Learn free online advanced Mandarin Chinese audio lesson course 7 – 陈之藩 Chen Zhi Fan 失根的兰花 shi gen de lan hua The orchid without roots / Rootless orchids : Chinese text, pinyin, annotation, English translation, and Chinese idioms about flowers, and full text of Rootless Orchid

A human being isn’t an orchid, he must draw something from the soil he grows in. — Sara Jeannette Duncan quotes

 

You are going to have a very classic Chinese essay / article lesson today. The author 陈之藩 Chen Zhi Fan was born on June 19, 1925,  and passed away on February 25, this year (2012).  He was a hardworking scientist, taught electronic engineering in universities and also a renowned Chinese essayist. I learned 陈之藩’s Rootless orchids when I was in middle school, and till now I still have a lovely memory about its timeless beauty. At the end of the lesson, I attached 10 Chinese idioms about flowers and also example sentence about how to use these succinct idioms. This article is very beautiful, and so I felt it is good to include the full text with my recording at the end of the post for your serious studying.

 

Based on different abilities of readers, the post is arranged by the following sections:

1 Chinese text  with audio

2 Chinese text  with audio and pinyin

3 Annotated Chinese text  with pinyin

4 Chinese text  with pinyin, English translation and audio

5 Useful, succinct Chinese idioms about flowers with definition and sample sentences about how to use them

6 Full Chinese text of Rootless Orchid with audio recording

 

1 Chinese text  with audio

Click orchid  to hear the recording —>

 

陈之藩 Chen Zhi Fan

失根的蘭花 shi gen de lan hua

The orchid without roots or Rootless orchids

在沁涼如水的夏夜中，有牛郎織女的故事，才顯得星光晶亮；在群山萬壑中，有竹籬茅舍，才顯得詩意盎然。在晨曦的原野中，有拙重的老牛，才顯得純樸可愛。 祖國的山河，不僅是花木，還有可歌可泣的故事，可吟可詠的詩歌，是兒童的喧譁笑語與祖宗的靜肅墓廬，把它點綴美麗了。 古人說：人生如萍，在水上亂流。那是因為古人未出國門，沒有感覺離國之苦，萍總還有水流可藉；以我看，人生如絮，飄零在此萬紫千紅的春天。 宋朝畫家思肖，畫蘭，連根帶葉，均飄於空中。人問其故，他說：「國土淪亡，根著何處？」國，就是土，沒有國的人，是沒有根的草，不待風雨折磨，即形枯萎了。 我十幾歲，即無家可歸，並未覺其苦，十幾年後，祖國已破，卻深覺出個中滋味了。不是有說，「頭可斷，血可流，身不可辱嗎？」我覺得應該是，「身可辱，家可破，國不可亡。」 一九五五年五月十五日於費城

 

