外國人最想和你聊的文化話題：日本的和服和清酒

　Realize Kimono and Wine　認(rèn)識和服和清酒
     1　和服的歷史
     The kimono is a Japanese traditional garment worn by women, men and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear", has come to denote these full-length robes. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is kimonos, but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also sometimes used. Kimonos are T-shaped, straightlined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial), and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear and split-toe socks.
     Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, and on special occasions. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called furisode, with almost floor-length sleeves, on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear the kimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public.
     As the kimono has another name gofuku, the earliest kimonos were heavily influenced by traditional Han Chinese clothing, known today as hanfu, through Japanese embassies to China which resulted in extensive Chinese culture adoptions by Japan, as early as the fifth century.
     It was during the 8th century, however, when Chinese fashions came into style among the Japanese, and the overlapping collar became particularly a women's fashion. During Japan's Heian period (794-1192AD), the kimono became increasingly stylized, though one still wore a half-apron. During the Muromachi age (1392-1573 AD), the Kosode, a single kimono formerly considered as underwear, began to be worn without the hakama over it, and thus began to be held closed by an obi "belt". During the Edo period (1603-1867 AD), the sleeves began to grow in length, especially among unmarried women, and the Obi became wider, with various styles of tying coming into fashion.
     2　清酒的歷史
     The history of Sake is very complicated and full of ceremonies. It is a part of many Japanese rituals, from sealing wedding vows to blessing a new home, to being used as an offering to the shrines of gods. There is physical evidence of fermented rice beverages dating back to 300BC. The type and style of Sake we are most familiar with today came into existence about the 16th century and did not see much change until the middle of the 20th century. Chilled Sake came about in the mid-20th century due to a better understanding of the complicated process of turning rice into a fermentable sugar. Traditionally, quality Sake was heated gently (not baked in a cask as is common in many American Japanese restaurants) to diminish bitterness and allow some of the musty lees character to vaporize, leaving fresh, clean flavors. Science and technology has shown the Sake masters, that many of the ancient traditions of making Sake are essential, but it has also shown them how to make clean and more intensely flavored Sake that does not need to be heated. Today, all quality Sake is enjoyed chilled.
     Despite what you may have heard, Sake is not a wine, nor is it a beer, although it is similar to beer in the fact that both are fermented from a type of grain. The difference is that in beer the enzymes needed to convert the starch into a fermentable sugar are created during malting, whereas in Sake the enzyme to convert the rice into a fermentable sugar is a special mold known as koji, which must be propagated and added. Also, during Sake production, saccharification (the conversion of starch into sugar), happens at the same time and in the same vessel as the fermentation (these are two separated stages in beer production). As the rice is being converted into sugar, the yeast is converting the sugar into alcohol. This is what makes Sake fermentation so difficult-if saccharification happens too slowly, the yeast will starve, and if it happens too fast, the yeast is overwhelmed and can't function so the sugar is not converted to alcohol. This process is known as "multiple parallel fermentation" and is the reason why Sake can ferment naturally to 20%~22% alcohol.
     和服和清酒是日本人推崇的兩樣?xùn)|西，它們代表著日本人不同的氣質(zhì)。對于女人，能有一件上好的和服是她們的夢想，而對于男人，不論在什么情況下，都愿意一嘗清酒的美味，而清酒的美味也一直為世人稱道。去日本，不能錯(cuò)過的應(yīng)該就是這兩樣了。
Part 2　Key words ＆ Sentences　關(guān)鍵詞語全知道
     The kimono is Japan's national costume, which once got fashionable throughout the island.
     和服是日本的民族服裝，曾經(jīng)風(fēng)靡日本全島。As the kimono is so dear, people just wear it on important festivals.由于和服比較昂貴，人們一般只在重大節(jié)日才穿。
     The girls regard having a high-grade showily kimono as a great honor and their parents would try to fulfill their hopes.
     姑娘們以擁有一套高檔華貴的和服為榮耀，父母們都盡量滿足女兒的這一愿望。
     The kimono is not only produced complicatedly but also not easy to wear. The young people mainly couldn't wear it, if have to, they will ask for help.
     和服不僅制作復(fù)雜，穿起來也十分麻煩。年輕人基本上不會(huì)穿，必須穿時(shí)，會(huì)請人幫忙。
     The foreigners seem to like it very much, many blond girls even swagger through the street with wearing the kimono pajamas.
     和服深受老外的喜愛，有不少金發(fā)碧眼的女郎甚至穿著和服睡衣招搖過市。
     Sake is Japan's national treasure. The Japanese say sake is a gift received from god.
     清酒是日本的國粹。日本人常說，清酒是上帝的恩賜。
     Sake can be seen in large banquets, wedding ceremonies, bars and even on normal people's table.
     在大型的宴會(huì)上，結(jié)婚典禮中，在酒吧間或?qū)こ０傩盏牟妥郎希藗兌伎梢钥吹角寰啤?br />      There are more than 2000 sake factories throughout the Japan, the many well-known sake factories are concentrated in Kobe of Kanto and places near Kyoto.
     日本全國有大小清酒釀造廠2000余家，日本著名的清酒廠多集中在關(guān)東的神戶和京都附近。
     Sake is good for skin as well as can promote blood circulation, and also have a therapeutic effect on inflammation injuries.
     清酒不僅有美膚的作用，還能促進(jìn)血液循環(huán)，對外傷發(fā)炎也有治療作用。
     More than 17 kinds of amino acids are contained in sake, including 8 kinds of human essential amino acids which can not be synthesized by ourselves.
     清酒含有17種以上的氨基酸，其中包括8種人體所必需且不能合成的氨基酸。
     People are paying more and more attention to the inorganic ions in sake.
     清酒中的無機(jī)離子越來越受到重視。
     Sake gets minerals from raw materials of millet and mineral water.
     清酒從原料小米和礦泉水中得到礦物質(zhì)。