Manchu people do it this way
So what are both of you doing learning this (Manchu language)?
We're not doing anything. We are learning Manchu and spreading awareness
Ah, spreading awareness
There are few people who can speak Manchu
Right, few people
We are teaching the next generation
You can teach the next generation, nice
The Manchu (written) language, I can't
Right: I can't write in the Manchu language Left: Ah, you can't write the language
Right: Can you read (Manchu)? Left: Yes, I can a bit
Right: You? Left: Yes.
Take that book and ...
My granddaughter can read Manchu (script)
My granddaughter is learning Manchu
My granddaughter can write
We can also write Manchu
Right: You can write? Left: Yes, yes.
Every year, I..
One year, this .. I..
Foreigners, from 7 countries
Come here to learn Manchu
(in Mandarin) Japan, America, Finland, South Korea
(in Mandarin) North Korea, Sibe people
(in Mandarin) Ewenki people
(unclear)
(in Mandarin) Sibe people, us Chinese people
(in Mandarin) (unclear), Ewenki, they've all come here
Grandmother, have you slept on this heatable floor bed (Chinese: "kang") all your life?
Heatable floor bed?
Have you slept on this heatable floor bed all your life?
This floor bed, where does the flame go?
Where does the fire go for this floor bed?
Where does the fire go?
At the front of the bed
Ah, he knows the word for "front of the bed"
Yep, front of the heatbed
Is there a stove here?
The front of the heatbed isn't here
This is the front of the bed
Ah, this is the front of the bed. We cook in that room.
Ah, the stove is there
No, before these houses were made out of earth
Before all the houses were made out of earth
Yes
After the Japanese came, we had this
(in Mandarin) Before, we didn't have bricks
(in Mandarin) After the Japanese came, they left
(in Mandarin) These bricks became popular
(in Mandarin) they used earth to make houses (male, right) A heatable bed made out of earth.
(in Mandarin) Rich people used wood to build
(in Mandarin) Used wood, only wood—one piece at a time
Before that was the front of the corridor (unclear), rich people
That is a good house, a good house
The heatable bed is warm
Yeah, it is warm, all of it here is warm
Do you light the fire here?
Yeah
(in Mandarin) The fire is there, and the front of the heatable bed is there
(in Mandarin) The hottest
Before, the chimney was built outside
The chimney, is both tall and large
The chimney was made out of wood
Ah, wood
Out of wood, made of wood this thick
Ahh, and also have to be stacked
They have to be sawed. After being carved out,
Tie them together and place outside
Both tall and large
Large
Like this
Left: Both tall and large Right: The chimney
Left: A large and tall chimney Right: Tall chimney, large
Left: Tall chimney Right: Made out of wood
(all) Made out of wood
Yes, made out of wood. What about you? Do you also use wood there?
Yes, exactly the same. Before, we also had big chimneys
Big chimneys. They're not there anymore
Now they're all made out of bricks, so the same
Why was Heilongjiang (lit. "black dragon river") previously known as Bailongjiang ("white dragon river")?
No, this river before
Was called Bailongjiang ("white dragon river")
There was a married women who was pregnant
Who was pregnant
And then gave birth to a child
The husband and wife
After the wife gave birth .. she gave birth to a black dragon—a small dragon
A black one
The father said, "Why didn't you give birth to a person, but a dragon?"
"I will use a knife to kill it—the dragon"
Tried to kill it
They went to get a knife, but the dragon knew
The dragon
Before, the windows were made of paper
Made out of paper
Did it break through and then fly away?
It broke through the paper window and flew away
Ah, flew away
After it left, the black dragon flew into the white dragon river
Then the white dragon river turned black?
(in Mandarin) Before, it was called Bailongjiang ("white dragon river").
(in Mandarin) After, a woman became pregnant with a child
(in Mandarin) and then gave birth to a black dragon
(in Mandarin) And before, the windows were made of paper
(in Mandarin) The father wanted to use a knife to kill the dragon
(in Mandarin) Wanted to kill the dragon, so the black dragon entered the white dragon river
(in Mandarin) Ah, we see
(in Mandarin) The dragon's father grabbed a knife and went running through the window
If the white dragon (already in the white dragon river) came out
Do you know what the white dragon would toss?
What would it toss?
Ah, stones, stones
(in Mandarin) stones
Throw stones
If the black dragon appears, the white dragon would throw food
If the white dragon comes out, the black dragon would throw stones
This black dragon, if the white dragon threw food, the black dragon would eat the food
The white dragon wouldn't be able to eat the stones that the black dragon throws
So, the white dragon
Became hungry with nothing left (after throwing its food)
The white dragon said "I will leave", so the white dragon left
No way to live?
Right, no way to live
So the river only had a black dragon left
It was like that
Originally there were two dragons (white and black)
Yes
One left—the white dragon left
Ah, we see.
So you two—not making money or selling stuff at home—come here for what reason?
To learn Manchu
To see grandmother
You speak Manchu better than they do
Your tongue isn't stiff (you speak clearly)
Ah, not stiff
Just okay, we speak just okay
Your tongue isn't stiff