2 Chinese text  with audio and pinyin

Click orchid  to hear the recording —>

在[zài] 沁[qìn] 涼[liáng] 如[rú] 水[shuǐ] 的[de] 夏[xià] 夜[yè] 中[zhōng] ，有[yǒu] 牛[niú] 郎織[zhī] 女[nǚ] 的[de] 故事[gù shì] ，才[cái] 顯得[xiǎn de] 星[xīng] 光[guāng] 晶亮[jīng liàng] ；在[zài] 群[qún] 山[shān] 萬[wàn] 壑[hè] 中[zhōng] ，有[yǒu] 竹[zhú] 籬[lí] 茅舍[máo shè] ，才[cái] 顯得[xiǎn de] 詩意[shī yì] 盎然[àng rán] 。在[zài] 晨[chén] 曦[xī] 的[de] 原[yuán] 野[yě] 中[zhōng] ，有[yǒu] 拙[zhuó] 重[chóng] 的[de] 老[lǎo] 牛[niú] ，才[cái] 顯得[xiǎn de] 純[chún] 樸可[kě] 愛[ài] 。 祖[zǔ] 國[guó] 的[de] 山河[shān hé] ，不[bù] 僅[jǐn] 是[shì] 花[huā] 木[mù] ，還有[hái yǒu] 可歌可泣[kě gē kě qì] 的[de] 故事[gù shì] ，可[kě] 吟[yín] 可[kě] 詠[yǒng] 的[de] 詩歌[shī gē] ，是[shì] 兒童[ér tóng] 的[de] 喧[xuān] 譁[huá] 笑[xiào] 語[yǔ] 與[yǔ] 祖宗[zǔ zōng] 的[de] 靜[jìng] 肅[sù] 墓[mù] 廬[lú] ，把[bǎ] 它[tā] 點綴[diǎn zhuì] 美[měi] 麗[lí] 了[le] 。 古人[gǔ rén] 說[shuì] ：人生[rén shēng] 如[rú] 萍[píng] ，在[zài] 水[shuǐ] 上[shàng] 亂[luàn] 流[liú] 。那[nǎ] 是[shì] 因[yīn] 為[wéi] 古人[gǔ rén] 未[wèi] 出[chū] 國[guó] 門[mén] ，沒有[méi yǒu] 感[gǎn] 覺[jiào] 離[lí] 國[guó] 之[zhī] 苦[kǔ] ，萍[píng] 總[zǒng] 還有[hái yǒu] 水[shuǐ] 流[liú] 可[kě] 藉[jí] ；以[yǐ] 我[wǒ] 看[kàn] ，人生[rén shēng] 如[rú] 絮[xù] ，飄[piāo] 零[líng] 在此[zài cǐ] 萬[wàn] 紫[zǐ] 千[qiān] 紅[hóng] 的[de] 春天[chūn tiān] 。 宋[sòng] 朝[cháo] 畫家[huà jiā] 思[sī] 肖[xiào] ，畫[huà] 蘭[lán] ，連[lián] 根[gēn] 帶[dài] 葉[yè] ，均[jūn] 飄[piāo] 於[yū] 空中[kōng zhōng] 。人[rén] 問[wèn] 其[qí] 故[gù] ，他[tā] 說[shuì] ：「國土[guó tǔ] 淪[lún] 亡[wáng] ，根[gēn] 著何[hé] 處[chǔ] ？」國[guó] ，就是[jiù shì] 土[tǔ] ，沒有[méi yǒu] 國[guó] 的[de] 人[rén] ，是[shì] 沒有[méi yǒu] 根[gēn] 的[de] 草[cǎo] ，不[bù] 待[dāi] 風[fēng] 雨[yǔ] 折磨[zhé mo] ，即[jí] 形[xíng] 枯萎[kū wěi] 了[le] 。 我[wǒ] 十[shí] 幾[jī] 歲[suì] ，即[jí] 無家可歸[wú jiā kě guī] ，並[bìng] 未[wèi] 覺[jiào] 其[qí] 苦[kǔ] ，十[shí] 幾年[jǐ nián] 後[hòu] ，祖[zǔ] 國[guó] 已[yǐ] 破[pò] ，卻[què] 深[shēn] 覺[jiào] 出[chū] 個[gè] 中[zhōng] 滋味[zī wèi] 了[le] 。不是[bú shì] 有[yǒu] 說[shuì] ，「頭[tóu] 可[kě] 斷[duàn] ，血[xiě] 可[kě] 流[liú] ，身[shēn] 不可[bù kě] 辱[rǔ] 嗎[ma] ？」我[wǒ] 覺得[jué de] 應該[yīng gāi] 是[shì] ，「身[shēn] 可[kě] 辱[rǔ] ，家[jiā] 可[kě] 破[pò] ，國[guó] 不可[bù kě] 亡[wáng] 。」 一[yī] 九[jiǔ] 五[wǔ] 五[wǔ] 年[nián] 五月[wǔ yuè] 十五[shí wǔ] 日[rì] 於[yū] 費城[fèi chéng]

 

