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HSK 5 · Advanced

故宫的故事Gùgōng de gùshiStories of the Forbidden City

HSK 5 reading practice · 182 words · ~3 min
在zài北京Běijīng的de中心zhōngxīn，有yǒu一yí座zuò世界shìjiè上shang最zuì大dà的de宫殿gōngdiàn建筑群jiànzhùqún，它tā就jiù是shì故宫Gùgōng。
In the center of Beijing stands the largest palace complex in the world: the Forbidden City.
故宫Gùgōng从cóng1406年yī sì líng liù nián开始kāishǐ修建xiūjiàn，到dào1420年yī sì èr líng nián完成wánchéng，前后qiánhòu用yòng了le十四shísì年nián。
Construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 and was completed in 1420, taking fourteen years in all.
从cóng明朝Míngcháo到dào清朝Qīngcháo，先后xiānhòu有yǒu二十四èrshísì位wèi皇帝huángdì在zài这里zhèlǐ生活shēnghuó和hé处理chǔlǐ国家guójiā大事dàshì。
From the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty, twenty-four emperors in succession lived here and handled the affairs of state.
传说chuánshuō故宫Gùgōng有yǒu九千九百九十九jiǔqiān jiǔbǎi jiǔshíjiǔ间jiān半bàn房间fángjiān，实际shíjì数字shùzì虽然suīrán没有méiyǒu那么nàme多duō，但dàn也yě足够zúgòu让ràng人rén吃惊chījīng。
Legend says the Forbidden City has nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine and a half rooms; the actual number is not that high, but it is still enough to amaze people.
故宫Gùgōng的de屋顶wūdǐng大多dàduō是shì黄色huángsè的de，因为yīnwèi在zài古代gǔdài，黄色huángsè是shì只有zhǐyǒu皇帝huángdì才cái能néng使用shǐyòng的de颜色yánsè。
Most of the roofs of the Forbidden City are yellow, because in ancient times yellow was a color that only the emperor could use.
1925年yī jiǔ èr wǔ nián，故宫Gùgōng变成biànchéng了le博物馆bówùguǎn，普通人pǔtōngrén第一次dì-yī cì可以kěyǐ走进zǒujìn皇帝huángdì的de家jiā。
In 1925, the Forbidden City became a museum, and ordinary people could walk into the emperor's home for the first time.
冬天dōngtiān下雪xiàxuě的de时候shíhou，红色hóngsè的de墙qiáng、白色báisè的de雪xuě和hé金色jīnsè的de屋顶wūdǐng合hé在zài一起yìqǐ，美měi得de像xiàng一yì幅fú画huà。
When it snows in winter, the red walls, white snow, and golden roofs come together, as beautiful as a painting.
如今rújīn，每měi年nián有yǒu上千万shàng qiānwàn游客yóukè来lái这里zhèlǐ参观cānguān，感受gǎnshòu六百liùbǎi年nián的de历史lìshǐ。
Today, over ten million visitors come here every year to experience six hundred years of history.
从cóng皇帝huángdì的de家jiā到dào人民rénmín的de博物馆bówùguǎn，这zhè座zuò宫殿gōngdiàn的de变化biànhuà，本身běnshēn就jiù是shì一yí个gè动人dòngrén的de故事gùshi。
From the emperor's home to the people's museum, the transformation of this palace is itself a moving story.
🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

宫殿gōngdiànpalace
修建xiūjiànto build; to construct
皇帝huángdìemperor
屋顶wūdǐngroof
传说chuánshuōlegend; it is said
动人dòngrénmoving; touching

Grammar note 语法点

只有…才… (only if / only… can…)

只有 states the one necessary condition, and 才 marks its result: 黄色是只有皇帝才能使用的颜色。

只有努力练习，才能学好汉语。 — Only by practicing hard can you learn Chinese well.
先后 (in succession; one after another)

An adverb showing that events happened one after another over time: 先后有二十四位皇帝在这里生活。

他先后去过五个国家工作。 — He has worked in five countries, one after another.
A + 得 + 像 + B (so A that it is like B)

A degree complement comparing the result to something vivid: 美得像一幅画。

他高兴得像个孩子。 — He was as happy as a child.

Check yourself 小测验

1. How long did it take to build the Forbidden City?
2. Why are most of the roofs in the Forbidden City yellow?
3. What happened to the Forbidden City in 1925?

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