十二生肖講稿

大綱：簡介中國十二生肖。（about5min）講解“生肖”、“屬相”兩詞的含義，十二生肖是哪十二種動(dòng)物（放視頻《漢字解讀十二生肖》），以及古人發(fā)明十二生肖的作用。（15min）關(guān)于十二生肖排序的神話傳說。（為什么沒有貓？為什么龍沒有排第一？…）（15min）放視頻《十二生肖歌》（配英文字幕）（3min）生肖與個(gè)性。（各個(gè)動(dòng)物的性格特點(diǎn)、各生肖的人適合的職業(yè)以及外國名人們的生肖）（15min）生肖與婚配。（5min）本命年。（5min）以下為英文講稿：GeneralIntroduction：InChineseculture，twelveanimalsareveryspecial：theyareselectedastwelvesymbolicanimalstoformtwelve-yearcycles.Sinceeachyearhasananimalasitssymbol,apersonborninacertainyearwillhaveoneofthetwelveanimalsashis/hersymbolicanimal.Thatiscalledaperson'sshengxiao（生肖）orshuxiang（屬相）.Thetwelveshengxiao,orthetwelvesymbolicanimalsareofgreatimportancetomanyChinese,andpeopleallofthecountrytellmanyinterestingstoriesandfollowvariouscustomsassociatedwiththetwelvesymbolicanimals.Warming-upQuestions:（1）Whatarethetwelvesymbolicanimals?（2）Whatisthesequenceofthetwelvesymbolicanimals?rat,ox,tiger,rabbit,dragon,snail,horse,sheep（orgoat）,monkey,rooster,dog,pigLectureExplanationofShengxiao（生肖）andShuxiang（屬相）Sheng生：theyearoneisbornXiao肖：resemblanceShu屬：belongtoXiang相：resemblanceBothphrasesmeanthatapersonwillresemblethesymbolicanimalthatisusedtodenotetohis/heryearofbirth.Whentalkingabouttheoriginofthetwelvesymbolicanimals,informationisneededconcerningthetenHeavenlyStems（天干）andtwelveEarthlyBranches（地支）.ThetenHeavenlyStemsconsistof：Jia甲：Bud-thesignofgrowthYi乙：Sprout-thespreadofgrowth,burstingforthfromEarthBing丙:ConcentratedgrowthlikefireinthehouseDing丁:Maturity,solidity,Heavenskiss.Wu戊；FlourishingandnuturingJi己:FullbloomGeng庚:Harvestingandabundance.FullnessleadingtochangesXin辛：Deadheading,reformationRen壬：Sustenance,supportinglifeGui癸：Regeneratingrootsandpreparationforspring甲、乙、丙、丁、戊、己、庚、辛、壬、癸AndthetwelveEarthlyBranchesconsistof：Zi子：YoungshootofaplantChou丑：YoungplantsupportedbystickYin寅:CelebrationofspringandNewYearMao卯:LifespringingforthChen辰:PregnantandtimidSi巳:7monthspregnantwithfullyformedembryoWu戊：SummersolsticeWei未：BigtreewithsolidbranchesShen申:ExpansionYou酉：Harvest,celebrationXu戌：ClearingandpreparationHai亥:Conception,matingofyinandyang子、丑、寅、卯、辰、巳、午、未、申、酉、戌、亥IfwecombineeachofthetenHeavenlyStemswithoneofthetwelveEarthlyBranchesinsequence,wewillhavesixtychronologicalsymbols.Forexample,甲子(Jia,thefirstHeavenlyStem,Zi,thefirstEarthlyBranch),乙丑,丙寅，etc.Inthisway,sixtychronologicalsymbolsareformedandusedincircles.Itisrevealedbytheoracle-boneinscriptionsthatduringtheShangDynasty,theancientChinesebegantodominatedaysusingthecombinationsoftenHeavenlyStemsandtwelveEarthlyBranchestoformsixty-daycircles.LatertheydominatedyearsusingthecombinationsoftenHeavenlyStemsandtwelveEarthlyBranchestoformsixty-yearcircles.ProbablyfromtheEasternHanDynasty,twelvesymbolicanimalswereusedtocorrespondtothetwelveEarthlyBranches,fromthetwelveyearcyclewithinthesixty-yearcycle.ThetwelvesymbolicanimalsconnectedwiththetwelveEarthlyBranchesare:子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔辰龍巳蛇午馬未羊申猴酉雞戌狗亥豬Incorrespondencewiththebirth(orthezodiac)signintheWest,thissystemcanalsobecalledtheChinesezodiac,orChineseastrology.AnotherpointworthmentioningisthattheuseofthetwelveanimalsymbolsisnotuniquetotheHansinChina.Manyethnicgroupshavetheirownanimalsymbolswithminordifferences.Forexample,theinnerMongoliansusethesameanimalsbuttheyarearrangedinadifferentsequencewithtigerasthefirstone;theDaipeopleeliminatedthepigandaddedtheelephantinstead.SomesociologiststhinkthattheHansinheritedtheirtwelveanimalsfromthenortherntribesinancienttimesandgraduallyevolvedtheirown.Othersbelievethatexchangebetweendifferentculturescultivatedthevariousdifferencesinthetwelveanimalsymbols.SimilaranimalsymbolscanalsobefoundinsomeotherAsiancountries.ButtodaywewillonlyfocusonthetwelvesymbolicanimalsoftheHans.TheOrigin:Peopleinterestedinthetwelvesymbolicanimalskeepaskingthemselvesquestionslikewhythesetwelveanimalsarefavoured,andwhythesequence(forexample,whytheratisNo.1)?ActuallytherearemanylegendsexplainingthebeginningoftheChinesezodiac.TheStoryabouttheJadeEmperorandtheTwelveAnimalsLegendshaveitthatinordertoselecttwelveanimalsassymbolsoftheyears,aracewasorganizedbytheJadeEmperor.Towintherace,animalsparticipatingintheracemustcrossariver.Amongthem,thecatandtheratweretheworstswimmersbutthatwasnoproblemsincetheywerebothintelligent.Theyturnedtotheoxforhelp,whoisknownforitsgreatstrengthandwarm-heartednessintheanimalkingdom.Theoxagreedtohelpthemcrosstheriver,sotogetherthecatandandtherathoppedonthebackoftheox.Inthemiddleoftheriver,however,itsuddenlyoccurredtotheratthatinordertowin,itmustgetridofthecatfirst.Thecatwaspromptlypushedintotheriverbytherat.Theox,soabsorbedinswimming,didnotnoticethisandsoonleftthecatfarbehind.Justastheoxwasabouttostepontheshoreoftheriver,theratjumpedaheadandreachedthefinishlinefirst.Henceitisnamedthefirstanimalamongthetwelve.Thesecondplacewenttothestrongoxthatfollowedcloselybehind.Thencamethetiger,anotheranimalwithpowerfulstrength,anditbecamethethirdoneinthecircle.Thenextanimalarrivedthefinishlinewasthenimblerabbit.ItexplainedtotheJadeEmperorhowitmanagedtocrosstheriver.Inthebeginning,itjumpedfromonestonetoanother.Afterawhile,however,therewerenostonesinsight,soithadtolandonafloatinglog.Luckilyasuddenandgentlewindpushedittotheshore.Therabbitcouldhardlyfinisheditsstorywhenthedragonreachedthefinishline.TheJadeEmperorwasverycuriousastowhyastrongandflyingcreaturesuchasthedragonshouldfailtoreachfirst.Thedragonexplainedthatwhenhewasflyinghefoundtherewasagreatdroughtonearth.Asweknow,thedragonistheKingoftheoceanandinchargeoftheraininChineseculture.Therefore,thoughitwaseagertowinthecompetition,themightydragonwassoguilt-hauntedthatithadtostoptomakerainforallthepeopleandcreaturesfirst.Inthiswayitwasheldbackalittle.Then,justashewasabouttoreachthefinishline,hesawalittlehelplessrabbitclingingontoafloatinglogontheriver.Thedragonthoughthemightaswelldoagooddeedsohegaveapuffofbreathtothepoorcreature.Thisexplainedtotherabbitwherethesuddenandgentlewindcamefrom.TheJadeEmperorwaspleasedwithwhatdragonhaddone,