{"id":7793,"date":"2019-10-03T12:43:15","date_gmt":"2019-10-03T12:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-reading\/bao-gong-interrogates-a-rock\/"},"modified":"2019-10-03T12:43:15","modified_gmt":"2019-10-03T12:43:15","slug":"bao-gong-interrogates-a-rock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/th\/bao-gong-interrogates-a-rock\/","title":{"rendered":"Bao Gong Interrogates A rock"},"content":{"rendered":"
Finally! A rather long, but simple from start-to-finish, children’s fable. This is definitely my favorite find so far, as it falls solidly within my favorite Chinese story genre with my favorite Chinese archetype: the clever government official who catches a crook. The official in this case is Bao Gong (\u5305\u516c) a historical figure from who lived from 999-1062 A.D. and who, like so many historical figures in Chinese history, somehow became a fictio<\/em>nal story character. Bao Gong was known to be fair, just and smart.
Easy Chinese Fables Stories and PassagesIn this story, you can also expect to learn a few Chinese onomatopoeia, words that sound like what they are, like the English word “boom”. There’s a ton of them in here. We find “\u545c\u545c” w\u016b w\u016b, the Chinese equivalent of “Boo Hoo!”. There’s also \u5288\u91cc\u556a\u5566 p\u012b li p\u0101 la, the sound of someone whacking something (in this case, with a stick). There’s \u6251\u901a p\u016b t\u014dng, the Chinese equivalent of the English word “plunk” – the sound of something falling into water. And there’s \u5527\u5527\u55b3\u55b3 j\u012b j\u012b zh\u0101 zh\u0101, the sound of a crowd of people chattering.
I probably added way too many words to the word list for this post, but I couldn’t bring myself to take any of these out.
Click to Listen
\u4ece\u524d – cóng qián – Long ago
\u6cb9\u6761 – yóu tiáo – Fried breadsticks
\u94dc\u94b1 – tóng qián – Copper mo<\/em>ney \/ coin
\u8106 – cuì – Crispy
\u6cb9\u4e4e\u4e4e – yóu h\u016b h\u016b – Greasy, coated in oil
\u4eae\u95ea\u95ea – liàng sh\u01cen sh\u01cen – Bright
\u4eba\u9a6c – rén m\u01ce – Men and horses
\u5b98 – gu\u0101n – A government official
\u5ba1\u95ee – sh\u011bn wèn – Interrogate
\u53d1\u706b – f\u0101 hu\u01d2 – Explode (angrily)
\u624b\u4e0b – sh\u01d2u xià – Subordinates
\u68cd\u5b50 – gùn zi – Stick
\u80e1\u6d82 – hú tu – Confused
\u86cb – dàn – Idiot [lit: egg]
\u7f5a – fá – To punish
\u6293\u4f4f – zhu\u0101 zhù – To grab, capture
\u6d6e – fú – To float
\u4ece\u524d\u6709\u4e2a\u5c0f\u5b69\uff0c\u7238\u7238\u6b7b\u4e86\uff0c\u5988\u5988\u75c5\u4e86\uff0c\u65e5\u5b50\u53ef\u4e0d\u597d\u8fc7\u4e86\u3002\u5c0f\u5b69\u6bcf\u5929\u4e00\u65e9\u8d77\u6765\uff0c\u63d0\u7740\u4e00\u7bee\u6cb9\u6761\uff0c\u4e00\u8fb9\u8dd1\uff0c\u4e00\u8fb9\u56b7:“\u5356\u6cb9\u6761\u54af\uff0c\u5356\u6cb9\u6761\u54af: \u53c8\u9999\u53c8\u8106\u7684\u6cb9\u6761\uff0c\u4e24\u4e2a\u94dc\u94b1\u4e70\u4e00\u6839\u3002” \u6709\u4e00\u5929\uff0c\u4ed6\u628a\u6cb9\u6761\u5168\u5356\u5b8c\u4e86\uff0c\u5750\u5728\u8def\u8fb9\u4e00\u5757\u77f3\u5934\u4e0a\uff0c\u628a\u7bee\u5b50\u91cc\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\u4e00\u4e2a\u4e00\u4e2a\u7684\u6570\u4e86\u4e00\u904d\uff0c\u6b63\u597d\u4e00\u767e\u4e2a\u3002\u4ed6\u5356\u6cb9\u6761\uff0c\u628a\u4e00\u53cc\u624b\u5f04\u5f97\u6cb9\u4e4e\u4e4e\u7684\uff0c\u7528\u624b\u6570\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c\u628a\u94dc\u94b1\u4e5f\u5f04\u5f97\u6cb9\u4e4e\u4e4e\u7684\u3002\u4ed6\u77a7\u7740\u8fd9\u4e9b\u6cb9\u4e4e\u4e4e\u4eae\u95ea\u95ea\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c\u53ef\u9ad8\u5174\u4e86\uff0c\u5fc3\u60f3: “\u4eca\u5929\u5356\u4e86\u4e00\u767e\u4e2a\u94b1\uff0c\u53ef\u4ee5\u7ed9\u5988\u5988\u4e70\u836f\u4e86\u3002”
\u5c0f\u5b69\u8dd1\u4e86\u4e00\u4e2a\u4e0a\u5348\uff0c\u53ef\u7d2f\u574f\u4e86\uff0c\u4ed6\u628a\u5934\u4e00\u6b6a\uff0c\u9760\u5728\u77f3\u5934\u4e0a\uff0c\u5c31\u547c\u547c\u5730\u7761\u7740\u4e86\uff0c\u7761\u4e86\u597d\u4e00\u4f1a\u513f\u624d\u9192\u6765\u3002“\u54ce\u5440\uff0c\u6211\u5f97\u8d76\u5feb\u7ed9\u5988\u5988\u4e70\u836f\u53bb\u4e86\u3002”\u5c0f\u5b69\u7ad9\u8d77\u6765\u4e00\u770b\uff0c\u7cdf\u4e86\uff0c\u7bee\u5b50\u91cc\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\u4e00\u4e2a\u4e5f\u6ca1\u6709\u4e86\u3002\u5c0f\u5b69\u53c8\u7740\u6025\uff0c\u53c8\u4f24\u5fc3\uff0c\u545c\u545c\u5730\u54ed\u4e86\u8d77\u6765\u3002\u8fd9\u65f6\u5019\uff0c\u6b63\u597d\u5305\u516c\u5e26\u4e86\u4eba\u9a6c\u6253\u8fd9\u513f\u8d70\u8fc7\u3002
\u5305\u516c\u662f\u4ec0\u4e48\u4eba\u5440\uff1f\u5305\u516c\u662f\u4e2a\u5b98\uff0c\u9ed1\u8138\u9ed1\u80e1\u5b50\uff0c\u4eba\u5bb6\u53eb\u4ed6“\u5305\u8001\u9ed1”\uff0c\u53c8\u53eb\u4ed6“\u9ed1\u5305\u516c”\uff0c\u4ed6\u529e\u4e8b\u516c\u9053\uff0c\u53c8\u5f88\u806a\u660e\u3002\u5305\u516c\u770b\u89c1\u5c0f\u5b69\u54ed\u5f97\u5f88\u4f24\u5fc3\uff0c\u5c31\u95ee\u4ed6: “\u5c0f\u5b69\uff0c\u4f60\u4e3a\u4ec0\u4e48\u54ed\u5440\uff1f”“\u6211\u5356\u6cb9\u6761\u5f97\u7684\u94b1\u4e0d\u89c1\u4e86\uff0c\u545c——\u545c\u3002”“\u8c01\u5077\u4e86\u4f60\u7684\u94b1\uff1f”“\u4e0d\u77e5\u9053\u3002\u6211\u9760\u5728\u8fd9\u5757\u77f3\u5934\u4e0a\u7761\u7740\u4e86\uff0c\u9192\u6765\u4e00\u770b\uff0c\u94b1\u5c31\u4e0d\u89c1\u4e86\u3002\u545c——\u545c\u3002”
\u5305\u516c\u60f3\u4e86\u4e00\u60f3\u8bf4: “\u6211\u77e5\u9053\u4e86\uff0c\u4e00\u5b9a\u662f\u8fd9\u5757\u77f3\u5934\u5077\u4e86\u4f60\u7684\u94b1\uff0c\u6211\u6765\u5ba1\u95ee\u8fd9\u5757\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u53eb\u5b83\u628a\u94b1\u8fd8\u7ed9\u4f60\u3002”\u4eba\u4eec\u542c\u8bf4\u5305\u516c\u8981\u5ba1\u95ee\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u89c9\u5f97\u5f88\u5947\u602a\uff0c\u90fd\u8dd1\u6765\u770b\u70ed\u95f9\u3002\u5305\u516c\u5bf9\u90a3\u5757\u77f3\u5934\u8bf4: “\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u5c0f\u5b69\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c\u662f\u4e0d\u662f\u4f60\u5077\u7684\uff1f”\u77f3\u5934\u4f1a\u8bf4\u8bdd\u5417\uff1f\u4e0d\u4f1a\u3002\u5305\u516c\u53c8\u95ee\u4e86: “\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u5c0f\u5b69\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c\u662f\u4e0d\u662f\u4f60\u5077\u7684\uff1f\u5feb\u8bf4\uff0c\u5feb\u8bf4\uff01”\u77f3\u5934\u8fd8\u662f\u4e00\u58f0\u4e0d\u54cd\uff0c\u5b83\u4e0d\u4f1a\u8bf4\u8bdd\u5440\u3002\u5305\u516c\u53d1\u706b\u4e86: “\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u4f60\u4e0d\u8bf4\u5b9e\u8bdd\uff0c\u6253\u70c2\u4f60\u7684\u5934\u3002”\u624b\u4e0b\u7684\u4eba\u542c\u5305\u516c\u8fd9\u4e48\u4e00\u8bf4\uff0c\u5c31\u62ff\u8d77\u68cd\u5b50\uff0c\u5288\u91cc\u556a\u5566\u5730\u6253\u8d77\u77f3\u5934\u6765\uff0c\u4e00\u8fb9\u6253\uff0c\u4e00\u8fb9\u558a: “\u5feb\u8bf4\uff0c\u5feb\u8bf4\uff01”
