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A Chinese Story: 神笔马良 Ma Liang and the Magic Pen

Jul. 12, 2011

神笔马良 (Shénbǐ Mǎ Liáng) Ma Liang and the Magic Pen

 

"神笔马良 (Shénbǐ Mǎ Liáng) Ma Liang and the Magic Pen" is a very famous and interesting story for children in China. Magic is a mysterious thing that kids are interested in, so this story is interesting to them and can help them learn how to read Chinese in a fun way.

Key Learning Points (Preview):

喜欢 (xǐhuan) v. to like/love

 

画画 (huà huà) v. to draw/paint

 

Cóngqián, yǒu gè háizi jiào Mǎ Liáng, fēicháng xǐhuan huà huà.
从 前,       有 个  孩子叫     马 良,  非常         喜欢    画 画。

 

Once upon a time, there was a child, named Ma Liang. He loved painting very much.

Dànshì tā méiyǒu huàbǐ, jiù yòng shùzhī liànxí.
但 是    他  没有     画笔,就  用   树枝   练习。

 

But he was so poor that he couldn’t afford a paint brush; instead he practiced painting with branches.

Yìtiān, tā mèngjiàn yǒu rén sòngle tā yìzhī shénbǐ,
一天,他   梦见       有  人    送 了 他一支    神笔,

 

One night, he dreamed that someone gifted a magic pen to him,

Jīnguāngshǎnshǎn, fēicháng piàoliang.
金 光 闪 闪,             非常        漂亮。

 

which was glittering and very beautiful.

Xǐnglái jìngrán zhēn de yǒu yìzhī shénbǐ.
醒 来    竟 然    真  的   有   一支  神笔。

 

When he woke up, there really was a magic pen.

Zhè zhī bǐ huà chūlái de dōngxi dōu huì huó guòlái,
这    支 笔 画   出来  的  东西    都    会  活    过来.

 

Surprisingly, whatever Ma Liang painted with the magic pen would come to life.

Hòulái, yígè dà cáizhu zhīdào le.
后 来,一个 大   财主   知道  了。

 

Later, a rich landlord learned about the pen.

Tā bǎ Mǎ Liáng guānle qǐlái, zhǔnbèi è sǐ tā, duó lái shénbǐ.
他  把    马 良     关了  起来,   准备   饿 死他,  夺来   神 笔。

 

He locked Ma up to get the pen and tried to starve him.

Mǎ Liáng què yòng shénbǐ huàle bǐng.
马 良         却    用     神笔   画 了  饼。

 

However, Ma Liang drew a cake with the Pen, and fed on it.

Bànyè huàle tīzi, táochū dìzhǔ jiā.
半 夜  画了梯子, 逃出  地主 家。

 

At midnight, Ma painted a ladder, and escaped.

Méi zǒu duō yuǎn, zhǐ tīngjiàn hòumian yízhèn xuānhuá.
没     走    多   远,  只   听见      后面       一阵      喧哗。

 

Ma had not gotten far when there was a burst of noise.

Cáizhu qízhe kuàimǎ, zhuī shàng lái le.
 财主     骑着    快马, 追      上    来了。

 

The landlord was riding a horse to catch up with him..

Mǎ Liáng yòng shénbǐ huàle gōngjiàn, zhèng shèzhòng cáizhu de yānhóu,
马 良          用      神笔  画 了  弓 箭,       正      射 中       财主   的    咽喉,

 

Ma drew a bow and arrow with the magic pen, and shot the arrow right in the throat of the landlord.

cáizhu fānshēn diēxià mǎ qù.
财主       翻身     跌下  马  去。

 

The landlord fell down from the horse.

Mǎ Liáng pāipāi jùnmǎ, fēi yíyàng de xiàngqián qù le.
马 良         拍拍   骏马,飞 一样    地    向前      去 了。

 

Ma Liang patted the big horse and rode away.

Key Learning Points:

喜欢 (xǐhuan) v. to like/love

 

Dialogue:

    Nǐ xǐhuan zhège gùshi ma?
A: 你  喜欢    这个   故事   吗?

 

    Do you like this story?

    Dāngrán, wǒ hěn xǐhuan Mǎ Liáng de shénbǐ.
B: 当然,      我   很   喜欢      马良      的    神笔。

 

    Certainly, I like Ma Liang’s magic pen very much.

画画 (huà huà) v. to draw/paint

 

Examples:

Xiǎomíng xǐhuan huà huà.
小 明          喜欢     画 画。

 

Xiaoming likes to draw pictures.

Bàba jiāo wǒ huà huà.
爸爸   教   我   画 画。

 

My dad taught me how to paint.

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Comments

I want to learn how to read Chinese by myself. Could anyone give me some advice on learning to read Chinese? Where can I find some online material on learning to read Chinese?

After I participated in this course on learning to read Chinese for a while with eChineseLearning, my Chinese reading level has been improving a lot.

Reading interesting stories is a good way for children to learn to read Chinese.

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