霍去病墓前的大型石刻件

The Huo Qubing's Tomb

霍去病（公元前140—前117年）是今山西省临汾市人。他出身贫贱，父亲是一个衙役，母亲卫少儿是婢女。后来，霍去病的姨母卫子夫成为武帝的宠妃，舅父卫青被武帝拜为大将军，母亲卫少儿便经常出入皇宫。据说，霍去病出生不久，卫少儿抱着他入宫去探望妹妹。路过武帝殿前，这个婴儿突然放声大哭。因为伤风正卧床休息的武帝猛然间听到哇哇的哭声，惊得出了一身冷汗，伤风竟不治而愈了。武帝十分高兴，忙召卫少儿入内，并抱着孩子逗玩了一阵。当得知孩子还没取名时，武帝就为他取了一个非同一般的名字“去病”。

霍去病18岁时，因武艺超群被任命为侍中（负责保卫皇帝安全的官员）。霍去病是西汉时期著名的青年军事家，18岁随卫青出征匈奴，曾先后6次出战，终于打败了匈奴入侵者。他因功高而被封为大司马骠骑将军冠军侯。为了奖励他，武帝命人为他修了一所豪宅。霍去病却推辞说：“匈奴未灭，何以家为！”这种为国忘家的精神为后世所称颂。然而这位杰出的青年军事家在战场上仅仅驰骋了6年，24岁时便不幸病死于祁连山。汉武帝悲痛万分，下令边界上5个郡的匈奴移民，穿上黑甲，护送霍去病的灵柩回长安。霍去病墓冢用土石叠成，象征祁连山，同时还雕刻各种巨型石人、石兽作为墓地装饰。

现在大家看到的就是霍去病墓。

霍去病墓前现有大型石刻16件，其中《马踏匈奴》雕刻最为有名。根据文献记载，这件石刻原来放在墓前，可能是该墓的主像。我国从秦代开始就有大型石刻雕像，但遗存下来最早的作品却是属于西汉时期的，其中又以霍去病墓前这批石刻最具有代表性。这批大型石刻，题材新颖、生动逼真、简练浑厚，高度体现了汉初沉雄、博大的时代精神和艺术风格，是中国目前保存的古代成组大型石刻艺术的杰作。

霍去病墓于1961年被国务院列为全国重点文物保护单位。

霍去病墓的大气磅礴一定给大家留下了深刻的印象。好了，我们接下来要去西线的最后一站——金台观。

Huo Qubing（140－117 BC）was born in the present－day Linfen City，Shanxi Province.His father was a messenger in a government office，and his mother，Wei Shao'er，was a slave girl.His aunt，Wei Zifu（his mother's sister）became Emperor Wudi's favorite concubine，and his uncle Wei Qing（his mother's brother）was made a general by Emperor Wudi.Thus，his mother had the privilege of being admitted to the imperial court.It was said that not long after the child's birth，Wei Shao'er took him in her arms to the court to see her sister.Passing the front gate of Emperor Wudi's residence hall，the child accidentally let out a tremendous cry.The em peror，who was confined to bed with a cold，was startled by the loud outburst，and broke into cold sweat.As a result，his illness was miraculously cured without any treatment.The emperor was very happy about his recovery and immediately invited Shao'er into the court.He embraced the child and played with him for a while.When he learned that the child was not yet named，he offered the child the unusual name of“Qubing”，which meant curing disease.

At the age of 18，Huo Qubing was appointed an imperial bodyguard.Because of his bravery and unique fighting tactics he was put in charge of the emperor's personal safety.Huo Qubing was a young militarist of the Western Han Dynasty.Following General Wei Qing on his expedition at the age of 18，he succeeded in crushing the Huns by fighting six decisive battles.He was crowned as a great general due to his marvelous deeds in his military service.In order to reward him，the emperor ordered a mag nificent mansion built in his honor.But Huo Qubing didn't accept the offer.He graciously refused，by saying“I won't make a home for myself until the Hun invaders are wiped out.”He has been always

praised by la－ter generations for his sacrifice for the nation.Unfortunately，this remarkable young gen eral fought bravely for the country for only six years. When he was 24，he fell ill and died at the Qi－lian Mountain.Emperor Wudi was heartbroken at the hero's death.He then gave orders that all the Hun immigrants of the five prefectures along the border dress themselves in black，escort Huo Qubing's cof fin to his home in Chang'an，and bury him near Ma oling.His tomb was constructed with earth and stone into the shape of a hill，which resembled the Qilian Mountain.At the time of its construction，gigantic statues of stone men and animals were en graved and placed as ornaments at the tomb site.

Now we can see the Huo Qubing's Tomb.

Today，in front of the Huo Qubing's Tomb there are 16 large stone statues among which The Hun Under Horse Hoofs is the most famous.It is recorded in documents that this stone carving was originally placed in front of the tomb，and was most probably the main statue of the tomb.The large stone carvings were started in the Qin Dynasty，but the earliest works belong to the Western Han Dynasty.The stone carvings in front of the Huo Qubing's Tomb are the most representative works.These stone carvings，all vivid and lifelike and chi－seled out in a simple yet serious style，represent the virile，broadened time spirit and the artistic style in the early days of the Western Han Dynasty.They are the most well－preserved masterpieces of large－sized group stone carvings left over from China's ancient times.

The Huo Qubing's Tomb was designated by the state council as a state monument in 1961.

I hope the Huo Qubing's Tomb made a strong impression on you.Next we will go to the last stop in the west of Xi'an—the Jintai Temple.

快乐旅途

为什么不用电话

Why Not Use Telephone？

有位销售经理的嗓门特别大。一天早上，他又在办公室里大喊大叫，总经理问秘书：“干吗这么吵吵嚷嚷的？”

“是布莱克先生正在与旧金山那边的人谈话，先生，”秘书答道。

“那他干吗不用电话呢？”总经理问。

A salesmanager has a very loud voice. One morning when he was shouting in his office，the managing director asked his secretary，“What's all this noise about？”

“Mr.Black is talking to San Francisco，sir，”the secretary replied.

“Then why on earth doesn't he use the telephone？”asked the managing director.