A: You’re right about the culture and history behind tea. Some people take its preparation very seriously indeed.
B: I went to a tea ceremony class once. The teacher made everyone sit in silence and perform the whole process with their eyes closed.
A: How on earth did you know where everything was? Were you feeling around with your hands for the cups and caddies and kettles?
Photo: Paul Cooper, Taipei Times 照片:台北時報古德謙
B: That was the whole point. Everything had to be laid out meticulously, so we knew from memory where everything was placed, without having to look.
A: 對於茶背後的文化歷史,你說得對。有些人對泡茶的確非常講究。
B: 我去上過一次茶道課。老師還叫我們靜靜坐著,閉著眼睛進行全部的過程。
A: 你怎麼會知道東西放在哪裡呀?你們可以摸得到茶葉罐和開水壺嗎?
B: 這就是它的目的。所有的東西都一定要擺放得一絲不苟,所以憑記憶就可以知道東西放在哪裡,不需要用看的。
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times/台北時報林俐凱譯)
English 英文:
Chinese 中文:
Rice is essential to Japanese culture, tradition and politics. People take pride in the oval-shaped sticky Japonica grain, which is still a staple even though total consumption has fallen over the decades. But since last summer, prices have soared as supplies have fallen short of demand. The government has long paid farmers to cut back on rice acreage, and change to other crops to keep rice prices relatively high. To cope with shortfalls this year, the government has released rice reserves. But the grain has been slow to reach supermarket shelves. Anger over that was part of the reason the Agriculture Minister
Step into any corner of Turkiye, and you’ll likely encounter the iconic “Evil Eye,” known as “nazar boncu?u” in Turkish. This striking blue glass ornament is shaped like an eye with concentric circles of dark blue, white, and light blue. While its name in English suggests something threatening, it’s actually a charm designed to ward off misfortune. The origins of the nazar boncu?u can be traced back to ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions. The word nazar comes from Arabic, meaning “gaze,” while boncu?u translates to “bead” in Turkish. Central to the nazar boncu?u’s mythology is the idea that
A: Wow, Les Miserables Staged Concert Spectacular is visiting Taiwan for the first time. B: Isn’t Les Miserables often praised as one of the world’s four greatest musicals? A: Yup. Its concert is touring Taipei from tonight to July 6, and Kaohsiung between July 10 and 27. B: The English version of the French musical, based on writer Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, has been a huge success throughout the four decades since its debut in 1985. A: The musical has never toured Taiwan, but going to the concert sounds like fun, too. A: 哇,音樂劇《悲慘世界》紀念版音樂會首度來台巡演! B: 《悲慘世界》……它不是常被譽為全球四大名劇之一嗎? A: 對啊音樂會將從今晚到7月6日在台北演出,從7月10日到27日在高雄演出。 B: 這部法文音樂劇的英文版,改編自維克多雨果的同名小說,自1985年首演以來,在過去40年造成轟動。 A:
A: While hit musical Les Miserables’ concert tour kicks off, South Korean drama Squid Game 3 will be back at the end of this month. B: New Taiwanese dramas The World Between Us 2 and Zero Day Attack have also gained attention. A: I heard that Zero Day Attack is a story about the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Liberation Army trying to attack Taiwan by force. B: The drama’s subject is so sensitive that it has sparked a lot of controversy in society. A: I just hope that such a horrible story will never happen in