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Chiang Ku: Sending Off the Ghosts 鬼门关．抢孤欢

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

At the end of a month of living cautiously and pacifying wandering spirits, there is no better way to celebrate than to head to Yilan and witness one of Taiwan’s most unique displays. Standing tall at Wushi port in the small town of Toucheng is an imposing wooden structure which is erected during Ghost Month for the folk tradition of Chiang Ku (commonly translated as Ghost Grappling). The structure is made up of 12 thick pillars around 25 meters tall, on top of which is a platform. This platform has 14 giant bamboo cones on top of it, which are even taller than the poles, and at the summit of each cone is a flag. On the night the gates of hell are shut, this is the setting for the spectacular annual Chiang Ku competition – Ghost Month’s most challenging test of determination.

在农历七月将近尾声，过了凡事必须小心谨慎，并得安抚游魂、超渡好兄弟的一个月后，没有什么庆祝方法比得上前往宜兰亲身经历台湾最特别的表演了。鬼月期间，头城小镇的乌石港巍巍立着一座雄伟的木造结构，以庆祝鬼月的民间传统抢孤活动（通常英译为Ghost Grappling，表「与鬼魂搏斗」）。这座木造结构是由12根约25公尺高的粗大木柱（又称「孤柱」）组成，在其顶端有一面平台（称为「孤棚」），上面有13根比木柱还要来得高的巨大锥状竹竿（称为「孤栈」），每根孤栈顶端都有一面旗子。这便是阴间鬼门关闭当晚壮观的年度抢孤竞赛场景，也是鬼月最具挑战性的决心大考验。

The Toucheng Ghost Month activities are closely related to the area’s history and development. When migrants came from China to Yilan in the 18th century, Toucheng was the first place in the Lanyand plain to be settled. Newcomers faced conflict, disease and natural disasters, resulting in a high number of lonely ghosts far from home with no one to make offerings to them. Pole climbing ceremonies began in remembrance of these lost souls and were soon combined with the charitable tradition of giving alms to the poor.

头城的鬼月活动与当地的历史及发展有密切相关。18世纪时，中国移民来到宜兰，头城就是他们在兰阳平原上最先定居的地方。新移民面临了冲突、瘟疫及天灾，导致许多离乡背井的孤魂野鬼无人供奉。抢孤祭典便是为了纪念这些孤魂而兴起，不久后更与慈善布施穷苦百姓的传统结合。

Vocabulary

单词发音

cautiously [ˋkɔʃəslɪ] adv. 小心地，谨慎地

witness [ˋwɪtnɪs] v. 目击﹐亲眼看见

imposing [ɪmˋpozɪŋ] adj. 壮观的；气势宏伟的；庄严的；给人深刻印象的

erect [ɪˋrɛkt] v. 使竖立，使竖直

folk [fok] adj. 民间的

pillar [ˋpɪlɚ] n. 柱子

setting [ˋsɛtɪŋ] n. 环境；场景

spectacular [spɛkˋtækjəlɚ] adj. 壮观的; 引人注目的

challenging [`tʃælɪndʒɪŋ] adj. 具有挑战性的

determination [dɪ͵tɝməˋneʃən] n. 决心

migrant [ˋmaɪgrənt] n. 移民；移居者

disaster [dɪˋzæstɚ] n. 灾难，不幸

offering [ˋɔfərɪŋ] n. 供品﹐祭品

in remembrance of 纪念

charitable [ˋtʃærətəb!] adj. 慈善的

More Information

单词发音

pacify [ˋpæsə͵faɪ] v. 使平静，使安静，抚慰

summit [ˋsʌmɪt] n. 尖峰，峰顶

plain [plen] n. 平原

settle [ˋsɛt!] v. 定居；殖民

conflict [ˋkɑnflɪkt] n. 〔意见等〕冲突﹐相左

alms [ɑmz] n. 施舍（物）; 救济（品）

课文朗读

课文讲解

A Taoist priest performs a special ritual, and, around midnight, the sound of a gong indicates the beginning of the competition. Teams of five members rush to their poles and pile onto each other’s shoulders with the member at the top continuing the climb. However, to make things even more difficult, the poles are covered in slippery beef fat! Competitors may struggle for a long time only to slide back down, meaning the team must start all over again. For the exhausted participants who do reach the top of the pole, pulling themselves up over the edge and onto the platform is the most challenging part – and the tensest part for the excited spectators below!