3 Annotated Chinese text  with pinyin 失根的蘭花

在[zài, preposition at] 沁[qìn, verb, to seep or to percolate] 涼[liáng, adjective, cool] 如[rú, adverb, like] 水[shuǐ, noun, water] 的[de, particle to connect the attributive and the noun the attributive modifies] 夏[xià, noun, summer] 夜[yè, noun, night] 中[zhōng, preposition, within] ，有[yǒu, verb, have] 牛郎[niú láng, cowheard, a character in a very famous Chinese folktale] 織女[zhī nǚ, weaving girl, a character in the Chinese Valentine’s Day’s story] 的[de, connecting particle] 故事[gù shì, noun, story] ，才[cái, adverb, then ] 顯得[xiǎn de, verb, to seem, to look or to appear] 星[xīng, noun, star] 光[guāng, noun, light] 晶亮[jīng liàng, adjective, sparkling and bright] ；在[zài, preposition, at or in] 群[qún, group] 山[shān, noun, mountain] 萬[wàn, number,ten thousand] 壑[hè, noun, gully or water-worn ravine] 中[zhōng, preposition, within] ，有[yǒu, verb, have] 竹[zhú, noun, bamboo] 籬[lí, noun, fence] 茅舍[máo shè, noun, straw cottage] ，才[cái, adverb, then] 顯得[xiǎn de, verb, to look, to appear] 詩意[shī yì, noun, poetic meaning] 盎然[àng rán, adjective, abundant] 。在[zài, preposition, at] 晨[chén,noun, morning] 曦[xī, noun, light of day] 的[de, connecting particle] 原[yuán, adjective, raw or original] 野[yě, noun, field] 中[zhōng, preposition, within] ，有[yǒu, verb, have] 拙[zhuó, adjective, clumsy] 重[chóng, adjective, heavy] 的[de, connecting particle] 老[lǎo, adjective, old] 牛[niú, noun, cow] ，才[cái, adverb, then] 顯得[xiǎn de, verb, to look or to appear] 純 樸[chún, adjective, pure and plain] 可愛[kě ài, adjective, cute] 。 祖 國[zǔ guó, home country] 的[de, connecting particle] 山河[shān hé, noun, mountain and river] ，不僅[bù jǐn, conjunction, not only] 是[shì, verb, is] 花[huā, noun, flower] 木[mù, noun, trees] ，還有[hái yǒu, still have] 可歌可泣[kě gē kě qì, an idiom, worth singing and crying] 的[de, connecting particle] 故事[gù shì, noun, story] ，可[kě, may or able to] 吟[yín, verb, hum or recite] 可[kě, may or able to] 詠[yǒng, verb, sing] 的[de, connecting particle] 詩歌[shī gē, noun, poems ] ，是[shì, verb, is] 兒童[ér tóng, noun, children] 的[de, connecting particle] 喧[xuān, noun, noise] 譁[huá,noun, clamor] 笑[xiào, noun, laugther] 語[yǔ, noun, words] 與[yǔ, conjunction, and] 祖宗[zǔ zōng, noun, ancestors] 的[de, connecting particle] 靜[jìng, adjective, quiet] 肅[sù, adjective, serious] 墓廬[mù lú, noun, grave] ，把[bǎ, active voice marker] 它[tā, pronoun, it] 點綴[diǎn zhuì, verb, decorate] 美麗[měi lí, adjective, beautiful] 了[le, particle to show action occurred] 。 古人[gǔ rén, noun, ancient people] 說[shuó, verb, say] ：人生[rén shēng, noun, life] 如[rú, like] 萍[píng, noun, duckweed] ，在[zài, preposition, on] 水[shuǐ, noun, water] 上[shàng, preposition, top] 亂[luàn, adverb, randomly] 流[liú, verb, flow] 。