5  ??????

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        ?????{??????????}????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

        ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????{= ?????}??????????????????????????????????????????street cleaners????????????????????????????????

        ???????????????????????[1]?Dongchang, a compound?????????????courtyards??????????????????????????????????????????????????????{???????????????????????????????????“?”??????in summer nights”?}???????????????????????????????Albizzia julibrissin????????????????silk trees???????????????????????????????????????????????????

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Predawn Beijing

Ji Xianlin

        I’ve been in Beijing altogether for over 40 years. So I can well call myself an old-timer [ one whose experience goes back to old times; one of long standing in a place or position; an old-fashioned person or thing (orig. U.S.) (OED)] long-timer [= long-termer, a person who is serving a long prison-sentence (OED)] of Beijing. Like all other longold-timers of the city, I’m supposed to be very familiar with its scenic spots and historical sites, nay [You use nay in front of a stronger word or phrase which you feel is more correct than the one you have just used and helps to emphasize the point you are making. (FORMAL) (CB4)], its superb attractions. But I believe there is one thing lying unknown to most of the long-time residents — the predawn hours of Beijing.

        For many years, I have been in the habit <For many years I have kept a habit of> {???????????“For many years”???????????“in the habit of”?????????“to form/develop”???????“many years ago”?“(I have) long since (formed/developed)…”?} of getting up before daybreak to start work at four. Instead of going out for a jog [a slow steady trot (AHD)] or walk, I’ll set about my work as soon as I’m out of bed. So I got my knowledge of Beijing before dawn from my feeling in the house {?“?”?“?”??????} / My understanding to Beijing before dawn is in the house / I understand Beijing before dawn from my room. / My interpretation of predawn Beijing was formed indoors. As a result, it is from inside my study that I’ve got the feel [The feel of sth. is the general impression that it gives you: The room has a warm, cosy feel. (CB4)] of predawn Beijing. <Therefore I got to know the predawn Beijing in my house. / Therefore what I know about Beijing before dawn came form what I felt inside my house> Years ago, I chanced upon [to find something or meet someone when you are not expecting to (LDoCE4)] hit upon [to think of a solution to a problem (EDT)] a newspaper article about <which reported> street cleaners in Tian’anmen Square at daybreak. It must have been a very moving <impressive/inviting> scene, but what a pity I haven’t seen it with my own eyes. I’m just looking forward to it/see {seeing} it. {RM inaccurate} I can only picture it in my mind longingly. {Specification} <Charmed as I was, I’ve never seen it [the scene] with my own eyes.>

        Forty years ago, I lived in the secret service named Dongchang of the Ming Dynasty {???????????????????????} lived downtown in Eastern Depot / East factory which was a secret service in {the} Ming Dynasty / a secret police setup / the spy agency / a compound which used to be Dongchang, a secret agent in {the} Ming Dynasty Dongchang, a compound which had housed {??????????????????????“which used to be the Secret Service of …”????????????????compound????service?} the secret service of the Ming Dynasty. There were inside it several deep spacious courtyards one leading into another {Amplification} of“??”}. I was the sole dweller of the three innermost courtyards. My friends, calling this place too ghastly [making you very frightened, upset, or shocked (LDoCE4)], seldom dared to come to see me at night {evening????6????10????????????????, ?????????evening??night} in the evening whereas I was happy and pleased with myself. myself found it quite content agreeable [written or old-fashioned pleasant (LDoCE4)] <desirable>. Every summer night/ Every summer dawn In summer, the moment I got out of bed before daybreak, I would smell gusts of /fits of/gales of the delicate fragrance of the giant rhododendron trees / lantana trees {??????????. These are shrubs, not trees.} silk trees [Asian tree with pink flowers: an Asian tree of the mimosa family that is widely cultivated for its showy pink flowers with silky filaments. Latin name: Albizia julibrissin Also called mimosa (EDT)] coming from outside my window <, whiffs of faint fragrance from those tall silk tress would flow into my room / drift into my nose / With the fragrance spreading into my room through the window, …>. Thereupon {???????? immediately after something else has happened, and usually as a result of it; then (LDoCE4)}, I would feel glowing refreshed and overjoyed joyful, and Even the clumsy pen in my hand turned to be well-written. / …even my slow pen seemed to produce ingenious writing with exquisite description. / …even it seemed as if the clumsy pen in my hand had borne flowers / …even the clumsy pen in my hand seemed so beautiful as if it had blossomed out of flowers the gauche {often refers to social behavior} clumsy pen in my hand would seem to have become as agile as it could. {Paraphrase?Li Bai once dreamed that his writing brush bloomed/blossomed.} <even the clumsy pen in my hand seemed to become a gifted one / even the clumsy pen in my hand seemed to have a delicate touch. / with the pen in my hand seeming to be empowered with some kind of magic power / Even the once clumsy pen in my hand would seem to become smart and inspired. / Under the mysterious spell of the fragrance, beautiful sentences and well-turned phrases flowed from the tip of my pen.>

Prof. Zhang Peiji, Trans.?249??50???