chinese Government has recently decided to develop Hainan Island as a ‘trade free’ port and this has uplifted the island’s image to the western world. https://youtu.be/TH3yaKqtJEM

海南岛面积33210平方公里，2017年人口925.8万。相比之下，截至2021年，新加坡的国土面积仅为728.6平方公里，人口为545.4万。在地理上，海南岛一直是“被忽视的岛屿”，因为它经常遭受台风袭击。如今，海南岛正被宣传为热带度假胜地——中国的夏威夷。中国政府最近决定将海南岛开发为“贸易自由”港，这提升了该岛在西方世界的形象。 https://youtu.be/TH3yaKqtJEM

On China, we’ll see

The grandeur rising from the sea;

A culture that sings

A thousand songs

A beauty that rings

Of nature, that’s strong.

Laid-back coasts

Bustling cities;

Every region toasts

It’s own beauties.

The Great Wall

That never ends

How tall?

Ask visiting friends.

The past, the present and the future collide

A maelstrom of traditions to abide;

The thunderous symbol of the dragon roars

The glorious nation of a thousand more.

中国，我们拭目以待
从海中升起的壮丽；
会唱歌的文化
一千首歌
响起的美丽
天生的，很强。
悠闲的海岸
繁华都市；
各地区敬酒
是自己的美人。
长城
那永远不会结束
多高？
问来访的朋友。
过去、现在和未来的碰撞
一个需要遵守的传统漩涡；
龙吼的雷鸣符号
一千多人的光荣民族。

The book recommends the following top attractions as the best in China and it is well worth our while to google such attractions to have a good study before visiting these Chinese attractions as soon as we have the time and money to do so.

(1) The Great Wall of China; (2) The Lijiang Old Township, in the mountainous northwest of Yunnan province; (3) The Shanghai skyline with its glittering arrays of buildings, including the Pearl Oriental TV Tower; (4) The ancient Silk Road cities; (5) The Terracotta Warriors of Xi’an; (6) The Huang Shan scenic mountains; (7) The Yangzi Gorges; (8) The Quilin landscapes; (9) The Guizhou province of minority groups; and (10) The Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

这本书推荐了以下中国最好的景点，一旦我们有时间和金钱去参观这些中国景点之前，我们很值得花时间在谷歌上搜索这些景点，好好研究一下。
(1) 中国长城； (2) 位于云南省西北部山区的丽江古镇； (3) 上海天际线及其闪闪发光的建筑物，包括东方明珠电视塔； (4) 丝绸之路古城； (5) 西安兵马俑； (6) 黄山风景名胜区； (7) 长江三峡； (8)桂林山水； (9) 贵州省少数民族； (10) 北京天坛。

(1) The Great Wall of China

万里长城。

The Great Wall of China is punctuated by strategically located towers. It is about 6,400 kilometres (4,000 miles) long, winding its way, like a slender dragon, from Shanghaiguan on the Yellow Sea through five provinces and two autonomous regions and deep into the Gobi Desert. https://youtu.be/VjlydnRqcmw

中国的长城点缀着战略位置高的塔楼。它长约 6,400 公里（4,000 英里），蜿蜒如一条细长的巨龙，从黄海之滨的上海关穿过五个省和两个自治区，深入戈壁滩。 https://youtu.be/VjlydnRqcmw

(2) Lijiang in Yunnan province.

丽江市，云南省。

The old town of Lijiang is one of UNESCO’s World heritage centre. It is located on the Lijiang plain, at an elevated of 2,400 metres, in the southwest of Yunnan. https://youtu.be/itQE4u2kLRc

(Above) The Zhangjiajie Scenic Park in Hunan province.

丽江古城是联合国教科文组织世界遗产中心之一。它位于云南西南部海拔2400米的丽江平原上。https://youtu.be/itQE4u2kLRc  
丽江古城的纳西族老城区距今约有 750 年的历史，在玉河广场的北边，以其至今仍在运转的大型水车而闻名。

The old Naxi district of Lijiang old town dates back some 750 years, and at the northern edge of Yu He Guangchang is noted for its large waterwheels which are still in working condition to this day.

(3) Shanghai Bund and Shanghai Skyline.

(3) 上海外滩和上海天际线。

Watch the following three YouTube videos about Shanghai, the huge, sprawling metropolis of a city with a population of over 29 million. It is the financial hub of China and it has a reputation as the Money-Mad place, the population has just a single minded pursuit of wealth.

观看以下三个关于上海的 YouTube 视频，这座拥有超过 2900 万人口的庞大的大都市。它是中国的金融中心，素有“金钱至上”之称，人们一心追求财富。

The Shanghai World Financial Centre. https://youtu.be/eaJk6Xe6nHQ The Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. When the building topped out in 2007 at 1,614 feet (492 meters), it became the 8th tallest building in the world. The most distinctive feature of this building is its trapezoid aperture found at the peak of the building. The main purpose of the aperture is to reduce stresses of wind pressure. The Shanghai World Financial Center features three observation decks: 94th floor (1,388 ft/423 m), 97th floor (1,440 ft/439 m), and 100th floor (1,555 ft/474 m).