那[nǎ, pronoun, that] 是[shì, verb, is] 因為[yīn wéi, because] 古人[gǔ rén, noun, ancient people] 未[wèi, never] 出[chū, verb, go out] 國[guó, noun, country or nation] 門[mén, noun, door] ，沒有[méi yǒu, not have] 感覺[gǎn jiào, noun, feeling] 離[lí, verb, leave] 國[guó, noun, country or nation] 之[zhī, particle, function as de] 苦[kǔ, noun, bitterness] ，萍[píng, noun, duckweed] 總[zǒng, always, adverb] 還有[hái yǒu, verb, still have] 水[shuǐ, noun, water] 流[liú, noun, flow] 可[kě, was able to] 藉[jí, verb, rely] ；以[yǐ, preposition, from] 我[wǒ, pronoun, I or me] 看[kàn, verb, see] ，人生[rén shēng, noun, life] 如[rú, verb, is like] 絮[xù, noun, cotton wadding] ，飄[piāo, verb, flow] 零[líng, verb, to wither to fall ] 在此[zài, preposition, at; cǐ, pronoun, this] 萬[wàn, noun, ten thousand] 紫[zǐ, noun, purple] 千[qiān, number, thousand] 紅[hóng, adjective, red] 的[de, connecting particle] 春天[chūn tiān, noun, spring] 。 宋[sòng, proper name, Song Dynasty] 朝[cháo, noun, dynasty] 畫家[huà jiā, noun, painter] 思肖[sī xiào, person name] ，畫[huà, verb, paint] 蘭[lán, noun, orchid] ，連[lián, even] 根[gēn, noun, root] 帶[dài, verb, take along] 葉[yè, noun, leaves] ，均[jūn, adverb, all] 飄[piāo, verb, float] 於[yū, preposition, in] 空中[kōng, noun, air; zhōng, preposition, within ] 。人[rén, noun, people] 問[wèn, verb, ask] 其[qí, pronoun, the third person pronoun] 故[gù, noun, reason] ，他[tā, pronoun, he] 說[shuó, verb, say] ：「國土[guó tǔ, noun, homeland] 淪[lún, verb, to sink into ruin] 亡[wáng, verb, to lose, to die or to be gone] ，根[gēn, noun, root] 著 [zháo, verb, attach]何處[hé chǔ, interrogative pronoun, where] ？」國[guó, noun, country] ，就是[jiù shì, verb, exactly is] 土[tǔ, noun, dirt] ，沒有[méi yǒu, not have] 國[guó, noun, nation] 的[de, connecting particle] 人[rén, person or people] ，是[shì, verb, is] 沒有[méi yǒu, verb, not have] 根[gēn, noun, root] 的[de, connecting particle] 草[cǎo,noun, grass] ，不[bù, negate word, not] 待[dāi, verb, wait] 風[fēng, noun, wind] 雨[yǔ, noun, rains] 折磨[zhé mo, verb, torture] ，即[jí, conjunction, then] 形[xíng, adverb, right away] 枯萎[kū wěi, verb, wither] 了[le, particle to action occurred and also serve as sentence final particle] 。 我[wǒ, pronoun, I ] 十[shí, number, ten] 幾[jī, adjective, several] 歲[suì, noun, age] ，即[jí, then right away] 無家可歸[wú jiā kě guī, wú, adjective, no, jiā, noun, home, kě, was able to, guī, verb, return ] ，並[bìng, adverb, also] 未[wèi, not] 覺[jiào, verb, feel] 其[qí, pronoun, its] 苦[kǔ, noun, bitterness] ，十[shí,number, ten] 幾年[jǐ nián, several years] 後[hòu, after, preposition] ，祖國[zǔ guó, home country] 已[yǐ, adverb, already] 破[pò, verb, break] ，卻[què, yet] 深[shēn, adverb, deeply] 覺[jié, verb, to feel] 出[chū, a complement word, jié chū together means tried to feel it and did feel it] 個[gè, pronoun, this] 中[zhōng, preposition, within] 滋味[zī wèi, noun, flavor or taste] 了[le, sentence final particle] 。不是[bú shì, did it not] 有[yǒu, verb, have] 說[shuì, verb, say or said] ，「頭[tóu, noun, head] 可[kě, may or OK ] 斷[duàn, verb, break] ，血[xiě, noun, blood] 可[kě, may or OK] 流[liú, verb, to flow] ，身[shēn, noun, body] 不可[bù kě, can’t] 辱[rǔ, verb, humiliate] 嗎[ma, question marker] ？」我[wǒ, pronoun, I] 覺得[jué de, verb, feel] 應該[yīng gāi, auxiliary word, should] 是[shì, verb, is] ，「身[shēn, noun, body] 可[kě, can or may] 辱[rǔ, verb, humiliate] ，家[jiā, noun, home] 可[kě, may or can] 破[pò, verb, break] ，國[guó, noun, country or nation] 不可[bù kě, can’t] 亡[wáng, die or extinguish] 。」 一[yī, one] 九[jiǔ, nine] 五[wǔ, five] 五[wǔ, five] 年[nián,noun, year] 五月[wǔ yuè, noun, May] 十五[shí wǔ, fifteen] 日[rì, noun, day] 於[yū, preposition, at] 費城[fèi chéng, Philadelphia]

