10. (Xuě zhōng sòng tàn)

To Offer Fuel in Snowy Weather

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Sòngcháo de shíhou, Sòng Tàizōng Zhào Guāngyì shì yígè guānxīn qióngkǔrén de huángdì.

Zhao Guangyi was an emperor who cared a lot for the poor in the Song Dynasty.

Yǒu yì nián xià dà xuě, tiānqì fēicháng de hánlěng, rénmen dōu duǒ zài wūlǐ yùhán.

One year, it snowed heavily, and the weather was so cold that people stayed in their houses to keep themselves warm.

Sòng Tàizōng zhèngzài gōng zhōng xiūxi, yìbiān qǔnuǎn, yìbiān pǐncháng gèzhǒng měiwèi jiāyáo.

The emperor Song Taizong was resting in the palace; he tested a variety of delicious foods while keeping warm.

Dāng tā kàn dào chuāng wài de dàxuě shí, hūrán xiǎngqǐ le nàxiē kělián de qióngrén.

When he saw the snow outside the window, he suddenly thought of the poor people.

Tāmen chī bù bǎo, chuān bù nuǎn, zhèngzài dà xuě zhōng ái'dòngshòu'è.

They didn't have enough food to eat and enough clothes to wear; they were suffering from the cold and hunger.

Yúshì, Sòng Tàizōng jiù pài guānyuán dài shàng xǔduō liángshi hé mùtàn, láidào lǎobǎixìng shēnghuó de dìfang.

Then, the emperor Song Taizong sent his officials to take food and charcoal to the place where his people lived.

Guānyuánmen bǎ liángshi hé mùtàn sònggěi nàxiē qióngkǔrén hé gūdú de lǎorén.

The officials gave food and charcoal to the poor and the old.

Ràng tāmen yǒu mǐ zuòfàn, yǒu mùtàn shēnghuǒ qǔnuǎn le.

Then they had rice to cook and charcoal to keep warm.

Zhè jiàn shì dāngshí hōngdòng le zhěnggè jīngchéng.

This event created quite a stir in the entire capital at the time.

Hòulái, rénmen jiù yòng xuě zhōng sòng tàn lái xíngróng: zài biérén jíxū bāngzhù shí, jíyǔ biérén wùzhì hé jīngshén shàng de bāngzhù.

Later, people use the phrase "To offer fuel in snowy weather" to describe giving others help when they’re in need.

1. (mùtàn): n. Charcoal.

(mù)" refers to wood and (tàn)" refers to charcoal.

Example:

Dōngtiān de shíhou, rénmen jīngcháng yòng mùtàn qǔnuǎn.

In cold winter, people often use charcoal for heating.

2. (pǐncháng): v. Taste.

(pǐn)" and (cháng)" both mean taste here.

Example:

Dàjiā pǐncháng xià zhè dào cài, hěn hǎo chī!

Please have a taste of this dish, it's very delicious!

3. (huángdì): n. Emperor.

4. (hūrán): adv. Suddenly.

5. (qǔnuǎn): v. To keep warm.