World classic, retold in simple Mandarin
A Christmas Carol
圣诞颂歌
A Christmas Carol (圣诞颂歌, Shèngdàn sònggē) is a classic by Charles Dickens, retold in simple Mandarin as a 5-chapter story with audio for learners at about HSK 2 (Elementary).
Retold from Charles Dickens's classic 1843 tale: a stingy old man meets three Christmas ghosts in one long night and gets one last chance to change.
Meet the voices
- Narrator · 旁白 — A warm older storyteller.
- Scrooge · 斯克鲁奇 — A cold, stingy old businessman who learns to be kind.
- Bob Cratchit · 鲍勃 — Scrooge's poor, gentle clerk.
- Fred · 弗雷德 — Scrooge's cheerful nephew.
- Marley · 马利 — Scrooge's dead partner, bound in chains.
- Ghost of Christmas Past · 过去的幽灵 — A glowing spirit who shows Scrooge his own past.
- Mr. Fezziwig · 费老板 — Scrooge's jolly old boss who loved parties.
- Belle · 贝儿 — The young woman Scrooge once loved.
- Ghost of Christmas Present · 现在的幽灵 — A giant, merry spirit who shows Scrooge Christmas today.
- Mrs. Cratchit · 鲍勃太太 — Bob's loving, proud wife.
- Tiny Tim · 小蒂姆 — Bob's small, kind son with a weak leg.
- Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come · 以后的幽灵 — A silent black-robed spirit who speaks only once, in a whisper.
- Street Boy · 小男孩 — A quick, cheeky boy from the street.
- First Merchant · 商人甲 — A cold-voiced man talking on the street.
- Second Merchant · 商人乙 — A bored man who jokes about a funeral.
5 chapters, one journey
Chapter 1: Bah, Humbug!
我不过圣诞节
Scrooge chases away his cheerful nephew and hates Christmas. Then, at midnight, a ghost in chains climbs the stairs.
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Chapter 2: The Ghost of Christmas Past
过去的圣诞节
A glowing ghost takes Scrooge to a happy party and a sad goodbye from his past. He begs her to stop as a deep voice calls from the next room.
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Chapter 3: The Ghost of Christmas Present
现在的圣诞节
A giant, merry ghost shows Scrooge the Cratchits' tiny, happy Christmas, and one small boy who may not have another. Then a silent figure in black waits.
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Chapter 4: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
以后的圣诞节
A silent ghost in black shows Scrooge a sad, empty future and a grave with his own name. Scrooge begs for one more chance.
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Chapter 5: Christmas Morning
圣诞节早上
Scrooge wakes to Christmas bells and races to change everything. Can one old man make a whole family's Christmas?
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Key words in A Christmas Carol
Behind the story
A Christmas Carol was written by the English author Charles Dickens and published in December 1843. It is set in snowy Victorian London, where many people were poor and a few, like Scrooge, were very rich.
Chinese readers know the story as 圣诞颂歌 and have read it in translation for over a century. It is often found in school reading lists and English-learning books, and Christmas 圣诞节 is now a lively shopping and party season in Chinese cities.
Did you know?
- Dickens wrote the whole book in about six weeks.
- In China, Christmas Eve is called 平安夜, which sounds like a wish for a peaceful night, and giving apples has become a popular custom.
- The story's message of kindness and generosity fits well with the Chinese idea of 仁, or goodwill.