 

4 Chinese text  with pinyin, English translation and audio

Click orchid  to hear the recording —>

在沁涼如水的夏夜中，有牛郎織女的故事，才顯得星光晶亮；在群山萬壑中，有竹籬茅舍，才顯得詩意盎然。在晨曦的原野中，有拙重的老牛，才顯得純樸可愛。

zài qìn liáng rú shuǐ de Xià Yè zhōng , yǒu niú láng zhī nǚ de gùshi , cái xiǎnde xīngguāng jīng liàng ；zài qún shān wàn hè zhōng , yǒu zhú lí máo shè , cái xiǎn de shīyì àngrán . zài chénxī de yuányě zhōng , yǒu zhuó zhòng de lǎo niú , cái xiǎnde chúnpǔ kě ài .

In  water-like seeping cool summer night, having the story of cowherd and weaving girl made the star light more sparkling and brighter.  In groups of mountains and ten thousand water-worn ravines, having bamboo fences and straw cottages made poetic meaning abundant. In the raw field of morning early sun, having clumsy and heavy old ox made the field more pure, plain and cute.

祖國的山河，不僅是花木，還有可歌可泣的故事，可吟可詠的詩歌，是兒童的喧譁笑語與祖宗的靜肅墓廬，把它點綴美麗了。

zǔ guó de shān hé , bù jǐn shì huā mù , hāi yǒu kě gē kě qì de gù shi , kě yín kě yǒng de shīgē , shì ér tóng de xuān huá xiào yǔ yǔ zǔ zōng de jìng sù mù lú , bǎ tā diǎn zhuì měi lí le .

The mountains and rivers of home country, there are not only flowers and trees, but also those worth singing and crying stories, worth reciting and singing poems. They are the noise and clamor laughter of children and quiet and serious ancestors’ graves decorate them and made them beautiful.

古人說：人生如萍，在水上亂流。那是因為古人未出國門，沒有感覺離國之苦，萍總還有水流可藉；以我看，人生如絮，飄零在此萬紫千紅的春天。

gǔ rén shuō : rén shēng rú píng , zài shuǐ shàng luàn liú . nà shì yīn wèi gǔ rén wèi chū guó mén , yǒu gǎn jiào lí guó zhī kǔ , píng zǒng hāi yǒu shuǐ liú kě jìe ；yǐ Wǒ kàn , rén shēng rú xù , piāo líng zài cǐ wàn zǐ qiān hóng de chūn tiān .

Ancient people say: Life is like duckweed randomly floating on top the water. That is because ancient people never left country’s door, and did not feel the hardship of leaving country. Duckweed still has water to rely on. In my point of view: life is like cotton wadding floating, withering and falling in this ten thousand purple and thousand red spring.

宋朝畫家思肖，畫蘭，連根帶葉，均飄於空中。人問其故，他說：「國土淪亡，根著何處？」國，就是土，沒有國的人，是沒有根的草，不待風雨折磨，即形枯萎了。

Sòng cháo huà jiā sī xiāo , huà lán , lián gēn dài yè , jūn piāo yú kōng zhōng . rén wèn qí gù , tā shuō : 「guó tǔ lún wáng , gēn zhǔ Hé Chǔ ? 」guó , jiù shì tǔ , yǒu guó de rén , shì yǒu gēn de cǎo , bù dāi fēngyǔ zhémo , jí xíng kūwěi le .

Song Dynasty painter, sī xiāo, drew orchids with roots and leaves floating in the air. People asked him why, and he said: ” Homeland ruined and was gone forever, where can the root attach to?” Country is the land. The people who are without country is  grass without roots. There is no need to wait for wind and rains’ torture, for it would be soon withered.

我十幾歲，即無家可歸，並未覺其苦，十幾年後，祖國已破，卻深覺出個中滋味了。不是有說，「頭可斷，血可流，身不可辱嗎？」我覺得應該是，「身可辱，家可破，國不可亡。」

Wǒ shí jǐ suì , jí wújiākěguī , bìngwèi jiào qí kǔ , shí jǐ nián hòu , zǔ guó yǐ pò , què shēn jiào chū ge Zhōng zīwèi le . bù shì yǒu shuō , 「tóu kě duàn , xiě kě liú , shēn bùkě rǔ ma ? 」Wǒ juéde yīnggāi shì , 「shēn kě rǔ , jiā kě pò , guó bùkě wáng .