上海环球金融中心。 https://youtu.be/eaJk6Xe6nHQ 上海环球金融中心是一座位于中国上海市浦东新区的超高层摩天大楼。当该建筑于 2007 年达到 1,614 英尺（492 米）的顶峰时，它成为世界上第八高的建筑。这座建筑最显着的特点是在建筑顶部发现的梯形孔。孔径的主要目的是减少风压应力。上海环球金融中心设有三个观景台：94 层（1,388 英尺/423 米）、97 层（1,440 英尺/439 米）和 100 层（1,555 英尺/474 米）。

The Jin Mao Tower. https://youtu.be/1KnYTsh6XIo Jin Mao Tower , ‘The Golden Prosperity’ is an 88-story tower and one of the most noticeable structures in Shanghai, located in the centre of Lujiazui Finance and trade zone in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. With a height of 420.5m, this tower offers the most thrilling skywalk without rails outside the tower on the 88th floor, an experience which sets it far apart from its tall rival neighbours.

金茂大厦。 https://youtu.be/1KnYTsh6XIo 金茂大厦是一座 88 层高的塔楼，是上海最引人注目的建筑之一，位于上海市浦东新区陆家嘴金融贸易区的中心.这座塔高 420.5 米，在 88 层的塔楼外提供了最惊险刺激的无轨道空中步道，这一体验使其与其他高大的竞争对手相去甚远。

The Bund, Shanghai. https://youtu.be/iGNF0POZQIs “I walk through the Bund in Shanghai and discuss a bit about its history and why it’s full of European architecture! Featuring a bull statue made by the same sculptor as the famous one in New York City!” said this commentator.

上海外滩。 https://youtu.be/iGNF0POZQIs 这位评论员说: “我走过上海的外滩，讨论一下它的历史以及为什么它充满欧洲建筑！有一尊与纽约市著名雕塑家相同的雕塑家制作的公牛雕像! “

(4) The Ancient Silk Road, NorthWest China. https://youtu.be/0zfUSoWC4Eg

(4) 中国西北古丝绸之路。https://youtu.be/0zfUSoWC4Eg

China has a history of trade. She carved the long Chinese Silk Road to the west, via the desert land of Gobi Desert. The Silk Road was the ultimate route for messengers, merchants, and explorers alike. The roads were used in a few manners, with the main being for commercial trade. https://youtu.be/J-pfeFbssMw

中国有贸易的历史。她开辟了漫长的中国丝绸之路，途经戈壁滩向西。丝绸之路是信使、商人和探险家等人的终极路线。道路以几种方式使用，主要用于商业贸易。 https://youtu.be/J-pfeFbssMw

The Ancient Silk Road of China, a tale of wonder unfold

A thousand miles travelled, with stories of old.

From city to city, culture exchanged and shared

On the backs of merchants, dreams were bared.

Spices, silk and technology expanding new horizons

A journey of courage, prosperity and visions.

The Ancient Silk Road, beloved in its time

Today reminding us to embrace our diverse clime.

中国古丝绸之路，一段神奇的故事展开
行千里，千古故事。
从一个城市到另一个城市，文化交流和共享
在商人的背上，梦想是赤裸裸的。
香料、丝绸和技术拓展新视野
勇气、繁荣和愿景的旅程。
古老的丝绸之路，深受当时人们的喜爱
今天提醒我们拥抱我们多样化的气候。

(5) Terracotta Warriors, East of Xi’an. https://youtu.be/C2oAUUwwdBQ

兵马俑，西安东部。 https://youtu.be/C2oAUUwwdBQ

(a) How many terracotta warriors are there? 8,000. There are 8,000 known Terracotta Warriors. But archaeologists in China just found more than 200 others. The discovery helps paint a clearer picture of how the Chinese military once operated.

(b) Why were the terracotta warriors made? The Terracotta Army was built by the subjects of Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of the Qin Dynasty and China’s 2,133-year imperial era. The role of the Terracotta Army was to “guard” the entire mausoleum and Qin Shi Huang believed that the army could protect him in the afterlife.

(c) What is unique about the Terracotta Warriors? Each Terracotta Warrior is unique. Their features are lifelike, made from moulds. Archaeologists believe they were built in an assembly line fashion, with moulds for arms, legs, torsos, and heads being put together and finished with customised features that ensured no two were alike.

(d) What are the Terracotta Warriors made of? Yellow Earth. Experts have confirmed that the material used to mould the terracotta warriors and horses is a “yellow earth” sourced from around the burial sites. Yellow earth is easy to obtain, and was an appropriate material due to its adhesive quality and plasticity.

