HSK 3 · Article · 375 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-is-city-walk-in-china

在城市里慢慢走

What is City Walk in China?

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这zhè几jǐ年nián,中国zhōngguó的de年轻人niánqīngrén很hěn喜欢xǐhuān一种yìzhǒng新xīn的de玩法wánfǎ。他们tāmen不bú去qù有名yǒumíng的de地方dìfang,不bù排队páiduì,也yě不bù买mǎi门票ménpiào,只是zhǐshì在zài街jiē上shàng慢慢mànmàn地de走走zǒuzou看看kànkan。大家dàjiā叫jiào它tā“城市chéngshì漫步mànbù”。

城市chéngshì漫步mànbù没有méiyǒu什么shénme计划jìhuà。你nǐ可以kéyǐ找zhǎo一yì条tiáo老街lǎojiē,一直yìzhí往前wǎngqián走zǒu。路上lùshang看看kànkan老房子lǎofángzi,看看kànkan路边lùbiān的de大树dàshù,走进zǒujìn一家yìjiā小xiǎo书店shūdiàn,或者huòzhě在zài小xiǎo咖啡馆kāfēiguǎn坐zuò一会儿yíhuìr。

在zài上海shànghǎi,武康路wǔkānglù就是jiùshì一yì条tiáo很hěn有名yǒumíng的de漫步mànbù路线lùxiàn。路lù两边liǎngbiān有yǒu很hěn多duō老房子lǎofángzi,秋天qiūtiān的de时候shíhou,树叶shùyè都dōu黄huáng了le,很hěn多duō人rén在zài那里nàlǐ拍照pāizhào。

为什么wèishénme年轻人niánqīngrén喜欢xǐhuān城市chéngshì漫步mànbù?第一dìyī,它tā很hěn便宜piányi。第二dì’èr,它tā很hěn放松fàngsōng。平时píngshí工作gōngzuò和hé学习xuéxí都dōu很hěn忙máng,周末zhōumò走zǒu一yì走zǒu,心里xīnli就jiù舒服shūfu多duō了le。第三dìsān,走zǒu得de慢màn,才cái能néng发现fāxiàn平时píngshí没méi注意zhùyì的de东西dōngxī。

有yǒu一个yígè年轻人niánqīngrén说shuō:“我wǒ在zài这zhè个gè城市chéngshì住zhù了le五wǔ年nián,可是kěshì那天nàtiān下午xiàwǔ出去chūqù走路zǒulù的de时候shíhou,才cái发现fāxiàn我wǒ家jiā旁边pángbiān有yǒu一家yìjiā这么zhème好hǎo的de面馆miànguǎn。”

当然dāngrán,也yě有人yǒurén笑xiào他们tāmen:“这zhè不bú就是jiùshì散步sànbù吗ma?我wǒ爷爷yéye每天měitiān吃chī完wán饭fàn都dōu出去chūqù走路zǒulù,几十年jǐshínián了le!”

这zhè话huà也yě没错méicuò。不过búguò,城市chéngshì漫步mànbù和hé散步sànbù有yǒu一点yìdiǎn不bù一样yíyàng:散步sànbù是shì为了wèile运动yùndòng,城市chéngshì漫步mànbù是shì为了wèile重新chóngxīn认识rènshi自己zìjǐ住zhù的de城市chéngshì。

下xià个gè周末zhōumò,你nǐ也yě可以kéyǐ试试shìshi。不用búyòng去qù很hěn远yuǎn的de地方dìfang,从cóng你nǐ家门口jiāménkǒu开始kāishǐ走zǒu一yì走zǒu,看看kànkan能néng发现fāxiàn什么shénme。

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
门票ménpiàoadmission ticket; entrance fee
条tiáostrip; slip (as in 纸条)
走zǒuto go; to leave
路上lùshangon the way; on the road; en route
一会儿yíhuìra moment; a while
路lùroad; path
慢mànslow; to slow down
走路zǒulùto walk
旁边pángbiānbeside; next to; nearby
爷爷yéyegrandpa; paternal grandfather
运动yùndòngsports; exercise; to exercise; to move about
远yuǎnfar; distant

English (for the teacher)

In the last few years, young people in China have fallen for a new way to have fun. They don’t go to famous places, don’t queue and don’t buy tickets; they just wander slowly through the streets, looking around. Everyone calls it “city walk”.

A city walk has no real plan. You can pick an old street and just keep walking. On the way you look at the old houses and the big trees by the road, step into a little bookshop, or sit for a while in a small café.

In Shanghai, Wukang Road is a famous city-walk route. Both sides of the road are lined with old houses, and in autumn, when the leaves turn yellow, lots of people take photos there.

Why do young people like city walks? First, it’s cheap. Second, it’s relaxing. Work and study are busy, so a walk at the weekend makes you feel much better. Third, only when you walk slowly do you notice things you usually miss.

One young person said: “I’ve lived in this city for five years, but only when I went out walking that afternoon did I find such a good noodle shop right next to my home.”

Of course, some people laugh at them: “Isn’t that just going for a walk? My grandpa goes out walking after every meal, and has for decades!”

They have a point. But a city walk is a little different from a stroll: you stroll for exercise, and you city-walk to get to know your own city again.

Next weekend, you could try it too. You don’t need to go far: start from your own front door and see what you find.