When I was ten something, I then had no home to return to, but I did not feel the bitterness from it. Ten more years later, home country was broken, on the contrary I deeply felt the sentimental feeling in it. Did not someone say: “Head can be severed, blood can be floating, but body can’t be insulted?” I think it should be: ” Body can be insulted, home can be broken, however, country can’t be lost.”

一九五五年五月十五日於費城

Yīqiān jiǔbǎi wǔshíwǔ nián Wǔyuè shíwǔ rì yú fèichéng

In Philadelphia, 5, 15, 1955

 

Translated by Shu

 

5 Useful, succinct Chinese idioms about flowers with definition and sample sentences about how to use them

Chinese idioms about flowers 有关于花的成语:

 

Click orchid  to listen to recording of idioms and their usage sample sentences —–>

1 花红柳绿 huā hóng liǔ lǜ

Flowers are red and willows are green.

你看这边的风景花红柳绿真好看。 nǐ kàn zhèbiān de fēngjǐng huā hóng liǔ lǜzhēn hǎokàn . You see, the scenery here, red flowers and green willows are so beautiful.

2 花花公子 huāhuāgōngzǐ

playboy

他是个花花公子，用情不专。 tā shì ge huāhuāgōngzǐ , yòngqíng bù zhuān .

He is a play boy, and he doesn’t devote to his relationship.

3 花花绿绿 huāhuālùlù

colorful, brightly colored, gaudy

这个世界花花绿绿，什么都有。 zhège shìjiè huāhuālùlù , shénme dū yǒu .

This world is so brightly colored, and there are anythings here.

4 花花世界 huā huā shìjiè

colorful world

这是个花花世界，五采缤纷。 zhè shì ge huā huā shìjiè , wǔ cǎi bīnfēn .

This is a gaudy and colorful world, with rich and diverse colors.

5 花甲之年 huā jiǎ zhī nián

a 60 year-old person

他已近花甲之年了。 tā yǐ jìn huā Jiǎ zhī nián le .

He is almost sixty.

6 花容月貌 huā róng yuè mào

female’s beauty with flower like appearance and moon’s elegance

她长得花容月貌真是美丽呀。 tā zhǎng de huā róng yuè mào zhēnshì měilì yā .

She grows like with flower like appearance and moon’s elegance, ah so very beautiful.

7 花天酒地 huā tiān jiǔ dì

to spend one’s time in drinking and pleasure (idiom); to indulge in sensual pleasures / life of debauchery

他整天花天酒地，不务正业。 tā zhěngtiān huā tiān jiǔ dì , bùwùzhèngyè .

All day he spends his time in drinking and pleasure, and doesn’t attend his proper duties.

8  花团锦簇 huā tuán jǐn cù

Flowers bloom together like bright embroidered work

花园里繁花盛开，花团锦簇，真是好看。 huāyuán lǐ fán huā shèngkāi , huā tuán jǐn cù , zhēnshì hǎokàn .

In the flower garden, all kinds of flowers are blooming and look like bright embroidered work; it is really good looking.

9 花言巧语 huā yán qiǎo yǔ

graceful words, flowery speech (idiom); elegant but insincere words / cheating wheedling / dishonest rhetoric

她讲话花言巧语，你要小心。 tā jiǎnghuà huā yán qiǎo yǔ , nǐ yào xiǎoxīn .

Her talks are elegant but insincere, so you have to be careful.

10 柳暗花明 liǔ àn huā míng

lit. the willow trees make the shade, the flowers give the light (idiom); at one’s darkest hour, a glimmer of hope / light at the end of the tunnel

在最黑暗的地方，不要放弃希望，总有柳暗花明的时候。 zài zuì hēi àn de dìfang , bùyào fàngqì xīwàng , zǒng yǒu Liǔ àn huā míng de shíhou .

In the darkest place, don’t give up your hope for there eventually will have light at the end of the tunnel.