(e) Is the terracotta army real? The warriors are amazingly lifelike and it feels as if they could simply wake up and start marching along as they did over two thousand years ago.

(a) 兵马俑有多少个？ 8,000。有 8,000 个已知的兵马俑。但中国的考古学家只发现了 200 多个。这一发现有助于更清晰地描绘出中国军队曾经的运作方式。
（b）为什么要制造兵马俑？兵马俑是由秦始皇、秦始皇和中国 2,133 年帝制时代的臣民建造的。兵马俑的作用是“守卫”整个陵墓，秦始皇相信军队可以在来世保护他。
(c) 兵马俑有什么独特之处？每个兵马俑都是独一无二的。他们的特征栩栩如生，由模具制成。考古学家认为它们是以流水线方式建造的，手臂、腿、躯干和头部的模具被组装在一起，并以定制的特征完成，以确保没有两个是相同的。 
(d) 兵马俑是用什么做的？黄土地。经专家证实，用来塑造兵马俑的材料是取自兵马俑周边的“黄土”。黄土容易获得，并且由于其粘性和可塑性而成为合适的材料。
(e) 兵马俑是真的吗？战士们栩栩如生，感觉就像他们可以像两千多年前一样醒来并开始前进。

(6) Huang Shan, Anhui province, Eastern China. https://youtu.be/mCdm7sQS-0Q

(6) 中国东部安徽省黄山市。https://youtu.be/mCdm7sQS-0Q

Huangshan, known as ‘the loveliest mountain of China’, was acclaimed through art and literature during a good part of Chinese history (e.g. the Shanshui ‘mountain and water’ style of the mid-16th century). Today it holds the same fascination for visitors, poets, painters and photographers who come on pilgrimage to the site, which is renowned for its magnificent scenery made up of many granite peaks and rocks emerging out of a sea of clouds.

Huangshan China, the majestic mountain of mist

With its picturesque views, a sublime bliss.

The sun rises in the east with a brilliant orange hue,

And sets in the west like a blanket of dew.

The ancient trees stand tall and proud

While the rivers sparkle against rolling cloud.

White-capped peaks of grandeur and beauty

Huangshan China, for eternity will always be.

黄山被誉为“中国最美的山峰”，在中国历史的大部分时间里都因艺术和文学而广受赞誉（例如 16 世纪中叶的“山水”风格）。今天，它对前来朝圣的游客、诗人、画家和摄影师有着同样的魅力，这里以其由许多花岗岩山峰和从云海中冒出的岩石组成的壮丽景色而闻名。
中国黄山，雄伟的雾山
以其如画的景色，一种崇高的幸福。
太阳从东方升起，带着灿烂的橙色，
像露珠一样落在西方。
古树傲然挺立
而河流在翻滚的云彩中闪闪发光。
白顶峰的雄伟和美丽
中国黄山，永恒不变。

(7) Sanxia (Three Gorges) of the Yangzi River. https://youtu.be/tkpL2KbB9Jw

(7) 长江三峡。https://youtu.be/tkpL2KbB9Jw

The Three Gorges of the Yangzi River are a series of gorges located in the Hubei province of China. They span a total distance of 1,000 kilometres or 620 miles and they are, collectively, one of China’s natural wonders due to their impressive scale and stunning beauty. The Yangzi River flows through the three gorges, which were formed over two million years ago by erosion from the river. They are home to numerous species of plants and animals and are a popular tourist destination. Additionally, the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric power station in the world is located within the gorges.

长江三峡是位于中国湖北省的一系列峡谷。它们总长 1,000 公里或 620 英里，由于其令人印象深刻的规模和令人惊叹的美丽，它们共同成为中国的自然奇观之一。长江流经三峡，两百万多年前因长江侵蚀而形成。它们是众多植物和动物的家园，是一个受欢迎的旅游目的地。此外，世界上最大的水力发电站三峡大坝就位于三峡之中。

(8) Guilin’s Landscapes. https://youtu.be/wpHHzzsgDbE

(8)桂林山水。 https://youtu.be/wpHHzzsgDbE

Guilin is famous for its beautiful mountain and river scenery, particularly the iconic limestones karst(s) that are found in many of Guilin city’s parks and gardens. The city also has an impressive collection of traditional Chinese architecture, with numerous ancient temples, pagodas, and other historical sites. Additionally, Guilin is known for its culinary delights, especially the local snacks and street food. https://youtu.be/clo3vXDJqCA

桂林以其美丽的山水风光而闻名，尤其是在桂林市许多公园和花园中发现的标志性石灰岩喀斯特地貌。这座城市还拥有令人印象深刻的中国传统建筑，拥有众多古老的寺庙、宝塔和其他历史遗迹。此外，桂林以其美食而闻名，尤其是当地小吃和街头小吃。 https://youtu.be/clo3vXDJqCA

(9) Guizhou province’s minority groups. https://youtu.be/mWKFilZgdJ8

Guizhou is the home to a diverse selection of minority groups, including the Miao, Buyi, Dong, Tujia, Yao, Shui, and Gelao people. Together they make up to over 40 percent of the province’s population.

