HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

长城的故事 · The Story of the Great Wall

Chángchéng de Gùshi — Why a wall thousands of li long was built in the first place.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

长城Chángchéngshì中国Zhōngguózuì有名yǒumíngde建筑jiànzhù之一。zhī yī

The Great Wall is one of China's most famous landmarks.

最初zuìchūshì为了wèile防止fángzhǐ北方běifāng民族mínzúde进攻jìngōngér建造jiànzào的。de

It was originally built to defend against attacks from northern tribes.

cóng春秋Chūnqiū时期shíqī开始,kāishǐ许多xǔduō诸侯国zhūhóuguójiù开始kāishǐxiū城墙。chéngqiáng

From the Spring and Autumn period onward, many states started building walls.

秦始皇Qín Shǐhuáng统一tǒngyī中国Zhōngguó后,hòu它们tāmen连接liánjiēchéng一条。yì tiáo

After Qin Shi Huang unified China, he connected the walls into one.

我们wǒmen今天jīntiān看到kàndàode长城,Chángchéng大部分dàbùfenshì明朝Míngcháo修建xiūjiàn的。de

The Great Wall we see today was largely built during the Ming Dynasty.

修建xiūjiàn长城Chángchéng耗费hàofèile无数wúshù劳工láogōng许多xǔduō生命。shēngmìng

Building the wall took countless laborers and many lives.

如今,rújīn已经yǐjīng不再búzàishì防御fángyù工事,gōngshì而是érshì历史lìshǐde见证。jiànzhèng

Today, it is no longer a defensive structure, but a witness to history.

长城Chángchéng不是bú shì一道yí dào简单jiǎndānde墙。qiáng

The Great Wall is not one simple wall.

包括bāokuò城墙、chéngqiáng关口、guānkǒu烽火台fēnghuǒ tái驻军zhùjūnde城堡。chéngbǎo

It includes ramparts, passes, beacon towers and garrison forts.

烽火台fēnghuǒ táishì古代gǔdài最快zuì kuàide通信tōngxìn方式。fāngshì

The beacon towers were the fastest form of communication in antiquity.

发现fāxiàn敌人dírén的时候,de shíhou白天báitiān放烟,fàng yān晚上wǎnshang点火。diǎn huǒ

On sighting the enemy, they raised smoke by day and lit fire by night.

一个yí ge信号xìnhào可以kěyǐzài几个jǐ ge小时内xiǎoshí nèi传到chuán dào很远hěn yuǎnde地方。dìfang

A single signal could travel a great distance within a few hours.

yǒu一句yí jù老话lǎohuà说:shuō"不到长城bú dào Chángchéng非好汉。"fēi hǎohàn

There is an old saying: "You are no hero until you reach the Great Wall."

今天jīntiān每年měi niányǒu上千万人shàng qiān wàn rénlái这里zhèlǐ长城。Chángchéng

Today tens of millions of people come here every year to climb it.

zhànzài城墙上chéngqiáng shàngwǎng远处yuǎnchù看,kàncái明白míngbai有多长。yǒu duō cháng

Only standing on the rampart and looking into the distance do you grasp its length.

Vocabulary in this story (103 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
长城Chángchéngthe Great Wall
shìis
中国ZhōngguóChina
zuìmost
有名yǒumíngfamous
de(of)
建筑jiànzhùbuildings
之一zhī yīone of
it
最初zuìchūoriginally
为了wèilein order to
防止fángzhǐprevent
北方běifāngnorthern
民族mínzúpeoples
进攻jìngōngattacks
érand
建造jiànzàobuilt
cóngfrom
春秋ChūnqiūSpring and Autumn
时期shíqīperiod
开始kāishǐonward
许多xǔduōmany
诸侯国zhūhóuguóvassal states
jiùalready
xiūbuild
城墙chéngqiángwalls
秦始皇Qín ShǐhuángQin Shi Huang
统一tǒngyīunified
hòuafter
(disposal)
它们tāmenthem
连接liánjiēconnected
chénginto
一条yì tiáoone (long)
我们wǒmenwe
今天jīntiāntoday
看到kàndàosee
大部分dàbùfenmost
明朝MíngcháoMing Dynasty
修建xiūjiànbuilt
耗费hàofèiconsumed
le(past)
无数wúshùcountless
劳工láogōnglaborers
and
生命shēngmìnglives
如今rújīntoday
已经yǐjīngalready
不再búzàino longer
防御fángyùdefensive
工事gōngshìstructure
而是érshìbut rather
历史lìshǐhistory
见证jiànzhèngwitness
不是bú shìis not
一道yí dàoone
简单jiǎndānsimple
qiángwall
包括bāokuòincludes
关口guānkǒupasses
烽火台fēnghuǒ táibeacon towers
驻军zhùjūngarrison
城堡chéngbǎoforts
古代gǔdàiin antiquity
最快zuì kuàithe fastest
通信tōngxìncommunication
方式fāngshìmethod
发现fāxiànsighting
敌人dírénthe enemy
的时候de shíhouwhen
白天báitiānby day
放烟fàng yānthey raised smoke
晚上wǎnshangby night
点火diǎn huǒthey lit fire
一个yí gea single
信号xìnhàosignal
可以kěyǐcould
zàiwithin
几个jǐ gea few
小时内xiǎoshí nèihours
传到chuán dàotravel to
很远hěn yuǎnvery distant
地方dìfangplaces
yǒuthere is
一句yí jùan
老话lǎohuàold saying
shuōthat goes
不到长城bú dào Chángchéngnot reaching the Great Wall
非好汉fēi hǎohànyou are no hero
每年měi niánevery year
上千万人shàng qiān wàn réntens of millions of people
láiwho come
这里zhèlǐhere
to climb
zhànstanding
城墙上chéngqiáng shàngthe rampart
wǎngtoward
远处yuǎnchùthe distance
kànlooking
you
cáionly then
明白míngbaigrasp
有多长yǒu duō chánghow long is

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