上海弄堂的早晨 · Morning in a Shanghai Lane

上海Shànghǎi弄堂lòngtáng的de早晨zǎochén开始kāishǐ得de很hěn早。zǎo

The morning of a Shanghai lane begins very early.

天tiān刚gāng亮,liàng街角jiējiǎo的de早餐铺zǎocān pù已经yǐjīng冒mào着zhe热气。rèqì

When the sky barely turns light, the breakfast stall on the corner is already steaming.

阿姨们āyímen为wèi一条yì tiáo鲜鱼xiānyú讨价还价,tǎojiàhuánjià挑、tiāo问、wèn嫌弃。xiánqì

The aunties bargain over fresh fish, picking, asking, mocking.

老人家lǎo rénjiā提tí着zhe鸟笼niǎolóng出来,chūlái和hé朋友péngyou凑còu在一起zài yìqǐ喝茶hēchá聊天。liáotiān

Old men carry cages out, gathering with friends to chat over tea.

背bēi着zhe书包shūbāo的de小孩xiǎohái睡眼shuìyǎn惺忪,xīngsōng被bèi家长jiāzhǎng拉lā着zhe往wǎng学校xuéxiào走。zǒu

Children with backpacks, half asleep, are dragged toward school.

一墙yì qiáng之外,zhī wài是shì城市chéngshì的de高楼gāolóu大厦,dàshà还hái没有méiyǒu完全wánquán苏醒。sūxǐng

Across the wall, the city's skyscrapers haven't quite woken up yet.

弄堂lòngtáng里,lǐ藏cáng着zhe上海Shànghǎi另一lìng yī张zhāng更gèng缓慢huǎnmàn的de面孔。miànkǒng

Within the lanes, the city's another, slower face is hidden.

弄堂lòngtáng很窄,hěn zhǎi两个人liǎng ge rén并排bìngpái走zǒu就jiù有点yǒudiǎn挤。jǐ

The lane is narrow — two people walking abreast is already a squeeze.

墙上qiáng shàng爬pá着zhe电线,diànxiàn窗外chuāng wài挂guà着zhe一排排yì pái pái衣服。yīfu

Wires climb the walls, and rows of clothes hang outside the windows.

有人yǒu rén把bǎ竹竿zhúgān架jià在zài两边liǎng biān的de窗户chuānghu之间zhījiān晾liàng被子。bèizi

Someone props a bamboo pole between the windows on either side to air the quilts.

早晨zǎochen的de太阳tàiyáng照zhào在zài被子上,bèizi shàng有yǒu一种yì zhǒng干净gānjìng的de味道。wèidào

The morning sun falls on the quilts, giving off a clean smell.

修鞋xiū xié的de老师傅lǎo shīfu在zài门口ménkǒu摆开bǎi kāi工具。gōngjù

The old shoe-mender lays out his tools in the doorway.

卖豆浆mài dòujiāng的de推tuī着zhe车,chē一边yìbiān走zǒu一边yìbiān喊。hǎn

The soy-milk seller pushes his cart along, calling out as he goes.

这些zhèxiē声音shēngyīn混hùn在一起,zài yìqǐ就是jiùshì弄堂lòngtáng的de闹钟。nàozhōng

These sounds mixed together are the lane's alarm clock.

住zhù在zài这里zhèlǐ的人,de rén大多dàduō认识rènshi彼此bǐcǐ几十年jǐshí nián了。le

Most of the people living here have known one another for decades.

谁家shéi jiā孩子háizi考上kǎo shàng大学,dàxué整条zhěng tiáo弄堂lòngtáng都dōu知道。zhīdào

When someone's child gets into university, the whole lane knows.

这几年,zhè jǐ nián很多hěn duō弄堂lòngtáng被bèi拆掉,chāi diào盖起gài qǐ了le新楼。xīn lóu

In recent years many lanes have been torn down and new blocks raised.

留下来liú xiàlái的de那些,nàxiē成chéng了le游客yóukè拍照pāizhào的de地方。dìfang

The ones that remain have become places for tourists to take photographs.