URL
Lesson Introduction
This podcast covers a famous Chinese story about an old man who moves a mountain. Like most famous Chinese stories, it is more open to interpretation than you might expect. So... while we're not exactly sure what the mountain represents, or where it ends up (NIMBY, thank you), this is a handy story to know. Sit back by the fire, dowload this podcast, and learn it in Mandarin Chinese.
Comments 
To comment, please login.
Comments Policy
Allowed comments do not necessarily represent the views of ChinesePod.com. We also reserve the right to reject personal attacks, false/unsubstantiated allegations, spamming of any kind, and comments that include vulgar language or libelous statements.
Out of consideration for our Newbie and Elementary users, English translations should be provided with any Chinese (characters or pinyin) written in Newbie and Elementary lesson discussion posts. New lesson idea? Please let us know on our contact page.
johnsonlee says
lol~i am the first one to add comment ! good morning evreryone,i am a newer to this web site, and this web site is the perfect one i had seen~~June 20, 2007
nurdle says
Not only is this a pretty good story, but it's also a pretty cool bar across the street from the Worker's Stadium in Beijing. Question about your expansion example 你挡了我的路了。(You blocked my way.) - could you explain to me why there are 2 了 in the sentence? I don't understand the grammar usage here. Thanks! ~Gi.June 20, 2007
liumeien says
Super6i: I might be wrong, but I think it's for emphasis.June 20, 2007
henning says
Hi super6i, I asked that very same question in the Discussion on the last intermediate lesson ("Transferring a call"): http://chinesepod.com/learnchinese/transferring-a-call/discussion Amber answered that two 了s indicate the action has been started in the past and is still going on.June 20, 2007
changye says
The usage of 了really is an eternal mystery to me. I've read its explanations many times, but have never felt comfortable with them yet. Now let me talk about today's topic. I had been a bit ashamed of the traditinal laziness in my family line right up until yesterday. But today, I am very happy I did not have an extremely diligent ancestor like the old man. If I had such a weird great-grandfather, I would have no time to post comments here due to the family business.June 20, 2007
henning says
愚公移山 seems to be a frequently used Chengyu: 539.000 Google hits. Those Chengyu could become an indefinate stream of Elementry lessons :)June 20, 2007
johnsonlee says
dear super6i: the phrase with 2 了 is used to tell someone i am in a bad skin if he is blocking my way~ and the usage is definitely right if the last "了" is deleted,bu the tone is changed,just show someone that you are blocking my way wthout showing his mood.... do i make it clear ? god bless me ~June 21, 2007
rich says
你挡了我的路了。You blocked my way 那辆车挡着路。The car is blocking the road Even as an advanced student of Chinese, I too am not good at using 了, especially when translating 英文 to 中文 or vice-versa. I too wondering, from the two sentences above in the expansion exercises, why one needs two 了s and the second has none. So the first is refering to the action that I DID something to BLOCK your way (moved a chair, box, etc.), right? So therefore your way is "blockED". So is that the first 了? And the fact that NOW it is blocked, the second 了？ Now in the second example, let's say we change it to "You are blocknig my way." I guess now it is my body that's in the way, and no 了 is needed? so it would be 你挡着我的路... 对吗？No 了 needed? Would 你挡着我的路了 also be correct? Inquiring minds want to know... 小明June 21, 2007
rich says
有另外一个问题: Getting someone to move over - In the exercises, there is the sentence "你能不能往旁边移一移?" That is the first time to hear this one. Is this commonly used to say "Please move over a bit?" What about “让一下”“挪一挪”(hope I got the characters right on there "nuo yi nuo") and I've heard others I can't even remember at the moment. Can someone help me with this one? Maybe because I'm a native speaker to English, it seems like English has only one or two ways to ask "Please move over" or "Please get out of my way"... how many does Chinese have and when do we use them? 谢谢！ -RJune 21, 2007
Lantian says
Le 了 - How come this is tough? I just break up the sentence in two sections, and then thinking in Chinese the first 了 is necessary, the second optional and usually there. 你挡了 You blocked, you have just blocked, you blocked in my past. If you remove the 了 then it becomes present tense and the meaning is very different: You are blocking, you block. 你挡。 我的路了 Here it's optional, but the 了 I feel softens the sentence, indicates something is still happening, or somethings changed. Context would make things clear. I think thinking about grammar too much here instead of the meaning throws off a person in this kind of compound sentence. yah?June 21, 2007
Lantian says
Changye, I think in Japanese there isn't this kind of nested, linear construction. deshou?June 21, 2007
Lantian says
BTW, I'm no Cpod host, nobody confuse my advice with proper knowledge. Lots of new folks around here. ;pJune 21, 2007
changye says
