The Wudang Mountains 2

( cri.cn )

Updated: 2012-12-21

A: A number of lawyers now suggest that the country's judiciary body issue an interpretation of the current law to expand the definition of the crime of abuse to include mistreatment outside the family.

B: Well, let's move on to the next letter from our old friend Brian Kendall of the UK. This time Brian monitored our daily feature program "People in the Know." The letter goes:

A: "It dealt with China's socialist market economy and had two guests—Dr. Hong and Professor Parker. This is an important subject, and I was glad to hear you giving it in-depth coverage. China's economic success is often commented on in the western media, and it was good to hear attempts to explain just what China's socialist market economy is. I would have appreciated even more analysis on the transition from China's centrally planned economy to the present model and the strengths and weaknesses of them both. It would have been interesting to hear more about the ways in which China's people are gaining under the socialist market economy. Time, I realize, was the restricting factor. It is such an interesting subject. "

B: At the same time, Brian points out some problems in his letter, saying: "Having two guests essentially worked well, but there were a couple of issues with Dr. Hong's contribution. His diction was not always clear, and it seemed to me that the audio link to him was not perfect. Adding the two together meant that some of what he said was lost. This was especially the case today as I was listening on shortwave. Professor Parker's contribution was delivered in measured, clear English."

A: Thank you very much, Brian, for listing attentively to our program. You are right that the improvement of the socialist market economy is an important topic to be addressed at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

B: In his report to the Congress, Hu Jintao stressed that China should accelerate the improvement of the socialist market economy and the changes in its growth model.

A: Unlike the West's market economy, which in most cases is characterized by a laissez-faire approach, China's socialist market economy still has a visible government hand.

B: This makes China quite apt at making quick decisions and amassing resources in the event of a major economic crisis. Yet the socialist market economy is far from perfect, and the CPC has never stopped in its quest to improve it.

A: The key issue is how to strike a balance between the role of the government and that of the market. In the report, Hu Jintao said the country must encourage, support and guide the development of the non-public sector while unwaveringly consolidating and developing the public sector of the economy.

B: He said reforms should also be accelerated in the fiscal, taxation and financial systems. A multilevel capital market should be developed, and steady steps should be taken to make interest rates and renminbi exchange rates market-based, and promote the renminbi's convertibility under capital accounts in due course.

A: Hu Jintao stressed that deepening reform was crucial for accelerating changes to the country's growth model. He said economic development as the main task was vital to national renewal, and development still held the key to addressing all the problems China faces.

B: Well, let's move on to the next letter from Donald Coppersmith of the U.S. Donald is a keen learner of the Chinese language and says in his letter: "What I really need is a pinyin translator into 'hanzi' characters to write an e-mail. Actually, I lived in China a few years ago, teaching in Sichuan in Nanchong for the China Friendship Volunteers known in the USA as the U.S. Peace Corps. I retired from teaching in 2007 and arrived in China July 2008. So I have been practicing speaking and reading Chinese since then."

A: Donald's letter continues as he says: "Back here in America, I continue to practice my 'putonghua.' I listen to 'Chinese Studio.' and hopefully too I will be able to read most of the Chinese words presented there. I do travel back to China and was in Shanghai over the summer staying with a Chinese friend in Pudong. I was in Beijing back in '09 where I visited and climbed the Great Wall, toured so many places such as the Temple of Heaven and the Palace Museum, and so many others in Beijing and throughout China from Xi'an to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau. I like Sichuan 'cai' and, of course, Beijing 'kaoya' and so much more. What is difficult is the language syntax. I will continue to study and listen to 'Chinese Studio.'"

B: Thank you very much, Donald, for sharing with us your interesting experience. It's always fascinating to learn about our listeners' personal lives. It makes us feel close to you and better able to match our programming to your interests. Well, those are all the letters we have to share with you today. Before we move on to our weekly topic, let's relax with a song by Jam Hsiao.

A: This Taiwan singer just released his new album "It's all about LOVE" which depicts through music the different kinds of love in life. With the support of a stellar songwriting and production crew, Jam's powerful vocals feature prominently on the new album.

B: "Holmes" is one of the main plugs off the album, in which Hsiao turns Sherlock Holmes into a rock song. Hope you enjoy it.

A: You are listening to "Listeners Garden" on China Radio International. I'm Ya Jie.

B: And I'm Luo Laiming. Wudang Mountain in central China's Hubei Province has long been known for its traditional Taoist culture.

A: Originally called Taihe Mountain, it is believed to be the place where Xuanwu the Great, a Taoist patron saint, was enshrined. It was renamed Wudang Mountain in the Song Dynasty some 1,000 years ago.

