1. 如果我每天都来浇水，每天定时浇一定的量，树苗养成依赖的心，根就浮在地表上，无法深入下去，一旦停止浇水，树苗会枯萎得更多。幸而存活的树苗，遇到狂风暴雨，也会一吹就倒。

1. If I water the seedlings every day, and water them at fixed times with a certain amount, the seedlings will develop a dependent mindset, and their roots will float on the surface of the ground, unable to penetrate deeply. Once watering stops, the seedlings will wither even more. Unfortunately, the seedlings that manage to survive will also fall over easily when subjected to strong winds and heavy rain.

2. 种树的人不再来了，桃花心木也不会枯萎了。

2. The person who planted the trees will no longer come, and the sapele trees will not wither either.

3. 《荆楚岁时记》中 说：“桃者五行之精，压伏邪气，制百鬼。”《岁典术》说：“桃者五木之精也，今之作桃符著门上，压邪气，此仙术也。”还有习俗认为，农历三月三日采桃花浸酒，喝了能除百病，保养容颜。现在仍有洗桃花浴的。这些说法正是桃树的重要性在人们观念中 的体现。

3. As mentioned in "The Records of the Times of Jingchu," "The peach is the essence of the five elements, it subdues evil spirits, and controls all ghosts." The "Art of the Year Book" states, "The peach is the essence of the five woods. Today, hanging peach symbols on the door to subdue evil spirits is a kind of magic." There is also a custom that believes collecting peach blossoms on the third day of the third lunar month, and immersing them in wine, drinking it can cure all diseases and preserve one's beauty. There are still people taking peach blossom baths today. These statements are a reflection of the importance of peach trees in people's concepts.

4. 不只是树，人也是一样，在不确定中生活的人，能比较经得起生活的考验，会锻炼出一颗独立自主的心。在不确定中，就能学会把很少的养分转化为巨大的能量，努力生长。

4. Not only trees, but people as well. Those who live in uncertainty are better able to withstand the tests of life and can cultivate an independent and self-reliant heart. In uncertainty, one can learn to transform a small amount of nourishment into immense energy, striving to grow.

5. 《左传》昭公四年记载：“桃孤棘矢，以除 其灾。”就是用桃木制成的弓和用参木制成的箭禳除凶邪。可 见，桃木或桃枝等具有驱鬼除灾的神力。

5. The "Zuo Zhuan" records in the fourth year of the Zhao King: "Make bows of peach wood and arrows of cypress wood to eliminate the disaster." This means using bows made of peach wood and arrows made of cypress wood to ward off evil spirits. It can be seen that peach wood or peach branches, etc., have the supernatural power to drive away ghosts and eliminate disasters.

6. 看它的形状。天然桃木很难获得。虽然很多地方都有桃园，但是桃木的生长速度很慢当它长到五十或六十厘米时，就会开始分叉和修剪。所以，真正的桃木制品都是由几块小桃木拼成的。

6. Look at its shape. Natural peach wood is difficult to obtain. Although there are peach orchards in many places, the growth rate of peach wood is slow. When it reaches 50 or 60 centimeters, it will start to branch and prune. Therefore, genuine peach wood products are usually made up of several small pieces of peach wood.

7. 暗红棕色。桃木色是一种暗红棕色，类似于桃花心木的颜色。它的色调比较温暖，带有一定的红色和**调，同时也有一定的灰度，使其看起来更加自然和沉稳。桃木色常常被用于家具、地板、门窗等方面的装饰，给人一种温馨、舒适的感觉。

7. Dark reddish-brown. Peachwood color is a dark reddish-brown, similar to the color of mahogany. Its tone is relatively warm, with a certain red tone and **hue**, as well as a certain degree of grays, making it look more natural and stable. Peachwood color is often used for furniture, floors, windows and doors, giving people a warm and comfortable feeling.

8. 种桃花心木苗的是一个个子很高的人，他弯腰种树的时候，感觉就像插秧一样。

8. The person planting the sapele seedlings is very tall. When he bends down to plant the trees, it feels like he is transplanting rice seedlings.