 

6 Full Chinese text of Rootless Orchid with audio recording The complete Chinese text of 失根的蘭花   失根的蘭花

Click orchid  to hear the audio recording of the text —>

顧先生一家約我去費城郊區一個小的大學裏看花。汽車走了一個鐘頭的樣子，到了校園。校園美得像首詩，也像幅畫。依山起伏，古樹成蔭，綠藤爬滿了一幢一幢的小樓，綠草爬滿了一片一片的坡地，除了鳥語，沒有聲音。像一個夢，一個安靜的夢。 花圃有兩片，一片是白色的牡丹，一片是白色的雪球；在如海的樹叢裏，還有閃爍著如星光的丁香，這些花全是從中國來的罷。 由於這些花，我自然而然的想起北平公園裏的花花朵朵，與這些簡直沒有兩樣；然而，我怎樣也不能把童年時的情感再回憶起來。不知為什麼，我總覺得這些花不該 出現在這裏。它們的背景應該是來今雨軒，應該是諧趣園，應該是宮殿階台，或亭閣柵欄。因為背景變了，花的顏色也褪了，人的感情也落了。淚，不知為什麼流下 來。 十幾歲，就在外面飄流，淚從來也未這樣不知不覺的流過。在異鄉見過與家鄉完全相異的事物，也見過完全相同的事物。同也好，不同也好，我從未因異鄉事物而想 到過家。到渭水濱，那水，是我從來沒有看見過的，我只感到新奇，並不感覺陌生。到咸陽城，那城，是我從來沒有看見過的，我只感覺它古老，並不感覺傷感。我 曾在秦嶺中揀過與香山上同樣紅的楓葉；我也曾在蜀中看到與太廟中同樣老的古松，我並未因而想起過家。雖然那些時候，我窮苦得像個乞丐，但胸中卻總是有嚼菜 根用以自勵的精神。我曾驕傲的說過自己：「我，到處可以為家。」 然而，自至美國，情感突然變了。在夜裏的夢中，常常是家裏的小屋在風雨中坍塌了，或是母親的頭髮一根一根的白了。在白天的生活中，常常是不愛看與故鄉不同 的東西，而又不敢看與故鄉相同的東西。我這時才恍然悟到，我所謂的到處可以為家，是因為蠶未離開那片桑葉，等到離開國土一步，即到處均不可以為家了。 美國有本很著名的小說，裏面穿插著一個中國人。這個中國人是生在美國的，然而長大之後，他卻留著辮子，說不通的英語，其實他英語說得非常好。有一次，一不 小心，將英文很流利的說出來，美國人自然因此知道他是生在美國的，問他，為什麼偏要裝成中國人呢？ 他說：「我曾經剪過辮子，穿起西裝，說著流利的英語；然而，我依然不能與你們混合，你們拿另一種眼光看我，我感覺苦痛……」 花搬到美國來，我們看著不順眼；人搬到美國來，也是同樣不安心。這時候才憶起，家鄉土地之芬芳，與故土花草的艷麗。我曾記得，八歲時肩起小鐮刀跟著叔父下地去割金黃的麥穗，而今這童年的彩色版畫，成了我一生中不朽的繪圖。

Click  orchid to hear the recording —>

在沁涼如水的夏夜中，有牛郎織女的故事，才顯得星光晶亮；在群山萬壑中，有竹籬茅舍，才顯得詩意盎然。在晨曦的原野中，有拙重的老牛，才顯得純樸可愛。 祖國的山河，不僅是花木，還有可歌可泣的故事，可吟可詠的詩歌，是兒童的喧譁笑語與祖宗的靜肅墓廬，把它點綴美麗了。 古人說：人生如萍，在水上亂流。那是因為古人未出國門，沒有感覺離國之苦，萍總還有水流可藉；以我看，人生如絮，飄零在此萬紫千紅的春天。 宋朝畫家思肖，畫蘭，連根帶葉，均飄於空中。人問其故，他說：「國土淪亡，根著何處？」國，就是土，沒有國的人，是沒有根的草，不待風雨折磨，即形枯萎了。 我十幾歲，即無家可歸，並未覺其苦，十幾年後，祖國已破，卻深覺出個中滋味了。不是有說，「頭可斷，血可流，身不可辱嗎？」我覺得應該是，「身可辱，家可破，國不可亡。」

青花瓷 qīng huā cí (literally, blue flower vase) MV
Hope you will enjoy the best of Jay Chou — Blue and white porcelain
http://www.chinesetolearn.com/?p=2358 for pinyin lyrics and full English translation