Upper-Intermediate - Visit to a Temple (Part 1) (D2270)

A: 这就是远近闻名的灵隐寺啊?
zhè jiùshì yuǎnjìnwénmíng de Língyǐnsì a?
This is the world renowned Lingyin Temple?
B: 嗯,你看,来烧香许愿的人多吧。
ng4, nǐ kàn, lái shāoxiāng xǔyuàn de rén duō ba.
Yeah, look, a lot of people have come to burn incense and pray.
A: 好像中国的寺庙都差不多,没什么特别的。
hǎoxiàng Zhōngguó de sìmiào dōu chàbuduō, méi shénme tèbié de.
It seems like every other Chinese temple. There's nothing special about it.
B: 布局是大同小异。一般规模较大的寺都有三座殿。这三座殿依次建在一条线上,排列得很整齐。你看最外面的是天王殿,天王殿的后面是大雄宝殿,大雄宝殿后面还有一个殿。
bùjú shì dàtóngxiǎoyì. yībān guīmó jiào dà de sì dōu yǒu sān zuò diàn. zhè sān zuò diàn yīcì jiàn zài yī tiáo xiàn shàng, páiliè de hěn zhěngqí. nǐ kàn zuì wàimian de shì Tiánwángdiàn, Tiánwángdiàn de hòumian shì Dàxióngbǎodiàn, Dàxióngbǎodiàn hòumian háiyǒu yī gè diàn.
The layout is largely the same, but with small differences. Usually large scale temples have three halls. These three halls are constructed in one line, and are lined up precisely. Look, the one on the outside is the Hall of the Gods, and behind it is the Precious Hall of the Great Hero. Behind the Precious Hall of the Great Hero is another hall.
A: 那最重要的是哪个殿?
nà zuì zhòngyào de shì nǎge diàn?
Which hall is the most important?
B: 一般把大雄宝殿叫作正殿。大雄宝殿的中央供奉的是释迦牟尼像。
yībān bǎ Dàxióngbǎodiàn jiàozuò zhèngdiàn. Dàxióngbǎodiàn de zhōngyāng gòngfèng de shì Shìjiāmóuní xiàng.
Usually the Precious Hall of the Great Hero is called the Main Hall. Enshrined in the middle of the Precious Hall of the Great Hero there is an image of the Buddha.
A: 那我们现在进的是天王殿?
nà wǒmen xiànzài jìn de shì Tiánwángdiàn?
Then the one we're in now is the Hall of the Gods?
B: 嗯。
ng4.
Yes.
A: 啊,我知道这个露出肚皮,最爱笑的佛是谁!是弥勒佛!
a, wǒ zhīdào zhè ge lùchū dùpí, zuì ài xiào de fó shì shéi! shì Mílèfó!
Hey, I know this exposed belly, it's the Buddha who loves to smile. It's Maitreya!
B: 不错啊,知道的还挺多的。快拜拜吧,拜了以后就能笑口常开了。
bùcuò a, zhīdào de hái tǐng duō de. kuài bàibài ba, bài le yǐhòu jiù néng xiàokǒuchángkāi le.
That's right! You know quite a lot. Go ahead and bow to it! After you've bowed you'll be grinning all the time.
A: 算了,这么多人等着拜呢。哎,这两座像好凶啊!
suànle, zhème duō rén děng zhe bài ne. āi, zhè liǎng zuò xiàng hǎo xiōng a!
Forget it. There's so many people waiting to bow. Hey, these two statues are really scary!
B: 哦,这是四大金刚里面的两个。另两个在那边,是友好型的。
ò, zhè shì sìdàjīngāng lǐmiàn de liǎng gè. lìng liǎng gè zài nàbiān, shì yǒuhǎoxíng de.
Oh, these are two of the four Lokapalas. The other two are over there. They're the friendly type.
A: 帮我跟他们合个影吧。
bāng wǒ gēn tāmen hé gè yǐng ba.
Help me take a picture with them.
B: 不行不行,寺里不能拍照的,会带来霉运的。
bùxíng bùxíng, sì lǐ bùnéng pāizhào de, huì dàilái méiyùn de.
No, you can't! You can't take pictures in the temple. It brings bad luck.
A: 你也这么迷信!
nǐ yě zhème míxìn!
You're so superstitious!

Key Vocabulary

远近闻名 yuǎnjìnwénmíng well-known, renowned
灵隐寺 Língyǐnsì Lingyin Temple
烧香 shāoxiāng to burn incense
许愿 xǔyuàn to make a wish
寺庙 sìmiào temple
布局 bùjú arrangement, layout
大同小异 dàtóngxiǎoyì more or less the same
规模 guīmó scale
殿 diàn hall (of a temple)
依次 yīcì in order
排列 páiliè to arrange
整齐 zhěngqí neatly, in good order
天王殿 Tiánwángdiàn Hall of the Gods
大雄宝殿 Dàxióngbǎodiàn Precious Hall of the Great Hero
正殿 zhèngdiàn Main Hall
中央 Zhōngyāng center
供奉 gòngfèng to worship, pay tribute to
释迦牟尼 Shìjiāmóuní Gautama Buddha
肚皮 dùpí belly
Buddha
弥勒佛 Mílèfó Maitreya
bài to bow to (a deity)
笑口常开 xiàokǒuchángkāi to be always laughing
xiàng statue, image, likeness
四大金刚 sìdàjīngāng the four Lokapalas
友好型 yǒuhǎoxíng friendly type
霉运 méiyùn bad luck
迷信 míxìn superstitious

Supplementary Vocabulary

佛祖 fózǔ Buddha
宫殿 gōngdiàn palace
建筑 jiànzhù architecture
摆放 bǎifàng to place
英雄 yīngxióng hero
中央电视台 Zhōngyāng diànshìtái China Central Television (CCTV)
保佑 bǎoyòu to bless and protect
佛像 fóxiàng an image of the Buddha
未来佛 Wèilái fó future Buddha
拜佛 bàifó to bow to the Buddha
变形金刚 biànxíngjīngāng transformers
金刚 jīngāng a warrior who attends the Buddha
四大天王 sìdàtiānwáng the four Lokapalas, attendants of the Buddha
释迦摩尼 Shìjiāmóuní Gautama Buddha

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