鼓浪屿是个原名"圆沙洲"、"圆洲仔"，是个小岛。岛的西南端有块岩石，长久受着海水海浪的冲击侵蚀，最终在其中部形成了一个洞穴。每当遭遇波涛汹涌的撞击时便会发出如鼓的声响，因此被称作"鼓浪石"。慢慢的，这岛也就因石而名，叫做"鼓浪屿"了。

Gulangyu is a small island whose original name was "yuan sha zhou" (round sandbar) or "yuan zhou zai". On the southeast tip of the island is a rock with a hole in the middle because of the long time lashing and etching of sea waves. Each pounding of the breakers on the rock will always give off sound like drums. Therefore the rock is also called "Gulangshi", meaning drum wave stone. That's how the island gradually got the name "Gulangyu" because of the rock.

        鼓浪屿上气候怡人，四季如春，素有海上花园的美称。岛上有日光岩、菽庄花园、皓月园，郑成功纪念馆、海底世界和天然海滨浴场等旅游景点。不过，虽然景点中的景色确实固然令人心旷神怡，却不能体现鼓浪屿真正的魅力。鼓浪屿的美丽，更多地隐藏在岛上一栋栋老房子里。上个世纪二三十年代是鼓浪屿的建房高潮期，当时仅华侨就建造了各式楼房、别墅1000余幢。这些楼房、别墅的设计者有的是外国人，有的是中国人，也有的人从侨居地带来图纸按图建造。现在岛上仍然完好地保留着许多具有中外各种建筑风格的建筑物。

With mild spring like weather all the year around, Gulangyu is reputed as a garden on the sea. On the island there are tourist attractions like the Sunlight Rock, the Shu Zhuang Garden, the Bright Moon Garden, the Zheng Chenggong Memorial Hall, the Underwater World and the Natural Sea Resort. However, carefree and joyous indeed as the scenery of the attractions, the real charm of Gulangyu can by no means be represented. The beauty of Gulangyu is hidden more in the rows of old houses on the island. The 1920s and 1930s saw the peak of house building on Gulangyu, and only overseas Chinese built as many as approximately 1,000 buildings and villas of varied designs at that time. Some of them are designed by foreigners, and the others by the Chinese. Some returned overseas Chinese just brought in the designs from where they lived and did the building accordingly. Standing on the island are many buildings of diversified styles found at both home and abroad, which have remained well preserved till today.

        岛上是没有机动车的，连自行车都近乎绝迹，在这儿最适宜的旅行出行方式就是步行。小巷深深静静，一曲一三折之间却不知会有怎样的惊喜。也许正是在一条极窄窄的巷子里，抬头看见了人家墙上怒放的三角梅，然后再向上看看，就是当年雕刻玲珑的屋檐，透露着青苔杂草掩不去住的妩媚精巧。为了看得更清楚，我们快步走进前行，在狭小的巷子里高高低低变换着各种角度视角，只求看到更多。这房子却像跟你捉迷藏一样，让人看到的永远只是局部。岛上的老房子，至今大多至今仍是私宅，对于一般游客来说，入内探访似乎总有些唐突，所以也只能在墙外唏嘘感叹。为了避免游客的"骚扰"，很多房子的"正门"是不开的。在清晨或黄昏，岛上游人稀少时，可能会有一扇小门虚掩着。这时候进去看看，拍两张照片后再溜出来，也就平白多了一分窃取美景的得意。

No motor vehicles run on the island, and even bicycles almost disappear. The most suitable way to travel around here is walking. You can't imagine what kind of pleasant surprises await for you in the depth of the quiet zigzag lanes. Perhaps it is in a narrowest lane, you'll see bougainvilleas in full bloom over the fence of a house the time when you look up. Taking another look and you will see eaves with smart carvings revealing their charm and ingenuity which could not be covered by moss and weed. To get a clearer sight, we quicken our steps in the narrow lane, changing angles and perspectives, whether high or low, with the only purpose to see more. The house, however, seems to be playing hide-and-seek, showing you for ever just part of it. Most of the houses on the island are still privately owned as of today. For ordinary visitors, making inside visits to the houses appear to be somewhat offensive. Then there leaves nothing but a long sigh outside the wall. To avoid being "disturbed", the "front doors" of many houses are always closed. Early in the morning or at dusk, there maybe one door left unlatched. Taking this opportunity to sneak in, taking some pictures and then sneaking out, add to a complacency of grabbing the beautiful scenery for no reason at all.