anditwasaddedtothezodiaccircle.Thehorsewasgallopingtothefinishline.Whatescapedthehorse'snotice,however,wasasnakehiddenonitshoof.Thenthesnakesuddenlymadeitsappearance,whichfrightenedthehorsetosuchadegreethatitfellbackbehindthesnake.Hencethesnakeandthehorsewerenamedthesixthandseventhanimalsrespectivelyamongthetwelve.Notlongafterthat,thesheep,monkeyandroosterarrived.Thesethreecreatureshelpedeachothertocrosstheriverbyridingaraft.TheJadeEmperorwasgladtoseetheircombinedeffortsandpromptlynamedthesheepastheeighthanimal,themonkeyastheninth,andtheroosterthetenth.Thedogwastheeleventhanimaltoarrived.Sinceithasalwaysbeenregardedasanexcellentswimmerintheanimalkingdom,theJadeEmperoraskeditthereasonwhyhewassolate.Thedogexplainedsayingthatthetemptationofthefreshwaterwassoirresistiblethatforawhileheforgotabouttheracecompletelyandtookalongbathintheriver.Thenforalongtimenoanimalarrived.TheJadeEmperorwasabouttocallitadaywhenanoinkwasheardfromalittlepig.Itseemedthatduringtherace,thepigsuddenlyfelthungrysoitstoppedforafeast.Thenitfellasleepbecauseitwassofull.Afterthenap,thepigcontinuedtheraceandalmostdidn'tmakeittothefinishline.Itwasnamedthetwelfthandlastanimalofthezodiaccircle.Thisishowthetwelveanimalswereselectedandandhowtheywereputinsequence.Andthepoorcat,alas,finishedtoolateasthethirteenthanimaltowinanyplaceinthezodiac,andhasneverforgiventhecat,whocausedallitsmisfortune.Althoughthelegendstorylackscientificsupport,they,inawayreflectancientpeople'sunderstandingoftheanimalsandassociationswiththem.TheTwelveSymbolicAnimalsandPersonalitiesEventhoughChinesepeoplenownumbertheyearsandtheirageundertheGregoriancalendar,theywillusethelunarcalendarandthetwelvesymbolicanimals.Ifweknowunderwhatanimalsignapersonisborn,whatcanwedowiththehelpoftheinformation?First,wecaninferhis/herage.Wecanguesshis/herprobablyagefromhis/herappearance,andthen,withthehelpofhis/hersymbolicanimal,wecaninferhis/herexactageandyearofbirth.Second,wecaninferhis/herpersonalitysincetheChinesebelievethatpeopleborninaparticularyeartakeonthecharacteristicsoftheanimalassociatedwiththatyear.TheTwelveSymbolicAnimalsandMarriageTheYearofFateTheSymbolicAnimalsinWesternCulture外國名人的生肖Dog狗(1910-1922-1934-1946-1958-1970-1982)TheDogwillneverletyoudown.Bornunderthissignyouarehonest,andfaithfultothoseyoulove.Youareplaguedbyconstantworry,asharptongue,andatendencytobeafaultfinder,however.Youwouldmakeanexcellentbusinessman,activist,teacher,orsecretagent.SomeDogs:Cher,WinstonChurchill邱吉爾,BillClinton比爾克林頓,DorotheaDix,BenjaminFranklin,GeorgeGershwin,JaneGoodall,HerbertHoover,ShirleyMcLaine,GoldaMeir,LucyMaudMontgomery,Socrates蘇格拉底.Dragon龍(1916-1928-1940-1952-1964-1976-1988)Fullofvitalityandenthusiasm,theDragonisapopularindividualevenwiththereputationofbeingfoolhardyanda"bigmouth"attimes.Youareintelligent,gifted,andaperfectionistbutthesequalitiesmakeyouundulydemandingonothers.Youwouldbewell-suitedtobeanartist,priest,orpolitician.SomeDragons:LouisaMayAlcott,SusanB.Anthony,JoanofArc,PearlBuck,SigmundFreud,TheodoreSeussGeisel,JohnLennon約翰連儂,FlorenceNightingale南丁格爾,PatSchroeder,MaeWest.Goat羊(1919-1931-1943-1955-1967-1979-1991)Exceptfortheknackofalwaysgettingoffonthewrongfootwithpeople,theGoatcanbecharmingcompany.Youareelegantandartisticbutthefirsttocomplainaboutthings.Putasideyourpessimismandworryandtrytobelessdependentonmaterialcomforts.Youwouldbebestasanactor,gardener,orbeachcomber.SomeGoats:RachelCarson,Michelangelo米開朗基羅，MarkTwain馬克吐溫,RudolphValentino,BarbaraWalters,OrvilleWright.Horse馬(1918-1930-1942-1954-1966-1978-1990)Yourcapacityforhardworkisamazing.Youareyourownperson-veryindependent.While,intelligentandfriendly,youhaveastrongguardagainstbeingegotistical.Yoursignsuggestssuccessasanadventurer,scientist,poet,orpolitician.SomeHorses:LouisaMayAlcott,Chopin,DavyCrockett,EllaFitzgerald,ArethaFranklin,SandraDayO'Connor,Rembrandt,TeddyRoosevelt.Monkey猴(1920-1932-1944-1956-1968-1980-1992)Youareaveryintelligentandaverycleverwit.Becauseofyourextraordinarynatureandmagneticpersonality,youarealwayswell-liked.TheMonkey,however,mustguardagainstbeginanopportunistanddistrustfulofotherpeople.Yoursignpromisessuccessinanyfieldyoutry.SomeMonkeys:JuliusCaesar,BetteDavis,AnnieOakley,EleanorRoosevelt,BetsyRoss,DianaRoss,ElizabethTaylor伊莉莎白泰勒,HarryS.Truman,LeonardodaVinci里奧那多，AliceWalker.Ox牛(1913-1925-1937-1949-1961-1973-1985)Abornleader,youinspireconfidencefromallaroundyou.Youareconservative,methodical,andgoodwithyourhands.Guardagainstbeingchauvinisticandalwaysdemandingyourownway.TheOxwouldbesuccessfulasaskilledsurgeon,general,orhairdresser.SomeOxen:NapoleonBonaparte拿破侖,WaltDisney沃特迪士尼,ClarkGable,RichardNixon尼克森,RosaParks,SylviaPorter,VincentVanGogh梵高.Boar豬(1911-1923-1935-1947-1959-1971-1983)Youareasplendidcompanion,anintellectualwithaverystrongneedtosetdifficultgoalsandcarrythemout.Youaresincere,tolerant,andhonestbutbyexpectingthesamefromothers,youareincrediblynaive.Yourquestformaterialgoodscouldbeyourdownfall.TheBoarwouldbebestintheartsasanentertainer,orpossiblyalawyer.SomeBoars:LucilleBall,ErnestHemingway海明威，MahaliaJackson,AlbertSchweitzer,ElizabethCadyStanton.Rabbit兔(1915-1927-1939-1951-1963-1975-1987)Youarethekindofpersonthatpeopleliketobearound-affectionate,obliging,alwayspleasant.Youhaveatendency,though,togettoosentimentalandseemsuperficial.Beingcautiousandconservative,youaresuccessfulinbusinessbutwouldalsomakeagoodlawyer,diplomat,oractor.SomeRabbits:Confucius孑L子,AlbertEinstein愛因思坦,CorettaScottKing,RudolphNureyev,QueenVictoria維多利亞女王，OrsonWelles,JaneYolen.Rat鼠(1912-1924-1936-1948-1960-1972-1984)Youareimaginative,charming,andtrulygeneroustothepersonyoulove.However,youhaveatendencytobequick-temperedandoverlycritical.Youarealsoinclinedtobesomewhatofanopportunist.Bornunderthissign,youshouldbehappyinsalesorasawriter,critic,orpublicist.SomeRats:CharlotteBronte,TrumanCapote,CatherineI,MataHari,WolfgangMozart莫扎特,WilliamShakespeare莎士比亞,GeorgeWashington喬治華盛頓.Rooster雞(1921-1933-1945-1957-1969-1981-19