【英语文化】初中英语传统文化阅读59 饺子 Dumplings

Dumplings

Dumplings are a special Chinese food with profound cultural meaning. They have a long and splendid history in China. It's said they started in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Zhang Zhongjing, a great and famous traditional Chinese doctor, made the first dumplings in history.

One extremely cold winter, Zhang Zhongjing saw many poor people suffering from frostbitten ears. Feeling sympathetic for them, he decided to help. So, he cooked fresh mutton, medicinal herbs, and spicy chili. Then he chopped the cooked ingredients into small pieces and wrapped them in soft dough. These unique ear-shaped dumplings were named "Jiao'er". People ate the warm dumplings with hot soup and got much better soon.

As time went by, dumplings gradually became an essential food for traditional Chinese holidays, especially the Lunar New Year in northern China. To pray for good fortune, people usually put coins or peanuts inside dumplings. There are various kinds of dumplings with different fillings and cooking methods. We can boil, steam or pan-fry them to enjoy different tastes. There are also obvious differences in dumpling fillings between northern and southern China. Northern people prefer cabbage-pork fillings, but Southern people are fond of fresh seafood fillings.

In fact, dumplings are far more than a simple kind of delicious food. They carry the warmth of family and traditional Chinese culture. When family members get together to make and eat dumplings, the warm moment perfectly shows family love and unity.

饺子

饺子是一种极具文化意义的特色中国美食，在中国拥有悠久灿烂的历史。据说，饺子起源于东汉时期，由著名的中医大师张仲景首创。

在一个严寒的冬天，张仲景看到许多穷苦百姓的耳朵被冻伤，心生怜悯，便决心帮助他们。于是他烹制了新鲜的羊肉、草药和辣椒，随后将这些煮熟的食材切碎，包入柔软的面团中。这些造型酷似耳朵的独特食物被称作“娇耳”。人们吃下热乎乎的饺子、喝下热汤后，身体很快就好转了。

随着时间推移，饺子逐渐成为中国传统节日的必备美食，在中国北方的农历新年期间尤为重要。人们常常会在饺子里包入硬币或花生，以此祈求好运。饺子的馅料和做法丰富多样，人们可以煮、蒸或者煎饺子，品尝不同的风味。中国南北方的饺子馅料有着明显差异：北方人偏爱白菜猪肉馅，而南方人则喜欢鲜美的海鲜馅。

事实上，饺子绝不只是一种美味的食物，它承载着家人的温情与中华传统文化。一家人围坐在一起包饺子、吃饺子的温馨时刻，完美诠释了亲情与团圆和睦的美好寓意。

重点核心短语

• a special Chinese food 一种特色中国美食

• a long history 历史悠久

• the Eastern Han Dynasty东汉

• frostbitten ears冻伤的耳朵

• wrap...in...把……包裹在……里

• as time goes by 随着时间推移

• the Lunar New Year 农历新年

• for good luck 祈求好运

• various kinds of 各种各样的

• pan-fry dumplings 煎饺子

• far more than 不仅仅是

• family love and unity 亲情与团圆和睦

阅读理解问答题

Questions

1. When did dumplings first appear according to the passage?

2. Why did Zhang Zhongjing create the earliest dumplings called "Jiao'er"?

3. What do people put in dumplings to pray for good luck?

4. What are the differences between northern and southern Chinese dumpling fillings?

5. What special meaning do dumplings have besides being food?

Answers

1. According to the passage, dumplings first appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

2. Because he saw many poor people had frostbitten ears in cold winter, and he wanted to help them get better.

3. People put coins or peanuts in dumplings to pray for good luck.

4. Northern people like cabbage-pork dumpling fillings, while southern people prefer seafood fillings.

5. Dumplings carry the warmth of family and traditional Chinese culture. Making and eating dumplings together shows family love and unity.

免责声明：本文素材来自英语学习宝藏，旨在免费公益分享优质内容，仅供学习交流。