第41章 戀愛與婚姻
David: So please tell me what you think about loveand marriage in China?
你怎么看待中國人的愛情和婚姻?
You: I think love and marriage is very traditional inChina. People who have known each other sometime, get married, whereas in other countries, theycan live together without marrying.
我覺得中國人在愛情和婚姻方面十分傳統(tǒng)。人們彼此了解一段時間以后才會結(jié)婚。而在一些國家,人們不結(jié)婚也可以住在一起。
David: Yeah, in the United States, the concept of love and marriage has adopted modernideas. I think in traditional China people don't have a choice of who they would marrysometimes.
對。美國人對愛情和婚姻的理解源自現(xiàn)代觀念;我覺得在中國古代,人們沒有選擇婚姻的自由。
You: Because in those times, it's difficut for young men and women to communicate witheachothers.
因為那時候,青年男女很少有機會交流。
David: Very difficult to know each other? Why?
很難相互了解?為什么?
You: Because there were some rules, for example, boys and girls couldn't be alone in the sameplace and they needed chaperons if they went out on a date. Girls had to stay at home andlearn how to be good wives, while their parents arranged their marriages.
因為有規(guī)定。男孩和女孩是不能單獨約會的。如果有約會的話,都會由侍女陪同。女孩子應(yīng)該規(guī)規(guī)矩矩呆在家里并學(xué)會怎樣做一個好妻子,而她的婚姻是由父母包辦的。
David: Arranged marriages?
包辦婚姻?
You: Yeah.
是的。
David: But now people have more choice in who they get married to.
但現(xiàn)在人們有婚姻自由了。
You: Yeah, but I have a feeling that it's really hard to find a good spouse..
確實是這樣的。但我覺得要找一個稱心如意的對象是很難的。