B: Covering an area of 300 square kilometers, the mountain is famous for its perfect combination of natural and cultural attractions. It is also renowned for its magnificent ancient buildings, profound traditional Taoist culture and Wudang kung fu.

A: As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, the mountain attracted the Emperor's attention. During the Tang Dynasty, the first site of worship—the Five Dragon Temple—was constructed.

B: The largest group of buildings on the mountain complex was built during the Ming Dynasty when Emperor Zhudi ordered some 300,000 laborers to build the sacred site in 1412. It took them 12 years to complete.

A: The impetus for such imperial glamour originated in legends that said the prince of the Pure Pleasure State went to Wudang Mountain to nurture his will and power.

B: The prince has been worshipped ever since. Most of the buildings contain stories about him, including Pure Pleasure Palace built in the ancient city of Junzhou.

A: This group of secular and religious buildings highlights Chinese architectural and artistic achievements over a period of nearly 1,000 years. The complex was designed to fit the Taoist principle of harmony between man and nature. Its buildings are considered a museum of ancient Chinese design and philosophy.

B: The palaces and temples, which acted as nuclei for other structures, were built in valleys or on terraces with monasteries and cliff temples clustered around them. They were distributed regularly across the landscape and linked by a network of sacred roads.

A: Of the vast complex created during the Ming dynasty, four Taoist palaces survive along with two temples and many monasteries and cliff temples.

B: The Golden Shrine, situated in the middle of a stone terrace atop Sky Pillar Peak, was built of bronze, although it resembles a wooden structure. The shrine, in the form of a palace, is 5.5 meters high and surrounded by columns that support the five-ridged roof with double eaves.

A: The whole structure is richly decorated and painted. The Ancient Bronze Shrine atop Lotus Flower Peak was built in 1307 in the same way as the Golden Shrine. The shrine's metalwork is the earliest of its kind in China.

B: The Purple Heaven Palace is the largest and best-preserved building complex on Wudang Mountain. It was originally built between 1119 and 1126 and rebuilt during the 19th century.

A: There are five ascending terraces on the central axis, each with its own hall. On the sides of the halls are pavilions and annexes used by Taoist monks as living quarters.

B: The main structure is Purple Heaven Hall built from gigantic wooden pillars and beams. Its decorations are sumptuous, especially the roof, which is covered with peacock-blue tiles and ornamented ridge tiles.

A: The Dragon Head Incense Burner is a stone structure that projects over a deep valley. The far end of it is carved in the form of a dragon's head which holds an incense burner. It is of special artistic and technological importance for its design and construction.

B: The ancient building complex has won wide acclaim from architectural circles. Two United Nations experts wrote that they believed Wudang Mountain was among the beautiful places on earth because of its exquisite architectural design.

A: Wudang kung fu, as part of the traditional culture, took root in the fertile soil of the thousand-year-old Chinese civilization, and contains profound Chinese philosophical theories combined with the traditional notions of taiji, the eight diagrams and xingyi, converted into boxing theories and skills.

B: Influenced by the Taoist idea of "self-protection and self-cultivation in isolation," the skills of Wudang kung fu are characterized by not taking the initiative in an attack, as "removing is fighting, and fighting is removing."

A: Zhang Sanfeng is considered the father of Wudang internal kung fu. In the Ming Dynasty, he created the Wudang Sector based on the theory of alchemy. According to legend, Zhang Sanfeng was inspired by a fight he witnessed between a pied magpie and a snake.

B: "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," a kung-fu movie directed by Ang Lee in 2000, attracted students of kung fu to travel from all over the world to study with the masters at Wudang.

A: Wudang Mountain also enjoys enormous natural beauty. It is beautiful year-round. In spring, the area is filled with flowers; in summer, the mist envelops it; in autumn, oranges turn yellow, and the smell of sweet-scented osmanthus fills the air; in winter, heavy snow covers the mountain like a white blanket.

B: Wudang Mountain has rich plant resources. About 600 of the 1,800 medicinal herbs recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" compiled by Ming Dynasty scientist Li Shizhen can be found in the area.

A: After visiting the Wudang Mountain, UNESCO officials said, "There are ancient ingenuities, historical buildings and natural views in harmony" on the mountain.

B: In 1994, Wudang Mountain was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Well, we hope you have enjoyed our journey discovering the legacy of Wudang Mountain. That brings us to the end of today's "Listeners Garden." If you have any comments or suggestions, write to us at garden@cri.com.cn.

A: You can also log on to our website at crienglish.com, and re-listen to any of our programs. I'm Ya Jie. Thanks for listening.

B: I'm Luo Laiming. Bye for now.