迷人的丽江 Charming Lijiang — HSK 4 Reading

今年jīnnián五月wǔyuè，我wǒ去qù了le云南Yúnnán的de丽江Lìjiāng，那nà是shì一座yí zuò有yǒu八百bābǎi多duō年nián历史lìshǐ的de古城gǔchéng。

This May I went to Lijiang in Yunnan, an ancient town with more than eight hundred years of history.

古城gǔchéng里lǐ没有méiyǒu汽车qìchē，只有zhǐyǒu安静ānjìng的de老街lǎojiē和hé清清qīngqīng的de河水héshuǐ，河水héshuǐ从cóng每条měi tiáo街jiē的de旁边pángbiān流过liúguò。

There are no cars in the old town, only quiet old streets and crystal-clear water that flows along the side of every street.

白天báitiān，我wǒ在zài老街lǎojiē上shàng慢慢mànmàn地de走zǒu，累lèi了le就jiù找zhǎo一家yì jiā茶馆cháguǎn坐下zuòxia，看kàn来来往往láilái wǎngwǎng的de游客yóukè。

During the day I strolled along the old streets, and when I got tired I would find a teahouse, sit down, and watch the tourists come and go.

天气tiānqì好hǎo的de时候shíhou，从cóng城里chénglǐ就jiù能néng看见kànjiàn远处yuǎnchù的de雪山xuěshān，蓝天lántiān下面xiàmiàn，雪山xuěshān白bái得de发亮fāliàng。

In good weather you can see the snow mountain in the distance right from town; under the blue sky, its snow shines bright white.

晚上wǎnshang的de丽江Lìjiāng完全wánquán是shì另lìng一个yí ge样子yàngzi，到处dàochù是shì灯光dēngguāng和hé音乐yīnyuè，热闹rènao得de像xiàng过节guòjié一样yíyàng。

At night Lijiang is a completely different place: lights and music everywhere, as lively as a festival.

我wǒ在zài那里nàli认识rènshi了le一位yí wèi开kāi小xiǎo旅馆lǚguǎn的de老人lǎorén，他tā说shuō他tā在zài丽江Lìjiāng住zhù了le一辈子yíbèizi，从来cónglái没méi想xiǎng过guo离开líkāi。

There I got to know an old man who runs a small inn; he said he has lived in Lijiang his whole life and has never once thought of leaving.

他tā笑着xiàozhe说shuō：“城市chéngshì越来越yuè lái yuè快kuài，可是kěshì丽江Lìjiāng一直yìzhí很hěn慢màn，慢màn就是jiùshì我们wǒmen的de生活shēnghuó。”

He said with a smile: 'Cities get faster and faster, but Lijiang has always been slow — slow is simply our way of life.'

离开líkāi的de那天nà tiān早上zǎoshang我wǒ想xiǎng，丽江Lìjiāng迷人mírén的de地方dìfang，不仅bùjǐn是shì美丽měilì的de风景fēngjǐng，而且érqiě是shì那种nà zhǒng让ràng人rén慢下来màn xiàlai的de生活shēnghuó。

On the morning I left, I thought: what makes Lijiang so charming is not only its beautiful scenery, but also the kind of life that makes people slow down.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

迷人míréncharming; enchanting

古城gǔchéngancient town

游客yóukètourist

热闹rènaolively; bustling

风景fēngjǐngscenery

一辈子yíbèizia whole lifetime

Grammar note 语法点

不仅……而且……

"Not only A, but also B" — the 而且 part adds something further and often more important, as in 不仅是美丽的风景，而且是那种让人慢下来的生活.

丽江迷人的地方，不仅是美丽的风景，而且是那种让人慢下来的生活。 — What makes Lijiang charming is not only the beautiful scenery, but also the kind of life that makes people slow down.

越来越 + adjective

越来越 before an adjective means something keeps increasing over time, like "more and more", as in 城市越来越快.

城市越来越快，可是丽江一直很慢。 — Cities get faster and faster, but Lijiang has always been slow.

adjective + 得 + complement

得 after an adjective introduces a complement describing the degree, often with a vivid comparison, as in 热闹得像过节一样 or 白得发亮.

到处是灯光和音乐，热闹得像过节一样。 — Lights and music everywhere, as lively as a festival.

Check yourself 小测验

1. What can you see from the town when the weather is good?

2. How is Lijiang different at night?

3. According to the author, what makes Lijiang charming?

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