Hi Lantian, I suppose that the second 了, which is usually optional, modifies the whole sentence and indicates that something has just happened or changed. The sentence stands without the second 了, but it may be more natural, rhythmical and a little emphatic by adding the second one to the sentence. As far as I know, there may be no perfect equivalent for 了 in Japanese. That's why I still cannot use 了 correctly. And that's also why I enjoy learning Chinese.June 21, 2007
user41542 says
I really have a problem with remembering two hanzi words. If you could give the meaning of the single hanzi as well as the meaning of the combined hanzi it would be so much easier. How about it?June 21, 2007
excuter says
I only caught up some words of the story, but with the explaination it all cleared up. Thanks to the audiodepartment good job :-) BTW how comes that so many peops are confused with the 了 here? I instandly rememberd the explaination that two 了mean an action, started in the past still going on (谢谢你 Amber by the way)June 21, 2007
rockytriton says
I LOVE the Fix, is there any chance that this will be done on past lessons? I will definitely keep subscribing to chinese pod if this is kept up.June 21, 2007
bazza says
Instead of the moving the mountains, why didn't just install a front door at the back of his house? :)June 21, 2007
changye says
Hi Bazza, A good seggestion, but I know why they didn't do so. There was another mountain there.June 21, 2007
darylk says
Loved the story and look forward to hearing more fables, parables, etc.June 21, 2007
fish says
might be folly, and that is what modern China doing! if you move the mountain, it will kill so many animals, beautiful forest, small rivers,,,, you definately should not kill precious nature for such a small reason, but love her live with her. if it is inconvenient to live in Walden, you better go live in a big city, you do not have to dig the earth. i might be 太别扭, 但我一定 call him 愚公!June 21, 2007
nurdle says
Thanks for all the 了 comments, everybody! Next request: could we maybe brainstorm a few uses of 愚公移山 -the chengyu- in a modern Chinese sentence?June 21, 2007
tucsonmichael says
别放弃, 愚公移山!June 21, 2007
tucsonmichael says
With the discomfort toward 死 in the Chinese culture, is the expression 去世了 (qu4shi4le - leave life) a more mild and sensitive way to refer to an adult "passing away"? nice lesson and background music.June 21, 2007
Lantian says
Hi tucsonmichael, I'll wait for other's to give absolute confirmation, my memory is weak at times, but Chinese often say something like "他已经走了“ ta yi jing zou le, they've gone already. Plus "si" ”死“ is actually used a lot in colloquial speech amongst friends, like that's "crazy（dead)" 疯死了 or 杀死 sha si wo (You're killing me)。 Words are really context sensitive.June 21, 2007
franch says
努力学习，不断练习，不懈工作，愚公移山!June 21, 2007
dewei says
I am crazy enough to try to learn both Mandarin and Cantonese. It is often double work - pronunciations always different, vocabulary often different, grammar sometimes different but here it pays off with the two了! Knowing Cantonese clears the confusion ( as in 做 and 作 - same pronunciation in Mandarin zuo4 with similar meanings, buth Cantonese zou6 and zok3) There are indeed two 了 in Mandarin 'perfective' aspect marker and 'inceptive' (implying a change or becoming aware of a change) modal particle. There is a good explanation here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_grammar In Cantonese, the perfective aspect marker is zo2 and the inceptive modal partcle is laa3 So 你挡了我的路了 becomes 你挡 zo2 我 ge3 路laa3. (ge3 being the cantonese 的). having heard more Cantonese over the years I do have any major problem with the two 了! Of course, nothing is ever simple with languages and corresponding words in Mandarin and Cantonese will still have nuances. Mother has come! 媽媽來了! (Mandarin) 媽媽嚟 zo2! (Cantonese - 嚟 used instead 來 of colloquially) Mother has now decided to come! 媽媽來了! (Mandarin) 媽媽 嚟laa3! (Cantonese) but 讲了半个多小时 讲zo2半个多小时 have talked for over half an hour 都讲了半个多小时了 have talked, it has been for over half an hour... ( i am still talking) 都讲zo2半个多小时laa3 Here in Cantonese, the laa3 is not quite the same as 2nd 了 in the Mandarin version. Laa3 is definitely asserting/emphasizing the fact that 'have talked for over half an hour... but does not as strongly imply ' have talked, it has been for over half an hour... and still is speaking' as in Mandarin. Anyway this is my understanding as a learner of the 2 languages. I welcome views of experts in the 2 languages!!!June 21, 2007
lesli says
I LOVE this guy's voice. Please tell him he has a big fan, ever since the Tortoise & the Hare.June 21, 2007
dewei says
Please read in my previous post Having heard more Cantonese over the years I do NOT have any major problem with the two 了!June 21, 2007
tucsonmichael says
Lantian, 谢谢你。。 I've also heard the expression 吓死我了 (you) scared me to death Rich, I had a tutor that advised me of these two ways of requesting someone to get out of the way... very polite: 你让我来。 ni3rang4wo3lai2 - perhaps requesting of an older person or boss or something... more direct: 请让路！ qing3rang4lu4June 21, 2007
jennyzhu says
The way in which Poddies discussed the usage of 了exactly mirrors the moral of today's story.June 21, 2007
hape says
