炎炎夏日，到一个山清水秀的地方去避暑，是很多市民的期盼。这一期的双语栏目，我们带大家去一个走出8位将军的小山村：来宾市武宣县东乡镇下莲塘村。“This time, our bilingual column will take you to Xialiantang Village of Wuxuan county of Laibin city. It is a small village where eight generals have been born.”。
山村虽小，但非常有名气。“This village is very small but very famous.”。2013年，下莲塘村被列入广西第二批历史文化名镇名村名录；2014年10月，该村葵花景观上榜“中国美丽田园”；2015年获评为“全国特色景观旅游名村”。
山清水秀这个词用在大莲塘村身上一点也不夸张，大瑶山南麓山脉环绕，拥有瑰丽人文景观。该村有10多个大小池塘，最大的叫莲塘湖，宽约40亩。“The village has more than ten big or small ponds. Liantang Lake is the biggest one. It is about 26,666 square meters.”。村里村外，林木茂盛，老龙眼树林有近百亩，百年以上的古树有20余株。“There are many trees inside and outside the village. The area of longan trees is about 66,666 square meters. Over twenty old trees which are more than one hundred years are planted in the village.”。据报道，2014年下莲塘村就吸引游客23万人次，真不愧广西四星级乡村旅游区的称号。
下莲塘村文化底蕴丰厚，在清代至民国间就出了8位将军。“The village has a rich culture background. During the period of Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, eight generals came from this village.”。现在村里还保存有广西最完整的清代“将军第”和民国刘统臣庄园等古庄园群。“将军第”位于村北，为清代民居，始建于清嘉庆六年（1801年）。原有房屋245间，现存175间。“Jiang Jun Di, the house of generals, is located in the north of the village. It was the resident house of Qing dynasty and it was built in 1801. There used to be 245 rooms and now there are 175 rooms only.”。青砖、青瓦、三合土、石、木混合结构的“将军第”，四周用卵石砌成高4米、底宽2.5米的跑马围墙。“Around the house, there is a horse racing wall which is made of pebbles with 4 meters high and 2.5 meters wide.”。围墙四角均筑有岗楼，岗楼比围墙高出一倍多，跑马墙和岗楼均设有瞭望孔和枪眼，村中房屋具有安营扎寨的特点，在新中国成立前曾称为莲塘寨。
村西南为刘炳宇庄园。刘炳宇，民国6年任孙中山的广西讨龙军司令。“Liu Bingyu's manor is in the southwest of the village. In the sixth year of the Republic of China, Liu Bingyu served as Sun Zhongshan's commander of Guangxi Taolong army.”庄园建于民国初年，是一座典型的中西结合的建筑，当地人称为“洋楼”“古楼”。“The manor was built in the early years of the Republic of China. It is a typical construction of a combination of Chinese and western. The locals call it Foreign House or Ancient House.”其结构奇特，科学性和艺术性较高，对研究清末民初的建筑和地方历史有着重要意义。2004年来宾市人民政府已将其列为市级重点文物保护单位。每年夏天，蓝天白云下，被盛开葵花包围的庄园备受摄影爱好者和影楼婚纱摄影师追捧。
本报记者 叶祯/文 黄倩华/翻译
