Chinese Bamboo Culture
中國竹文化

Bamboo culture is deeply rooted in the daily life of the Chinese. It is one of the four favorite plants along with Chinese plum, orchid and chrysanthemum, the so-called Four Men of Honor, the characters of which are highly admired by the Chinese people. Throughout the centuries, bamboo has inspired the imagination of artists, while men of letters have written poetry and prose to express their admiration for the purity and elegance of bamboo.
竹文化深深植根于中國人的日常生活。竹子以其備受推崇的品性，與梅、蘭、菊并稱為“四君子”，是最深受中國人喜愛的四種植物。幾個世紀(jì)以來，在“竹”這一形象的激發(fā)下，無數(shù)文人騷客創(chuàng)作了大量詩詞歌賦，以表達(dá)對竹子純潔、優(yōu)雅之氣的贊美。

Bamboo Culture Festival has become popular in recent years. To take part in a bamboo culture festival is probably the best opportunity to learn the bamboo culture. During a bamboo culture festival, there are usually exhibitions of bamboo carvings, poems and paintings. Bamboo painting is an important part of Chinese traditional painting. You can also see all kinds of bamboos, feel their spirit with yourheart to bring you peace and harmony.
近年來，竹文化節(jié)日漸興盛起來。參與這樣的節(jié)日或許是了解竹文化的最好機(jī)會了。在文化節(jié)上，通常會有竹雕、竹畫和與竹子有關(guān)的詩歌展覽。竹畫是中國傳統(tǒng)繪畫的一個重要組成部分。同時，你還能欣賞到各種各樣的竹子，用心體會它們的神韻，從而獲得內(nèi)心的寧靜與和諧。

Chinese Bamboo garden is also a part of the bamboo culture. Tall and graceful with luxuriant foliage, bamboo is an ideal plant for household courtyards and parks. You can find bamboo just about everywhere in China as long as it can be grown. Gardens are usually good places to see bamboo, such as the famous Purple Bamboo Garden in Beijing and Guyi Garden in Shanghai. The Bamboo Sea Scenic Area in Sichuan Province has become a popular destination, which consists of 28 peaks fully covered with bamboo, thanks to the movie 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.'
中國式竹園也是竹文化的一部分。高大、茂盛、優(yōu)雅的竹子是庭院和公園里的理想植物。在中國，只要是適宜竹子生長的地方，你都能發(fā)現(xiàn)它們。園林通常是觀賞竹子的理想之地，著名的有北京的紫竹園和上海的古猗園。有著28座遍布竹子的山峰的四川蜀南竹海風(fēng)景區(qū)，由于電影《臥虎藏龍》，已成為著名游覽勝地。

Bamboo was closely connected with the daily lives of people in ancient China. The Chinese used bamboo for making household articles and weapons, such as bows and arrows. Before paper was invented, slips of bamboo were the most important writing medium. Today, bamboo is widely used for household articles such as mats, beds, pillows, benches, chairs, cabinets, buckets, chopsticks, spoons, baskets, and handheld fans.
在古代，竹子和人們的日常生活息息相關(guān)。中國人用竹子制作各種家居用品和武器，比如竹碗、竹箭。在發(fā)明紙張以前，竹簡是最常用的書寫介質(zhì)。時至今日，竹子仍舊被廣泛用于制造墊子、床、枕頭、凳椅、櫥柜、桶、筷子、勺子、扇子等各種家居用品。