Great lesson, congratulations. Such kind of lessons I like most. Thanks.June 21, 2007
xiaolongg says
Great lesson! I love Chinese fables! :-)June 21, 2007
changye says
Hi super6i, 愚公移山全家倒霉。 子子孙孙都白辛苦。 贤公搬家拿到补偿。 但是不知贪官克扣。June 21, 2007
nurdle says
That's fantastic tusconmichael, franch and changye! Just what I was hoping for. Thanks!June 21, 2007
dave says
This lesson was definitely a tough elementary for me. However after listening to the podcast twice and the fix--it's sinking in nicely. So it seems I can't complain about the elementary-intermediate gap. I will have to find something new to complain about...June 21, 2007
erikalee says
Is the guy speaking in this dialog (especially the last sentence) using a bit of (what my husband calls) "old chinese man" speak? My husband does that sometimes.. he drags out some words (especially tone 2s), stacatto's others (especially tone 4s), and it's all very dramatic.June 21, 2007
rich says
Except for an email from Jack, I haven't seen any replies (yet I did skim fast) about how to tell someone to move. 挪一挪 移一移 (借过 jie4 guo4 from Jack) and 让一下. When is which used? -RJune 22, 2007
excuter says
a bababa bababa 路了... just came to my mind ;-) (I am a the Doors fan)June 22, 2007
shanbencheng says
If I were 愚公、I would 搬家.June 22, 2007
arneneithel says
this lesson really rocked. it definately seemed to me more difficult than most elementarys, and i really liked that. also i liked the story; glad there are more coming! ^_^ you talked about the grandsons, but with 儿子 is that only sons? would daughters be 女子?June 22, 2007
nicolas says
Comments should be tagged, tags displayed in a cloud. This would avoid users asking again and again the same questions.June 22, 2007
excuter says
if that clears it up it´s good if the question reapears, if it comes up tu much often you can guide the person to where the answer is :-) (sounds poetic, I should get the copyright for that ;-) )June 22, 2007
daniloren says
I MUST SAY : THAT'S A ''SUPERNATURAL'' STORY! ZÀIJÌAN !June 22, 2007
rich says
@ arneneithel, Daughter is 女儿 （literally female son... ha ha)June 22, 2007
yesi says
hello everybody Iam yesi,I just join in this discussion.I not know yet very well.So i hope all of you can help me. thanks beforeJune 23, 2007
bazza says
Forgot to ask before but what would be the Chinese equivalent of "smarty pants"?June 24, 2007
kitty says
你挡了我的路了。You blocked my way What is the problem here? One just has to realize that this is Chinese and think in Chinese. Keep your English mind out of it and you will have no problem.June 25, 2007
henning says
Thanks for that profound insight, kitty. :) Now I am looking forward to reading your explanations on how to exactly think in Chinese. What are the rules that structure your thinking and that make you come up with two 了s ? How do syntax and semantic unite here?June 25, 2007
excuter says
and where has the hot photo gone? do you hide youreself from us now?June 25, 2007
lukey says
I really liked this lesson. It was a pleasant change from the usual style, and the music was a nice touch. BTW- although completely unrelated to this topic- Does it matter if you speak mandarin with an accent- for example if you have learned mandarin in a province other than a northern one?June 27, 2007
jcheung2 says
This is my second day to your web site. I couldn't believe how useful this is to me .............June 30, 2007
martinellison says
I'm only getting the first four seconds of the full episode, either in the flash plugin or the download.July 15, 2007
dodd says
Is it just me or did you skip the last of the story when you where 'breaking it down'? No one else seems to have commented about it...October 29, 2007
eileen says
Hi Dodd, Can you point exactly where the discrepancy is ie. The fix, dialogue only or full mp3? And I will have the team check it out at once.October 29, 2007
dodd says
The full mp3. But either I managed to figure out what the sentence consists of, so no biggie. I have been experiencing trouble downloading older lessons... any explanation for that??November 13, 2007
eileen says
Hi Dodd, Are within China? Actually, many of our users seem to be experiencing download problems lately. You can learn more here!November 13, 2007
ewilc773 says
I listened to the dialogue before listening to the lesson. And it sounded a bit creepy—"I'm dead, my son's dead, and my grandson's dead!" No "when" marker before all the talk of death. But listening to the lesson cleared it all up. But since it's an old story, I'm guessing they actually are all dead by now anyway.January 28, 2008
xiaohu says
Super6i: I know this is going way way back, but regarding 你挡了我的路了, the usage of the double 了 is indicating that an action happened in the past but it is still continuing. So 你挡了我的路了, means "you (have) blocked my way (and are still continuing to block my way)."January 28, 2008
grechkay says
June 21, 2008
what's the difference between 太 and 很？
tvan says
June 21, 2008
很 is usually an adverb meaning very or quite. 太 means something similar only carried to excess. The greatest, the most, excessively, etc. In this lesson, when it says 太傻 it's emphasizing the scorn of the second old man.
I hope that's clear.
grechkay says
June 21, 2008
makes sense thanks