用英語講中國故事——Fish Sink, Goose Drop 沉魚落雁
沉鱼落雁
Fish Sink, Goose Drop
意思是鱼见之沉入水底，雁见之降落沙洲，也用来形容女子容貌美丽动人。
It means that fish sink to the bottom of the water when they see it, and geese land on the sandbar when they see it. It is also used to describe a woman's beautiful appearance.
沉鱼
Fish Sink
在春秋时期，越国有一个叫西施的女子，她天生丽质，美貌动人。
During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a woman named Xi Shi in the State of Yue. She was born with a beautiful appearance.
西施的家境并不富裕，她经常在家乡的溪边浣纱，以帮补家用。
Xi Shi's family was not rich, and she often washed silk by the stream in her hometown to help support her family.
有一天，西施像往常一样来到溪边浣纱。
One day, Xi Shi came to the stream to wash silk as usual.
阳光透过树梢洒在溪水上，波光粼粼。
The sun shone through the treetops on the stream, sparkling.
西施专注地洗着手中的纱线，她的动作轻柔而优雅，仿佛是在跳一支优美的舞蹈。
Xi Shi washed the yarn in her hands attentively, her movements were gentle and graceful, as if she was dancing a beautiful dance.
就在这时，一群鱼儿游了过来。
Just then, a group of fish swam over.
它们原本在水中自由自在地嬉戏，但当它们看到西施的倒影时，竟然被她的美貌所吸引，忘记了游动，渐渐地沉到了水底。
They were originally playing freely in the water, but when they saw Xi Shi's reflection, they were attracted by her beauty, forgot to swim, and gradually sank to the bottom of the water.
这一幕恰巧被一个路过的渔夫看到了，他惊讶地叫了起来：“天哪！看那西施姑娘，她的美貌竟然让鱼儿都自愧不如，沉到了水底！”
This scene happened to be seen by a passing fisherman, who exclaimed in surprise: "Oh my God! Look at that girl Xi Shi, her beauty makes the fish feel inferior and sink to the bottom of the water!"
很快，这件事就传遍了整个越国。人们纷纷议论纷纷，都对西施的美貌赞不绝口。
Soon, this matter spread throughout the whole Yue State. People talked about it and praised Xi Shi's beauty.
从此以后，“沉鱼”这个词就成了形容女子美貌的代名词。
From then on, the word "sinking fish" became a synonym for describing a woman's beauty.
后来，越王勾践为了迷惑吴王夫差，特意在全国挑选美女进献给他。
Later, in order to confuse Wu Wang Fu Chai, King Gou Jian of Yue specially selected beautiful women from all over the country to present to him.
西施作为越国最美丽的女子之一，自然被选中了。
As one of the most beautiful women in Yue State, Xi Shi was naturally chosen.
她忍辱负重，用自己的美貌和智慧帮助越王成功复仇。
She endured humiliation and used her beauty and wisdom to help the King of Yue successfully take revenge.
虽然西施的命运充满了曲折和无奈，但她的美丽和智慧却永远留在了人们的心中。
Although Xi Shi's fate was full of twists and turns and helplessness, her beauty and wisdom remained in people's hearts forever.
她的事迹也被后人传颂千古，成为了“沉鱼落雁”这个成语中的“沉鱼”部分。
Her deeds were also passed down through the ages by later generations and became the "sinking fish" part of the idiom "sinking fish and falling geese".
落雁
Falling Wild Goose
王昭君，西汉南郡秭归县（今湖北省宜昌市兴山县）人，天生丽质，才情横溢，精通琵琶演奏。
Wang Zhaojun, a native of Zigui County, Nanjun, Western Han Dynasty (now Xingshan County, Yichang City, Hubei Province), was born with natural beauty, talent and proficiency in pipa playing.
她因美貌和才华被选入宫中，成为了一名宫女。
She was selected into the palace for her beauty and talent and became a palace maid.
然而，在后宫中，她并未得到皇帝的宠幸，而是因不愿贿赂宫廷画师毛延寿，导致画像被丑化，长期被埋没。
However, in the harem, she was not favored by the emperor, but because she was unwilling to bribe the court painter Mao Yanshou, her portrait was uglier and buried for a long time.
