陕西-西安华清池英文导游辞（二）

 　In order to avoid a civil war and try t establish a national united front for the resistance against Japan, Mao Zedong on behalf of the C.C.P.C. insisted on a peaceful settlement of the Incident. Therefore, a delegation headed by Zhou Enlai was sent to Xi'an. Zhou Enlai and his suite did a large amount of work there, took everything possible into consideration, and ultimately forced Chiang Kaishek to accept the proposal by his two generals. On December 25, Chiang was freed, and flew back to Nanjing. The Xi'an Incident was so peacefully settled.

　　The peaceful settlement of the Incident put an end to the internal war which had lasted for ten years, and accelerated the formation and development of the national united front for the anti-Japanese drive. Moreover, it showed that the co-operative relationships between the Communist and Nationalists arrived at a new stage. It marked a great turning point in modern Chinese history.

　　In the year of 1946 the KMT government had a "National Rejuvenation Pavilion" built near the crevice where Chiang Kaishek had hidden himself in the Incident. It was also called "Vital Energy Pavilion". After the national liberation it was renamed "Catching Chiang Pavilion". Close by the pavilion stands a wooden board which carries a brief introduction to the Xi'an Incident. Iron chains and rings in the crevices east of the pavilion, by which visitors can climb up to take a look at Chiang Kaishek's shelter.

　　Up the winding path east of the Five-Room-Pavilion you will catch sight of a bridge-like construction. It shines regularly with a myriad of evening sun rays both in summer and autumn, and looks very much like rainbow. So it has the name of the Hovering Rainbow Bridge.

　　Located on the Xixiu Ridge （the West Embroidery Ridge） of the Lishan Mountain, the remains of the beacon tower of the Western Zhou Dynasty seem easy to identify.

　　The beacon tower was mostly built at the top of the mountain to give border alarm in ancient times. It was constantly under special control. Once the enemies were pressing on towards the border, the beacon tower began to take effect: it was made to smoke in the daytime while set on fire at night.

　　The story goes that Bao Si, Queen of the Western Zhou dynasty was highly honored, yet she never cracked a smile. King You tried many ways to put a smile on her face, but he failed over and over again. He "called his court band to toll bells and beat gongs", and she pulled a long face. Then the band were asked to "play the bamboo flute and strings" and she remained displeased. Afterwards, "maids of honour served wine, festively singing and dancing," and she did not let out a smile at all.

　　"You don't like music! What on earth are you fond of?" the King asked.

　　"I nearly have a liking for nothing. But I can still well remember I liked to give ear to the sound of tearing a piece of coloured silk when I was a child. It was clear anf melodious," she replied. King You said in excitement, "That is very simple. How come you didn't let me know it earlier?"

　　Thus he ordered the officially appointed property manager to offer coloured silk, and made fresh and energetic maids of honour to tear it into pieces. Hundreds of bolts of coloured silk were utterly torn, but Bao Si remained unmoved.

　　"Why didn't you let out a single smile then?" he asked.

　　"I have never smiled so far, " the Queen replied.

　　The King tried over and over again, but failed repeatedly, and in the end he gave orders, "Anyone both in and out of court who can amuse Bao Si will be awarded one thousand pieces of gold."

　　Afterwards Guo Shifu, a treacherous court official came and offered advice: "Set the beacon tower on fire and fool your sovereign rulers." That night the King and Queen reached the Lishan Mountain by carriage, and gave the order. In the split second the flames of the fire lit up the sky ad the sovereign rulers moved their troops immediately to the Lishan Mountain. There they found nothing but that the King and Queen enjoyed drinking festively. The King then dispatched his bodyguard to inform them that "Everything should have been all right. I have just been joking with you." When they got this, they looked at each other in blank dismay, and left disappointed. Sure enough, Bao Si burst into laughter, stroking her hands when she noticed all the troops come in vain and go noisily. Accordingly, Guo Shifu got a prize of one thousand pieces of gold. Later on King You did so more often than not. In 771 B.C. Quan Rong （a then minority tribe） staged an armed rebellion against the Western Zhou Dynasty. King You ordered urgently to set the beacon tower on fire, but all the sovereign rulers remained unmoved. Consequently King Yu was killed, and Bao Si was taken away. The Western Zhou dynasty vanished. Herein come the Chinese idiom "A single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold" and "The sovereign rulers are fooled by the beacon fire."

　　u ordered urgently to set the beacon tower on fire, but all the sovereign rulers remained unmoved. Consequently King Yu was killed, and Bao Si was taken away. The Western Zhou dynasty vanished. Herein come the Chinese idiom "A single smile costs one thousand pieces of gold" and "The sovereign rulers are fooled by the beacon fire."