750年前的粽子是甜的还是咸的？博物馆讲解员说……
2024-06-07 21:30
As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, people visiting the De'an County Museum in Jiangxi province often gather around a particular display case to marvel at its contents: a pair of 750-year-old zongzi.
- as ... approaches 临近...... ，......来临之际
- 县 county
- display case a case, made all or partly of glass, for displaying items in a shop or museum for observation or inspection 展柜，陈列柜
- to mar
- content n. contents [pl.] the things that are contained in sth 所容纳之物；所含之物；内容
- 一对 a pair of
- 临近端午节，江西省德安县博物馆的一个展柜前，每天都有许多游客驻足于此，围着其观看一对来自750年前的粽子。
The triangular rice dumplings in the museum, which are roughly 6 centimeters long and 3 centimeters wide, were unearthed in 1988 from a tomb built during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).
- triangular adj. 三角的；三角形的
- 肉粽 rice dumpling
- roughly adv. approximately but not exactly 大约；大致；差不多
- 南宋 Southern Song
The woman buried in the tomb, surnamed Zhou, was found clutching a 40-cm peach branch with the dumplings tied to it.
- clutch v. [T, I] to hold sb/sth tightly 紧握；抱紧；抓紧
- 桃枝 peach branch
According to the tomb inscription, Zhou was the daughter of a local official, hailing from today's Wuning county in the city of Jiujiang, and was buried in 1274.
- inscription n. words written in the front of a book or cut in stone or metal （书首页的）题辞；（石头或金属上）刻写的文字，铭刻，碑文
- hail from ˈ(formal) to come from or have been born in a particular place 来自；出生于
- 今九江市武宁县人
"These are the oldest known triangular rice dumplings discovered in an archaeological context, and they are remarkably well-preserved. They provide valuable insights into the diet of the Song Dynasty (960-1279)," said Wang Zerong, director of the museum.
- archaeological adj. 考古的
- 相当地 remarkably
- remarkable adj. unusual or surprising in a way that causes people to take notice 非凡的；奇异的；显著的；引人注目的
- 馆长 director
- 德安县博物馆馆长王泽荣说，这对粽子不仅是目前考古发掘最早的实物三角粽，而且保存相当完好。这个考古发现为研究两宋时期的饮食提供了难能可贵的实物资料。
Li Jia, a museum guide, explained why the rice dumplings were found in the tomb: "The inscription mentions that the tomb owner died in the fourth lunar month. Since the burial coincided with the Dragon Boat Festival, archaeologists believe she might have loved rice dumplings, which also symbolize mourning and remembrance. Hence, her family included them in her burial."
- 阴历四月份 the fourth lunar month
- 纪念 remembrance n. the action of remembering the dead, especially in a ceremony（对死者的）追思, 纪念, 怀念
- burial n. the act or ceremony of burying a dead body 埋葬；葬礼
- 至于为什么在墓葬里出现粽子，博物馆的讲解员李佳说，“墓志铭记载，墓主人去世时为阴历四月份，入葬时已时近端午节。根据当时发掘墓葬的考古专家推测，墓主人可能生前爱吃粽子，再加上粽子有表示哀悼和纪念的寓意，所以后人将粽子也一并随葬。”
Li added that the pairing of the dumplings symbolizes good wishes for the deceased. "These rice dumplings are the highlight of our museum. Most visitors are captivated by them and spend a long time admiring them."
- 成双成对 pairing n. [C] two people or things that work together or are placed together; the act of placing them together 结对的两个人（或物）；配对；搭配
- the deceased (pl. the deceased) a person who has died, especially recently 死者；已故者
- captivate v. to keep sb's attention by being interesting, attractive, etc. 迷住；使着迷
- 此外，两个粽子放在一起，成双成对，也是对亡者表达一种美好的祝愿。“在我们博物馆里，这两个粽子是最吸引人的，大部分来参观的游客看见这两个粽子都会低头观看很久，他们觉得这样的实物非常有趣。”
当然，出于对这粽子界的“老祖宗”到底是甜还是咸的好奇，记者向博物馆的讲解员进行了真诚发问。
讲解员表示，南宋的粽子需要好好保护起来，一旦打开就无法复原。
因此，这恐怕会是一个永远的谜了。