100 Beautiful Essays for Cultivating Children's Temperament

Author: Chen Zhongjie
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: A good article records moving moments in life, dyes the heavy colors of emotions, harvests wisdom of life, and outlines the myriad aspects of the world. A series of such fine articles opens up a colorful world for us. This book, "Laying the Foundation for Life—A Primary School Student Quality Education Reader," is one of the series, collecting 100 famous and beautiful essays that cultivate children's character. These articles are carefully selected from countless publications and meticulously processed, hoping to become a precious companion for the growth of young friends.
The Story of the Vienna Woods
The Story of the Vienna Woods
The Story of the Vienna Woods
One of the prides and blessings of Viennese people is living amidst layers of greenery. Looking into the distance, the green sea stretches endlessly. Viennese people say that green is a color that purifies the eyes and soul. Therefore, they love green. Green furniture, curtains, walls, and utensils; a special ceramic with green stripes, one of Austria's most distinctive folk crafts; and here, men love to wear green suits and green ties. The world knows this forest has gained fame worldwide thanks to Strauss's famous waltz, "The Story of the Vienna Woods," attracting countless tourists and earning foreign exchange for the city. But who knows that the Viennese people and this forest are intertwined in life, mutually beneficial, interdependent, and thus inspired the "King of Waltzes" with creativity, passion, and deep emotion.
How big is the Vienna Woods? Some say it covers 40 square kilometers, while others say it spans hundreds of miles. In fact, Austria, known as the "Kingdom of Forests," owns 3.7 million hectares of forest, covering 44% of the entire country. Forests are interconnected everywhere; who can find the edge of the Vienna Woods? Once outside the city, the scene is always the same: on the sunny slopes, the forest is lush green; on the shaded slopes, the forest resembles an army in ambush, armored and helmeted. Between the forests are vast meadows filled with flowers, making it hard to see the color of the soil. Over 30 species of trees like elms, willows, eucalyptus, and cedars grow intermingled. Every spring, flowers bloom on the trees, birds sing joyfully, and various wild animals leap around. The forests here are fresh, gentle, and refined. The forests not only please the eyes and refresh the breath, relieving worries, but they also magically regulate the temperature. In Vienna, no matter how scorching the sun is, as soon as you step into the shade, it becomes cool and pleasant. This feeling is very distinct—"sunny spots" and "shady spots" are like two seasons; the temperature difference between noon and the early or late hours is very pronounced. Even in the height of summer, after sunset, the air cools down quickly, and people still need to cover themselves with blankets to sleep at night. Especially after a rain, the weather turns autumn-like, with unpredictable changes, making it hard to keep up with the clothing. Sometimes, when the wind blows and clouds pass, the crowds waiting for buses are truly bizarre—some wear tank tops and bare their chests, while others wear sweaters and leather jackets.
While visiting a royal hunting lodge in the suburbs of Vienna, I suddenly encountered thunder and lightning, with heavy rain pouring down. Suddenly, large patches of grass erupted in thick white smoke, and the forest was filled with flying mist, creating a spectacular scene. Such a sight is rarely seen. My guide told me that this happens because the forest and grasslands absorb sunlight, and when cold rain falls, it turns into smoke. I then realized the extraordinary role of forests and grasslands.
The Viennese understand that the pleasant climate is not just a gift from God but also the result of generations of cherishing this gift. As early as 1852, Austria enacted the "Forest Law," which has been in use for over a century. In reality, it is a strict forest protection law that perfectly combines science and application. For example, when felling trees, the cleared land is where sunlight is needed to promote the growth of the forest. Therefore, the Austrians never lack timber or greenery. If you observe carefully, you will also notice that the Viennese cherish the grass in front of and behind their houses as they do a carpet inside their homes. It is rare to see a patch of dead grass. They even refuse to use air conditioners in their cars, fearing that the exhaust will pollute the plants and air. In this city of one million people, wherever you look, you can see bright flowers and trees; the air is clear, and the view is unobstructed. As far as the eye can reach, the faces of statues standing on rooftops are clearly visible, without any dust or smoke blocking the view. In this way, various birds live freely among the thousands of buildings, just like in the Vienna Woods. One evening, while I was enjoying an outdoor concert in the city park, I suddenly heard strange cries from the concert hall roof, sounding like a cat but loud. Turning my head, I saw a large peacock standing there. Peacocks are proud and competitive birds, wanting to compete with the orchestra. This amused the audience, but no one chased the peacock. The orchestra played even more energetically, and then came the wonderful scene of the orchestra and the peacock singing and playing together. Isn’t this a more beautiful hymn expressing the harmony and intimacy between nature and humanity? Isn’t this the most moving deep meaning of "The Story of the Vienna Woods"? (Author: Feng Jicai, edited) P15-17