[HSK 7] 书房里的“安如山” - "Steady as a Mountain" in the Study

Master and student use a line of poetry to discuss stability, adaptability, and practical interests in relations between major powers.

书房里的“安如山” - "Steady as a Mountain" in the Study [HSK 7]Download the app here:

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Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

王明月: Master, at today's press conference, Foreign Minister Wang Yi used the phrase 'steady as a mountain despite wind and rain' to describe China-Russia relations. I feel that phrase is more than just diplomatic rhetoric.
陈智高: Of course it is. In Du Fu's original poem, there is a sense of concern and hardship. Here, the focus is on the 'wind and rain' and the 'unmoving': the more turbulent the external situation becomes, the more important it is to demonstrate resilience in the relationship.
王明月: But with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, sanctions, and bloc confrontation still ongoing, doesn't this kind of 'stability' also come with significant real-world pressure?
陈智高: Precisely because there is pressure, stability carries weight. Between China and Russia, there are practical needs such as energy and trade, as well as strategic considerations involving coordination in multilateral settings.
王明月: So it's not simply about the two countries standing together, but about finding sustainable points of support within their respective circumstances?
陈智高: Well said. True stability is not rigid immobility. A mountain has firm foundations, yet its forests grow and change with the seasons. Areas of cooperation can also expand from traditional energy into new fields such as the digital economy and green technology.
王明月: When I used to read this kind of news, I was often carried along by the slogans. Now I see that the key is to distinguish between poetic expression, strategic judgment, and concrete interests.
陈智高: That is exactly the skill needed for reading current affairs: listen to what is said, but also observe the broader trends. Come, find that poem by Du Fu, and we'll move from its central image to international politics.
王明月: All right, I'll make some tea. It seems today's lesson will take us all the way from Du Fu's thatched cottage to Moscow.