当晚有一位道士会执行特别的仪式，然后约在子夜时，以一声锣响表示竞赛开始。五人一组的队伍们冲向他们的孤柱，以迭罗汉的方式踩在队友们肩膀上，由最上面的那位队友继续向上爬。但是，为了让比赛更具难度，孤柱上还涂满滑溜溜的牛油！参赛者可能努力爬了很久之后，却又滑回原地，也就表示这队得重头来过。对好不容易爬至孤柱顶端、筋疲力竭的参赛者而言，最困难的部分在于要撑住身体，从平台边缘上翻至孤棚上，而这也是最令台下兴奋的观众紧张的部分！

In times past, the poor of the town would have been standing below, and participants who reached the platform threw down the offerings attached to the bamboo cones. These included pastries, squid, pork, and duck. To this day, the crowd still jostles to catch these treats. Once this is done, competitors continue up the bamboo cones. The crowd cheers as those high up above use a knife to cut down their flag and grab a golden medal, with the first person to do this being named the Chiang Ku champion.

在过去，镇上的穷人会站在下面，参赛者到达孤棚上后便会把系在孤栈上的供品往下丢。这些供品包括糕点、鱿鱼、猪肉、鸭肉等。时至今日，群众们仍会争先恐后抢着接这些祭品。一丢完祭品，参赛者会继续往孤栈上爬。当他们爬到高处，用刀子割下顺风旗并夺下金牌时，群众们报以欢呼，而第一位拿到金牌的人就是抢孤冠军！

The folk tradition of Ghost Grappling is unique because it not only sees off wandering ghosts back to the underworld for another year but also gives offerings to the living. Perhaps just as importantly, witnessing this unusual test of physical fitness and cooperation also makes for a great night’s entertainment!

民间传统抢孤活动非常特别，因为它不但是一个为孤魂野鬼送行的活动，送他们回阴间再待一整年，同时也在活动中将祭品发送给民众。或许一种重要的是，亲临观看对体能和团队合作的特别考验，也会是一晚的绝佳娱乐！

−by Claire Tyrrell

Vocabulary

单词发音

slippery [ˋslɪpərɪ] adj. 滑的；容易滑的

slide [slaɪd] v. 滑，滑动

exhausted [ɪgˋzɔstɪd] adj. 精疲力竭的

edge [ɛdʒ] n. 边缘

tense [tɛns] adj.（心理或神经）紧张的

spectator [spɛkˋtetɚ] n.（比赛等的）观众；旁观者

attach [əˋtætʃ] v. 附加[（+to）]; 系上[（+to）]

pastry [ˋpestrɪ] n. 油酥点心[糕饼]

champion [ˋtʃæmpɪən] n. 优胜者，冠军

see off 為...送行; 向...告別 say farewell to a traveler

underworld [ˋʌndɚ͵wɝld] n. 阴间，地狱

physical [ˋfɪzɪk!] adj. 身体的

cooperation [ko͵ɑpəˋreʃən] n. 合作，协力

make for 有助于,有利于; 促进

entertainment [͵ɛntɚˋtenmənt] n. 娱乐，消遣

More Information

单词发音

Taoist priest 道士

ritual [ˋrɪtʃʊəl] n. 仪式

gong [gɔŋ] n. 锣，铜锣

participant [pɑrˋtɪsəpənt] n. 参与者

squid [skwɪd] n. 乌贼; 鱿鱼

jostle [ˋdʒɑs!] v. 挤；推；撞

treat [trit] n. 招待  something, such as one's food or entertainment, that is paid for by someone else

Reading Questions

1. What is mentioned about the tradition of Chiang Ku?

A. It is celebrated across Taiwan.

B. It features a massive temporary construction.

C. It takes place in the mountains of Yilan.

D. It continues for a month every year.

2. Why was the tradition originally started?

A. To welcome Chinese settlers to the area.

B. To provide entertainment for the locals.

C. To offer help to poor people.

D. To remember lonely ghosts.

3. Which of the following would you NOT expect to see at Chiang Ku?

A. A team of men sliding along a platform.

B. People in a crowd catching food.

C. A man carrying a knife climbing a pole.

D. A priest performing a religious chant.

4. What is the main purpose of the article?

A. To outline a range of traditions in Ghost Month.

B. To explain the origins of an old Taiwanese festival.

C. To give tips on how to get rid of ghosts.

D. To examine an unusual annual competition in Taiwan.

宜兰头城抢孤

Answer