        当然，这并不是一个只能看到美景的地方。如果你愿意想得探寻更多，每座房子都有自己独特的故事。拿着一本专门介绍鼓浪屿上别墅的书，将书上的图片中的讲述与面前的实景一一相对对照，你会有更多不一样的发现人生如传奇、物是却人非的感慨——面前这座别墅的主人当年只是一个下南洋的少年，凭着剃头的手艺和精明浑身的头脑精明做出了一份事业，衣锦还乡后修成了这样的家园；隔壁的一家是的主人是在一场豪赌中赢来这所的宅子的，可时光荏苒中，这位幸运的主人最终也后来竟妻离子散，湮没在战争的烟云里了不知所终......
        岛上的黄昏总是美的。如果觉得老房子的故事有些沉重，可以将它们抛下，到海边长凳上坐坐。不管有怎样的前尘旧事，今天的鼓浪屿，确实是兼收了历史、人文和自然景观的旅游胜地，温婉清秀，独具风采。

Of course, this is not the place to see only beautiful scenery. If you'd like to make more explorations, every house will tell a unique story of its own. Book with special introduction to villas on Gulangyu in hand, comparing the accounts and pictures with the real scenes before your eyes point by point, you'll make more different discoveries. You can't help sighing with emotions that though things remain the same, people have changed. Here before you stands the villa, whose owner returned home in glory from Southeast Asia, where he left for as a young man, and had it built with the earnings he made from haircutting, making a career with his skill and wisdom. Right next to it is the property obtained from the victory of an unstrained gambling. However, with the passing of time, this lucky owner ended up with a broken family, fell into the oblivion of war and has never been heard of ever since...

Dusk on the island is always beautiful. If you feel the stories of the old houses too serious, you can put them aside and go to sit for a while on the benches at the seaside. No matter what kind of past memories or old stories are attached, today's Gulangyu is indeed a resort that integrates historical, cultural and natural landscapes, showing gentle charm and unique elegance.

• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:]   ad.&conj.因此；所以   (初中英语单词)
• sunlight [´sʌnlait]   n.日光   (初中英语单词)
• resort [ri´zɔ:t]   vi.求助；乞灵；诉诸   (初中英语单词)
• hidden [´hid(ə)n]   hide 的过去分词   (初中英语单词)
• accordingly [ə´kɔ:diŋli]   ad.因此；从而；依照   (初中英语单词)
• standing [´stændiŋ]   n.持续 a.直立的   (初中英语单词)
• abroad [ə´brɔ:d]   ad.海外；到处；广泛   (初中英语单词)
• suitable [´su:təbəl, ´sju:-]   a.合适的，适当的   (初中英语单词)
• introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən]   n.介绍；引言；引导   (初中英语单词)
• career [kə´riə]   n.经历；生涯；职业   (初中英语单词)
• wisdom [´wizdəm]   n.智慧，聪明，才智   (初中英语单词)
• victory [´viktəri]   n.胜利，战胜   (初中英语单词)
• cultural [´kʌltʃərəl]   a.文化(上)的；教养的   (初中英语单词)
• tourist [´tuərist]   n.游客，观光者   (高中英语单词)
• memorial [mi´mɔ:riəl]   a.纪念的 n.纪念物   (高中英语单词)
• joyous [´dʒɔiəs]   a.充满快乐的   (高中英语单词)
• scenery [´si:nəri]   n.舞台布景   (高中英语单词)
• approximately [ə´prɔksimətli]   ad.近似地，几乎正确地   (高中英语单词)
• ingenuity [,indʒi´nju:iti]   n.创造性；机灵   (高中英语单词)
• quicken [´kwikən]   v.加快；加速；鼓舞   (高中英语单词)
• offensive [ə´fensiv]   a.冒犯的 n.进攻   (高中英语单词)
• unique [ju:´ni:k]   a.唯一的 n.独一无二   (高中英语单词)
• historical [his´tɔrikəl]   a.历史(上)的   (高中英语单词)
• southeast [,sauθ´i:st]   n.&a.东南(方)   (英语四级单词)
• varied [´veərid]   a.各种各样的   (英语四级单词)
• zigzag [´zigzæg]   n.锯齿形 a.工字形(的)   (英语四级单词)
• overseas [,əuvə´si:z]   ad.(向)海外 a.海外的   (英语六级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ]   a.迷人的 n.捕获物   (英语六级单词)
• privately [´praivitli]   ad.秘密，一个人   (英语六级单词)
• earnings [´ə:niŋz]   n.收益；报酬；获得   (英语六级单词)
• oblivion [ə´bliviən]   n.(被)忘却；漠视   (英语六级单词)
• elegance [´eligəns]   n.优雅；优美；精美   (英语六级单词)