\u770b\u70ed\u95f9\u7684\u4eba\u54c4\u7684\u7b11\u8d77\u6765\u4e86\uff0c\u5527\u5527\u55b3\u55b3\u5730\u8bf4: “\u77f3\u5934\u600e\u4e48\u4f1a\u5077\u94b1\uff1f”“\u77f3\u5934\u600e\u4e48\u4f1a\u8bf4\u8bdd\uff1f”“\u4eba\u5bb6\u90fd\u8bf4\u5305\u516c\u806a\u660e\uff0c\u539f\u6765\u662f\u4e2a\u80e1\u6d82\u86cb\uff01”\u5305\u516c\u542c\u4e86\u5f88\u751f\u6c14\uff0c\u5c31\u8bf4: “\u6211\u5728\u5ba1\u95ee\u77f3\u5934\uff0c\u4f60\u4eec\u600e\u4e48\u8bf4\u6211\u7684\u574f\u8bdd\u3002\u54fc! \u4f60\u4eec\u6bcf\u4e2a\u4eba\u90fd\u5f97\u7f5a\u4e00\u4e2a\u94dc\u94b1\uff01”\u5305\u516c\u53eb\u624b\u4e0b\u7684\u4eba\u501f\u6765\u4e00\u53ea\u76c6\u5b50\uff0c\u5012\u4e0a\u6c34\uff0c\u8ba9\u770b\u70ed\u95f9\u7684\u4eba\u5f80\u76c6\u5b50\u91cc\u4e22\u4e00\u4e2a\u94dc\u94b1\u3002\u770b\u70ed\u95f9\u7684\u4eba\u6ca1\u529e\u6cd5\uff0c\u53ea\u597d\u6392\u7740\u961f\u6bcf\u4eba\u5f80\u76c6\u5b50\u91cc\u4e22\u4e00\u4e2a\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c“\u6251\u901a\uff0c\u6251\u901a\uff0c\u6251\u901a……”
\u6709\u4e00\u4e2a\u4eba\u521a\u628a\u94dc\u94b1\u4e22\u8fdb\u76c6\u5b50\u91cc\u53bb\uff0c\u5c31\u7ed9\u5305\u516c\u53eb\u624b\u4e0b\u7684\u4eba\u6293\u4f4f\u4e86\u3002 \u5305\u516c\u6307\u7740\u8fd9\u4e2a\u4eba\u8bf4: “\u4f60\u662f\u5c0f\u5077\uff0c\u4f60\u5077\u4e86\u5c0f\u5b69\u5356\u6cb9\u6761\u5f97\u6765\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\uff01”\u5927\u5bb6\u90fd\u89c9\u5f97\u5f88\u5947\u602a\uff0c\u8fd9\u662f\u600e\u4e48\u56de\u4e8b\u5440\uff1f\u5305\u516c\u8bf4: “\u4f60\u4eec\u77a7\uff0c\u53ea\u6709\u4ed6\u4e22\u4e0b\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\uff0c\u6c34\u9762\u4e0a\u6d6e\u8d77\u4e86\u4e00\u5c42\u6cb9\uff0c\u4ed6\u7684\u94dc\u94b1\u4e00\u5b9a\u662f\u8d81\u5c0f\u5b69\u7761\u89c9\u7684\u65f6\u5019\u5077\u6765\u7684\u3002” \u90a3\u4e2a\u5c0f\u5077\u6ca1\u529e\u6cd5\uff0c\u53ea\u597d\u628a\u4e00\u767e\u4e2a\u94dc\u94b1\u8fd8\u7ed9\u5c0f\u5b69\u3002 \u5927\u5bb6\u90fd\u8bf4\uff0c\u5305\u516c\u771f\u806a\u660e\u3002
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Long ago, there was a little child whose father was dead, whose mother was sick, and who had a rough life in general. The child woke up early every day, and scooping up a basket of fried breadsticks, ran a<\/em>bout shouting “Buy breadsticks, buy breadsticks, they’re fragrant and crispy, two coppers buys one!” One day, after he’d sold all his breadsticks, he sat on a rock by the side of the road and counted all the coppers in the basket one at a time – he had exactly 100. Well, selling breadsticks had made his two hands greasy, and when he used hands to count the coppers, it had made the coppers greasy. Looking at these greasy, bright coppers, he was happy, and in his heart he thought, “Today I sold 100-worth, I can buy mother some medicine.”