后来呼韩邪单于再次入京朝贡，并请求与汉朝和亲，以巩固双方的友好关系。
Later, Huhanye Chanyu came to Beijing again to pay tribute and asked for a marriage with the Han Dynasty to consolidate the friendly relations between the two sides.
汉元帝在后宫中挑选宫女赐给呼韩邪单于，而王昭君因不愿在宫中虚度年华，主动请缨前往匈奴。
Emperor Yuan of Han selected palace maids from the harem to give to Huhanye Chanyu, and Wang Zhaojun, who did not want to waste her years in the palace, took the initiative to volunteer to go to the Xiongnu.
当王昭君出现在大殿上时，她的美貌震惊了在场的所有人，包括汉元帝本人。
When Wang Zhaojun appeared in the hall, her beauty shocked everyone present, including Emperor Yuan of Han himself.
然而，君无戏言，汉元帝只好忍痛将王昭君赐予呼韩邪单于。
However, the emperor did not joke, so Emperor Yuan of Han had to reluctantly give Wang Zhaojun to Huhanye Chanyu.
就这样，王昭君被选为和亲的公主，即将远嫁匈奴。
In this way, Wang Zhaojun was chosen as a princess to marry the Xiongnu.
这时的她，正值青春年华，容貌秀美，举世无双。
At this time, she was in her youth, beautiful and unparalleled in the world.
出发的那天，长安城外，秋风瑟瑟，黄沙漫天。
On the day of departure, outside Chang'an City, the autumn wind was rustling and the yellow sand was all over the sky.
王昭君身着华丽的衣裳，怀抱琵琶，踏上了前往匈奴的马车。
Wang Zhaojun wore gorgeous clothes, hugged the pipa, and stepped on the carriage to the Xiongnu.
她的心情无比沉重，因为她知道，这一去，可能再也回不来了。
Her mood was extremely heavy, because she knew that she might never come back.
当马车行至塞外时，一群大雁正好从天空中飞过。
When the carriage reached the outside of the Great Wall, a group of wild geese just flew through the sky.
它们排成“一”字形，向南飞去，准备过冬。
They lined up in a "one" shape and flew south to prepare for winter.
这时，一阵秋风吹来，吹起了王昭君的头巾，露出了她那绝美的面容。
At this time, an autumn wind blew, blowing up Wang Zhaojun's headscarf, revealing her beautiful face.
大雁们被王昭君的美貌所吸引，纷纷从天空中飞落下来，围绕在她的身边，久久不愿离去。
The wild geese were attracted by Wang Zhaojun's beauty, and they flew down from the sky one after another, surrounded her, and were reluctant to leave for a long time.
它们似乎在惊叹这位人间女子的美貌，又似乎在为她送行。
They seemed to be amazed at the beauty of this woman on earth, and seemed to be seeing her off.
看到这一幕，随行的士兵和侍女们都惊呆了。
Seeing this scene, the accompanying soldiers and maids were stunned.
他们纷纷议论说：“看啊！王昭君的美貌竟然连大雁都被吸引了下来，她真是太美了！”
They talked about it and said, "Look! Wang Zhaojun's beauty even attracted wild geese. She is so beautiful!"
后来，这件事传到了汉元帝的耳朵里。他后悔莫及，因为他之前并没有见过王昭君的容貌，只是听信了画师的谗言，才将她远嫁匈奴。
Later, this matter reached the ears of Emperor Yuan of Han. He regretted it because he had never seen Wang Zhaojun's appearance before, but only believed the painter's slander and married her to the Xiongnu.
现在，他知道自己失去了一个多么美丽的女子，但已经无法挽回了。
Now, he knew that he had lost such a beautiful woman, but it was irreversible.
王昭君到了匈奴后，生儿育女，辅佐单于，为汉匈两族的和平友好做出了巨大贡献。
After Wang Zhaojun arrived in the Xiongnu, she gave birth to children, assisted the Chanyu, and made great contributions to the peace and friendship between the Han and Xiongnu.
她的故事也被后人传颂千古，成为了“沉鱼落雁”这个成语中的“落雁”部分。
Her story has also been passed down through the ages by later generations and became the "falling geese" part of the idiom.