老龍頭(Lao long tou)

有句俗話說:不登長城非好漢。今天呱呱就帶大家到萬里長城入海的地方——老龍頭去看一看。

我們現在看到的長城是明朝的時候重新修繕的。老龍頭就是它東端的起點。肯定有人要問了:why is it called laolongtou (old dragon's head)? 我們習慣上把萬里長城比喻成一條長龍,laolongtou is the eastern end of the ming dynasty great wall extending into the sea. 那入海處的這段長城就恰好是喝水的龍頭了。像這樣深入大海的長城這可是惟一的一處呢。

離老龍頭不遠,就是號稱“天下第一關”的山海關。the shanhaiguan pass was built in 1381.它和居庸關、嘉峪關並稱為“中國三大雄關”。

遊客們到了山海關,有一件必做的事情,就是和“天下第一關”這塊牌匾合影。look at the plaque (匾額). do you find anything strange? 仔細看,原來,這塊匾額上沒有落款,也沒有印章!這和中國的書法傳統可不相符喔!

there is an interesting story about the plaque. the inscription on this plaque was written by xiao xian. 肖顯是明代著名的書法家。he wrote all the characters well except the word "yi". 正在他發愁的時候,一個店小二用抹布擦桌子的時候給他帶來了靈感。a mark of water was left on the table, which was in exactly the same style as "yi". 於是肖顯趕緊把這個水印用到他的匾額上了。

提起長城,大家一定都會想起那個傳說中哭倒了整座長城的孟姜女。her story has moved many people. 在老龍頭就有一座孟姜女廟。廟裡有一幅非常有意思的對聯:海水朝朝朝朝朝朝朝落,浮雲長長長長長長長消。so many “朝” and “長”! 念起來要好費勁啊!

其實這副對聯的學問就在於多音字和斷句。這個“朝”啊就是一個多音字。既可以念“朝”又可以念“朝”。而那個“長”又是一個多音字。既可以念“長”又可以念“長”。

因此這幅對聯可以這樣念:hai shui chao, zhao zhao chao, zhao chao zhao luo. fu yun zhang, chang chang zhang, chang zhang chang xiao. 還有其他的念法,你可以自己試試喔!

好了,這次我們就遊覽到這兒。十一長假快到了,you can visit the great wall during this holiday. don’t forget to take pictures and share them with us!