(9)贵州省少数民族。 https://youtu.be/mWKFilZgdJ8
贵州是多种少数民族的家园，包括苗族、布斯族、侗族、土家族、瑶族、水族和仡佬族。他们加起来占全省人口的 40% 以上。

(Above) A Miao lusheng festival dance in Guizhou province.

（上图）贵州省的苗族芦笙节舞。

Wei Wanlian is a Buyi ethnic woman living in Nanlong Ancient Village (南龙古寨) of Qianxinan, Guizhou. Like many Buyi people, they well preserve their ethnic cultures and heritages, like Eight-Note Seated Singing and embroideries. Besides, she’s good at cooking five-colour rice, one of the most famous staple food of Buyi ethnic group. It’s so special because all the colours are dyed naturally by herbs and plants. Each colour represents a special meaning: colour black symbolises the soil; yellow the Sun, purple represents the nature, white the sky. She enjoys her life in the Nanlong and wishes to pass down these valuable culture and customs.

魏婉莲，贵州黔西南南龙古寨布依族妇女。像许多布依族人一样，他们很好地保存了自己的民族文化和遗产，例如八音坐歌和刺绣。此外，她擅长烹制布依族最著名的主食之一的五彩饭。它是如此特别，因为所有的颜色都是由草药和植物自然染色的。每种颜色代表一种特殊的含义：黑色象征土壤；黄色代表太阳，紫色代表自然，白色代表天空。她很享受在南龙的生活，希望把这些宝贵的文化和习俗传承下去。

The Dong minority group celebrating Chinese New Year of the Rabbit in this video https://youtu.be/w5MptFJjR20

侗族庆祝农历兔年的视频 https://youtu.be/w5MptFJjR20

(10) The Temple of Heaven, Beijing. https://youtu.be/xgdpRyyfIt8

(10) 北京天坛。 https://youtu.be/xgdpRyyfIt8The 

The Temple of Heaven in China, a masterpiece of ancient art,

A place of worship to the divine, a world apart!

Its blue and gold hues hint at its majesty,

And its grand design creates such harmony!

Ancestral sacrifices of rice, fruits, and more,

Ensures that the gods hear our prayers at the core!

Where once only the emperor could walk,

This temple now welcomes all who talks!

中国的天坛，古代艺术的杰作，
一个敬拜神灵的地方，一个与世隔绝的地方！
它的蓝色和金色色调暗示着它的威严，
其宏伟的设计营造出如此和谐！
祖先祭祀大米、水果等，
确保众神听到我们的核心祈祷！
曾经只有皇帝才能行走的地方，
这座寺庙现在欢迎所有说话的人！

The Dynasties of China https://youtu.be/Fz_uQNQBK0g

Premiered on Aug 6, 2022, this video tells us of every Chinese Dynasty from around 2000 BC to the end of the imperial system in 1912.

中国历代史 https://youtu.be/Fz_uQNQBK0g

该视频于 2022 年 8 月 6 日首播，向我们讲述了从公元前 2000 年左右到 1912 年帝制结束的每个中国朝代。

China’s Frozen Megacity: Harbin https://youtu.be/3GI388HInr8

中国的冰冻特大城市：哈尔滨 https://youtu.be/3GI388HInr8

Every year one of China’s most remarkable events takes place in the city of Harbin halfway between the North Pole and the equator. For five months of the year, the mercury rarely hovers above zero. But if you live in Harbin you’ve got to love winter. The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival features three of the world’s most astonishing attractions - Zhaolin Park the home of ice art, Sun Island the home of the snow expo and Ice and Snow World the biggest winter theme park on the planet. Get an inside look as Harbin’s army of workers build a theme park bigger than Disneyland and follow some of the world’s best ice and snow carvers in their gruelling quest for gold.

每年，中国最引人注目的事件之一都会发生在北极和赤道之间的哈尔滨市。一年中有五个月，水银柱很少徘徊在零以上。但如果你住在哈尔滨，你一定会喜欢冬天。哈尔滨冰雪节拥有世界上最令人惊叹的三个景点——冰艺术之乡兆麟公园、雪博会之乡太阳岛和全球最大的冬季主题公园冰雪大世界。深入了解哈尔滨的工人大军正在建造一个比迪士尼乐园还大的主题公园，并跟随世界上一些最好的冰雪雕刻师艰苦地寻找黄金。