9. 闻其香。天然的桃花心木非常坚硬，带有淡淡的清香。精雕细琢的工艺品给人一种赏心悦目的感觉，而假的桃木制品虽然看上去差别不大，但走近就会闻到一股刺鼻的气味。

9. Smell its fragrance. Natural桃花心木 is very hard and has a faint fragrance. Handcrafted articles meticulously carved give a pleasing visual sensation, while fake桃木 products may look similar at first glance, but as you get closer, you will smell a pungent odor.

10. 他的一番话，使我非常感动。不只是树，人也是一样，在不确定中生活，能比较经得起生活的考验，会锻炼出一颗独立自主的心。在不确定中，就能学会把很少的养分转化为巨大的能量，努力生长。

10. His words deeply touched me. Just as with trees, people too can endure life's challenges better in uncertainty, and it can cultivate an independent and self-reliant spirit. In uncertainty, one can learn to transform a minimal amount of nutrients into vast energy, striving to grow.

11. 树苗种下以后，他常来浇水，奇怪的是，他来得并没有规律，有时隔三天，有时隔五天，有时十几天才来一次；浇水的量也不一定，有时浇得多，有时浇得少。

11. After planting the seedlings, he often came to water them. Curiously, his visits were not regular; sometimes he came every three days, sometimes every five days, and sometimes only once every ten or so days; and the amount of water he used was also inconsistent, sometimes more, sometimes less.

12. 《淮南子诠言训》有言：‘笄死于桃棒。’……他是个极具威力的人物。这样一个强而有力的人物是被桃木棒打死，那么，桃木具有神力，鬼怪畏惧桃木的观念的产生，也就很容易理解了。

12. The "Huai Nan Zi Quan Yan Xun" says: "A hairpin died at the end of a peach wood rod." ... He was a person of immense power. For such a strong and powerful person to be killed by a peach wood rod, it is easy to understand why the concept of peach wood having divine power and ghosts and monsters fearing it emerged.

13. 现在，窗前的桃花心木苗已经长得与屋顶一般高，是那么优雅自在，显示出勃勃生机。

13. Now, the saplings in front of the window have grown to the height of the roof, looking so graceful and relaxed, exuding a vigorous vitality.

14. 乡下老家屋旁。有一块非常大的空地，租给人家种桃花心木的树苗。

14. Beside the old country house. There is a very large piece of land, rented out to plant saplings of桃花心木 (Chinese sapele) trees.

15. 人和树木一样，也应学会独立自主的生活，只有不依靠别人，经得起生活中的任何考验，才会成为一个独立自主的人，成为适应社会的人。

15. Like trees, humans should also learn to live independently. Only by not relying on others and enduring any考验 in life can one become an independent and autonomous person, and adapt to society.

16. 为什么桃木或桃枝有如此神力，可以驱鬼辟邪呢？相传东 海度朔山上有棵大桃树，其下有神荼、郁垒二神，能食百鬼，故 俗于元旦，用桃木板画二神于其上，悬于门户，以驱鬼辟邪。

16. Why do peach wood or peach branches have such神奇 power, able to ward off evil spirits? It is said that on the Mount Duoshuo in the East Sea, there is a large peach tree under which there are two gods, Shen Tu and Yu Lai, who can eat a hundred ghosts. Therefore, it is customary on the New Year's Day to draw the two gods on peach wood boards and hang them at the doors and windows to drive away evil spirits.

17. 其实，这都是倒果为因的解释。正因为桃木具有神力，所以才能将后笄打死。我们探讨桃崇拜的渊源离不开人们的现实生活，一切观念的形成都有它的现实的社会基础。桃树，在中原地区差不多是最普遍的一种果树，每当春天来临之际，桃树便比较早地开花报春（比杏花略晚），农历三月一般称为桃月。

17. In fact, all these are explanations that reverse cause and effect. It is precisely because peach wood possesses supernatural power that it could kill the post hairpin. Our discussion of the origin of peach worship cannot be separated from people's real-life situations; the formation of all ideas has its social foundation in reality. Peach trees are almost the most common fruit trees in the central plains region. When spring arrives, peach trees bloom early to herald the arrival of spring (a little later than apricot blossoms), and the third month of the lunar calendar is generally called the Peach Month.