The child had been running all morning, he was exhausted, so he let his head droop, leaned against a rock, and, snoring “hu hu” [sound of snoring], fell asleep – after he’d slept a bit he finally woke up. “Ai ya! I have to quickly run and buy medicine for mother!” The child stood up but, oh no, there was not a single coin in the basket. The child was worried and broken-hearted, and began to cry “wu wu” [sounds like ‘boo hoo’]. It was just then that Bao Gong, with his men and horses, happened to walk past.
Now, who was Bao Gong? Bao Gong was an official, black of face and black of beard, whom the people called “Old Black Bao” or “Black Bao Gong”; he handled matters fairly, and was very smart. Bao Gong saw the child crying so broken-heartedly, and he asked: “Child, why are you crying?” “The mo<\/em>ney from selling bread sticks is gone, Boo Hoooo!”
Bao Gong thought for a moment and said, “I know, it was definitely this rock that stole your money, I’ll question the rock, and tell it to give you your mo<\/em>ney back.” The people nearby heard that Bao Gong was going to interrogate a rock, and they thought this was very strange, so they all ran over and watched excitedly. Bao Gong said to the rock: “Rock, rock, was it you that stole the child’s coppers?” But can a rock speak? It cannot. Bao Gong asked again: “Rock, rock, the child’s coppers, wasn’t it you who stole them? Speak up, speak up!” The rock still said nothing, it couldn’t speak. Bao Gong exploded, “Rock, rock, tell the truth or I’ll beat you over the head!” Bao Gong’s men heard him say this, and they found a stick for him, and he began to pi li pa la [sound of stick hitting rock] hit the rock, hitting and shouting “Speak up! Speak up!”
The people watching excitedly roared with laughter, and chattering “ji ji zha zha” [sound of many people chattering], said: “How can a rock steal money?” “How can a rock speak?” and “Everyone said that Bao Gong is smart, actually he’s a muddled idiot!” Bao Gong heard all this and was very angry, so he said: ” I’m interrogating this rock. How can you all say bad things a<\/em>bout me? Huh! Each one of you will be fined one copper!” Bao Gong called his men to bring him a borrowed pot – he poured water into it, and made every spectator throw one copper in the pot. The spectators had no choice, they had to line up and each one had to put one copper in the pot. “Pu tong, pu tong, pu tong…” [the sound of me<\/em>tal coins plunking into a pot]
When one man in particular put his copper in the pot, Bao Gong ordered his men to seize this man. Bao Gong pointed at the man and said, “You’re the thief, you took the coppers the child made from selling breadsticks!” Everyone thought that was very strange, for how could it be? Bao Gong said: “All of you look, it was o<\/em>nly when this man dropped a copper in the pot that a film of oil floated to the surface, his copper is certainly one that he took advantage of a sleeping child to steal.” The thief had no choice, he had to give the 100 coppers back to the child. Everyone said, Bao Gong sure is clever.
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