1、 Unit 2 A lifes workMasters of Time (P20) Unit 2 Developing ideas P20.mp3In the quiet courtyards of Xi San Suo, behind the high walls of the Forbidden City, time ticksat its own pace. If it hadnt been for a three-episode documentary, outsiders would never have known that the plainly-dressed people w
2、orking here are masters of their craft, who have spent their lives restoring precious antiques. Among these is the clock restoration master, Wang Jin.Walking through the seven crimson gates towards his workplace, Wang Jin still regards himself as an ordinary worker in the Palace Museum, although now
3、 he is often stopped by admirers wanting their photo taken with him. Day in, day out, Mr Wang and his student spend their time restoring clocks dating back hundreds of years. But for quite some time, he and his student Qi Haonan used to be the only two people repairing timepieces in the Palace Museu
4、m.Qing emperors were very fond of clocks. Therefore, in order to please them, foreign envoys presented these emperors with the most intricate and splendid timepieces. Today, the Palace Museum has one of the most significant collections of timepieces in the world, mainly originating from Europe and C
5、hina. With objects ranging from small pocket watches to clocks over one metre in height, each of these requires its own unique method of restoration.Given the complexity of the work and the lack of necessary materials, this means that eachexpert can work on a maximum of two large pieces a year. But,
6、 through their painstakingefforts, Mr Wang and his student do more than repair the clocks they bring them back to life.The only sound to break the silence in Wang Jins workshop is the chiming melody of the repaired and polished clocks. To Wang Jin it is the most beautiful music in the world. Now, af
7、ter eight months of endless adjustments, the time has finally come for Mr Wang to wind upthe gigantic clocks that date back to the time of Emperor Qianlong. The intricately fashionedobjects that have stood still for centuries instantly come back to life: water flows, boats sail, dogs bark, chickens
8、flap their wings and a woman starts to spin. It is a truly awe-inspiringmoment. It is suddenly clear that when the clock masters say that “these antiques have lives”, it is neither an exaggeration nor a metaphor.But, despite the combined work of several generations of masters, it seems unlikely that
9、 therestoration of the clocks will ever be complete. Even if every clock in the Palace Museum were restored, there would still be work to do, because restoration would probably need to begin again on the clocks that were repaired long ago. This is a race against time that can never be won! Nonethele
10、ss, Mr Wang remains optimistic about the future of these timepieces. Following in the footsteps of his own teacher all those years ago, Mr Wang has now passed on his skills to the new members, who will take on many of the future repairs. Whats more, inspired to follow in his fathers footsteps, Mr Wa
11、ngs son now has also taken up repairing antique clocks. This new generation of artisans will not only help preserve traditional skills, the innovation they bring to the craft will also ensure that the art of clock repairing stands the test of time.In todays fast-paced world, the saying that “time wa
12、its for no man” has never seemed more apt. Yet inside the hidden courtyards of Xi San Suo, there is something timeless about the way Mr Wang and his colleagues sedately piece together the past with skilful hands and modest hearts. It is as if they have become one with their craft and with the histor
13、y of the country.Masters of Time Masters of Time In the quiet courtyards of Xi San Suo, behind the high walls of the Forbidden City, time ticks at its own pace. If it hadnt been for a three-episode documentary, outsiders would never have known that the plainly-dressed people working here are masters
14、 of their craft, who have spent their lives restoring precious antiques. Among these is the clock restoration master, Wang Jin.Walking through the seven crimson gates towards his workplace, Wang Jin still regards himself as an ordinary worker in the Palace Museum, although now he is often stopped by
15、 admirers wanting their photo taken with him. Day in, day out, Mr Wang and his student spend their time restoring clocks dating back hundreds of years. But forquite some time, he and his student QiHaonan used to be the onlytwo people repairing timepieces in the Palace Museum.Qing emperors were very
16、fond of clocks. Therefore, in order to pleasethem, foreign envoys presented these emperors with the most intricate and splendid timepieces. Today, the Palace Museum has one of the most significant collections of timepieces in the world, mainly originating from Europe and China. With objects ranging
17、from small pocket watches to clocks over one metre in height, each of these requires its own unique method of restoration. Given the complexity of the work and the lack of necessary materials, this means that each expert can work on a maximum of two large pieces a year. But, through their painstakin
18、g efforts, Mr Wang and his student do more than repair the clocks they bring them back to life. The only sound to break the silence in Wang Jins workshop is the chiming melody of the repaired and polished clocks. To Wang Jin it is the most beautiful music in the world. Now, after eight months of end
19、less adjustments, the time has finally come for Mr Wang to wind up the gigantic clocks that date back to the time of Emperor Qianlong. The intricately fashioned objects that have stood still for centuries instantly come back to life: water flows, boats sail, dogs bark, chickens flap their wings and
20、a woman starts to spin. It is a truly awe-inspiring moment. It is suddenly clear that when the clock masters say that“these antiques have lives”, it is neither an exaggeration nor a metaphor.But, despite the combined work of several generations of masters, it seems unlikely that the restoration of t
21、he clocks will ever be complete. Even if every clock in the Palace Museum were restored, there would still be work to do, because restoration would probably need to begin again on the clocks that were repaired long ago. This is a race against time that can never be won! Nonetheless, Mr Wang remains
22、optimistic about the future of these timepieces. Followingin the footsteps of his own teacher all those years ago, Mr Wang has now passed on his skills to the new members, who will take on many of the future repairs. Whats more, inspired to follow in his fathers footsteps, Mr Wangs son now has also
23、taken up repairing antique clocks. This new generation of artisans will not only help preserve traditional skills, the innovation they bring to the craft will also ensure that the art of clock repairing stands the test of time.In todays fast-paced world, the saying that “time waits for no man”has never seemed more apt. Yet inside the hidden courtyards of Xi San Suo, there is something timeless about the way Mr Wang and his colleagues sedately piece together the past with skilful hands and modest hearts. It is as if they have become one with their craft and with the history of the country.