18. 在中国古代，桃树或桃木被认为具有特殊的神秘的力量，人 们很早就用桃木或桃木制品来辟邪祈福。春秋时，人们认为鬼 害怕桃木，所以就用桃枝编成扫帚，用以扫除不祥。《左传》襄公 二十九年记载：“乃使巫以桃蓟先祓殡。”就是先让巫人用桃枝做 的扫帚祓除殡之凶邪。

18. In ancient China, peach trees or peach wood were believed to possess special mystical powers, and people have long used peach wood or peach wood products to ward off evil and pray for blessings. During the Spring and Autumn period, people believed that ghosts feared peach wood, so they used peach branches to make brooms to sweep away misfortune. The "Zuo Zhuan" records in the 29th year of Duke Xiang: "He ordered the wizard to sweep away the evil of the funeral with peach branches first." This means that the wizard was first asked to use peach branches to make a broom to sweep away the evil of the funeral.

19. 看它的颜色。桃木制品的颜色会根据不同的地质情况而有所不同，但无非就是红、黑、灰三种。尤其是它的木纹清晰，但深浅不一，天然结痂多。人造桃木制品表面非常光滑，不会出现结痂，质地轻盈均匀。

19. Observe its color. The color of peach wood products can vary depending on different geological conditions, but it usually falls into three colors: red, black, and gray. Particularly, its wood grain is clear, but the depth varies, with a lot of natural burls. Artificial peach wood products have a very smooth surface, without any burls, and have a light and even texture.

20. 种树人不用来了，因为这些树的根扎得很深，能不断地从土壤中吸取水份，不用别人的浇灌，经得起干旱、风暴，茁壮地生长起来。

20. The man who planted these trees no longer comes, for these trees have roots that penetrate very deeply, able to continually draw moisture from the soil without the need for others to water them, withstand droughts and storms, and grow robustly.

21. 种树不是种菜或种稻子，种树是百年基业，不像青菜几个星期就可以收成。

21. Planting trees is not the same as planting vegetables or rice. Planting trees is a century-long endeavor, unlike vegetables that can be harvested in a matter of weeks.

22. 桃花心木是一种特别的树，树形优美，高大而笔直，从前老家林场种了许多，已长成几丈高的一片树林。所以当我看到桃花心木仅及膝盖的树苗，有点难以相信自己的眼睛。?>

22. Mahogany is a special kind of tree with an elegant shape, tall and straight. There used to be a lot of them in the old forestry field of my hometown, which had grown into a forest several zhang (a traditional Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to 3.3 feet) high. So when I saw the mahogany seedlings that only reached my knees, I found it hard to believe my own eyes.

23. 赵文心、尹荣方在《桃木漫说》一文中认为：“古人迷信桃树具有神 力，恐怕只是桃木本身的素质决定的。古人常用桃木作武器和工具，桃木坚硬而又有弹性，可作弓和棍棒使用。

23. Zhao Wenshen and Yin Rongfang, in their article "Talks on Peach Wood," believe: "The ancient people's superstition that peach trees have divine power may simply be determined by the inherent quality of peach wood. The ancient people often used peach wood for weapons and tools, as it is hard yet elastic, and can be used for bows and sticks.

24. 我住在乡下时，天天都会在桃花心木苗旁的小路上散步，种树苗的人偶尔会来家里喝茶。他有时早上来，有时下午来，时间也不一定。

24. When I lived in the countryside, I would take a walk on the path next to the avocado seedlings every day. The person who planted the seedlings would occasionally come to my house for tea. Sometimes he would come in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and the time was not fixed.

25. 我忍不住问他，到底应该什么时间来？多久浇一次水？桃花心木为什么无缘无故会枯萎？如果你每天来浇水，桃花心木苗该不会枯萎吧？

25. I couldn't help asking him, "When should I come exactly? How often should I water it? Why would the redheart tree suddenly wither without any reason? If you come to water it every day, wouldn't the redheart sapling wither either?"