ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dong Woo Jang - Bow designer
Dong Woo Jang turns an unusual stick of bamboo into an archer’s bow, an exploration of his cultural heritage and a metaphor for his perfect world.

Why you should listen

His parents wouldn’t let him play video games, so Dong Woo Jang had to invent other ways to entertain himself in and around his Seoul apartment. First, he studied spider anatomy and hunting skills for three years, creating their habitat in his room. Next, Dong headed outside, where he picked up fallen tree branches and turned them into archery bows.

Later, while researching the age-old craft, he discovered that his optimal design was strikingly similar to that of his ancestors. Though he concedes that, during his process of “fixing, breaking, redesigning, mending, bending, and amending” bows, he accidently set his building on fire. The 15-year-old says that working with wood -- and traveling back and forth in time -- makes him feel free.

More profile about the speaker
Dong Woo Jang | Speaker | TED.com
TED2013

Dong Woo Jang: The art of bow-making

董宇张: 造弓的艺术

Filmed:
2,472,005 views

董宇张(Dong Woo Jang)课余爱好不同凡想。15岁的Jang在此演讲中讲述了身处首尔钢筋水泥是如何激励他做了一把完美的弓。请观赏他展示他亲手做的手工箭的魅力。
- Bow designer
Dong Woo Jang turns an unusual stick of bamboo into an archer’s bow, an exploration of his cultural heritage and a metaphor for his perfect world. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
It is said that the grass is always greener更环保
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常言道,别人家的东西
00:16
on the other side of the fence篱笆,
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总比自己的好。
00:19
and I believe this is true真正,
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我信这话,
00:22
especially特别 when I hear President主席 Obama奥巴马
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尤其是当我听到奧巴馬总统
00:25
often经常 talk about the Korean朝鲜的 education教育 system系统
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常常大谈韩国教育系统,
00:27
as a benchmark基准 of success成功.
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视其为成功典范。
00:31
Well, I can tell you that,
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嗯,告诉你吧,
00:33
in the rigid死板 structure结构体 and highly高度 competitive竞争的 nature性质
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韩国学校系统,人称高压锅
00:37
of the Korean朝鲜的 school学校 system系统,
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机制僵化,
00:39
also known已知 as pressure压力 cooker,
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竞争激烈,
00:41
not everyone大家 can do well in that environment环境.
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那种环境不会每个人都受得了的。
00:47
While many许多 people responded回应 in different不同 ways方法
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虽然大家对
00:50
about our education教育 system系统,
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我们的教育系统反应不一,
00:53
my response响应 to the high-pressure高压力 environment环境
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我对这个高压环境的应对办法是
00:56
was making制造 bows with pieces of wood
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用我公寓楼旁边捡到的
00:59
found发现 near my apartment公寓 building建造.
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木片做弓 。
01:02
Why bows?
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为什么做弓呢?
01:04
I'm not quite相当 sure.
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我不清楚。
01:07
Perhaps也许, in the face面对 of constant不变 pressure压力,
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也许,面对持续的压力,
01:11
my caveman穴居人 instinct直觉 of survival生存
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我这山顶洞人的生存本能
01:13
has connected连接的 with the bows.
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自然就联系到弓箭了。
01:18
If you think about it,
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设想一下,
01:19
the bow has really helped帮助 drive驾驶 human人的 survival生存
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弓自史前时代起就真的帮助推进了
01:23
since以来 prehistoric史前 times.
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人类生存。
01:25
The area within three kilometers公里 of my home
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朝鲜王朝统治时期,
01:29
used to be a mulberry forest森林
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我家三公里范围内
01:31
during the Joseon朝鲜 dynasty王朝,
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都是桑树林,
01:33
where silkworms were fed美联储 with mulberry leaves树叶.
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桑叶用来养蚕。
01:38
In order订购 to raise提高 the historical历史的 awareness意识 of this fact事实,
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为了提高大家对这一历史事实的认识,
01:42
the government政府 has planted种植的 mulberry trees树木.
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政府栽种了很多桑树。
01:47
The seeds种子 from these trees树木
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鸟把桑树籽
01:48
also have spread传播 by birds鸟类 here and there
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带到本市高速公路隔音墙附近
01:51
nearby附近 the soundproof隔音 walls墙壁 of the city expressway高速公路
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一带,到场都是,
01:55
that has been built内置 around the 1988 Olympics奥运会.
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高速公路隔音墙是1988 年奥运会时建的。
01:59
The area near these walls墙壁,
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这些墙附近,
02:02
which哪一个 nobody没有人 bothers什么麻烦事 to pay工资 attention注意 to,
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无人管理,
02:05
had been left free自由 from major重大的 intervention介入,
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树木任意滋长。
02:08
and this is where I first found发现 my treasures珍品.
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我就是在那儿第一次找到了宝藏。
02:14
As I fell下跌 deeper更深 into bow making制造,
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当我对制弓越来越着迷时,
02:17
I began开始 to search搜索 far and beyond my neighborhood邻里.
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我开始走出我的小区去找材料。
02:21
When I went on school学校 field领域 trips旅行,
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当我去学校户外活动时,
02:23
family家庭 vacations休假, or simply只是 on my way home
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同家人度假时,或仅仅是在我从课外班
02:26
from extracurricular课外 classes,
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回家的路上时,
02:29
I wandered逛到 around wooded林地 areas
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我在树丛附近徘徊,
02:31
and gathered云集 tree branches分支机构
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用我偷偷地塞进书包的工具
02:33
with the tools工具 that I sneaked潜入 inside my school学校 bag.
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收集树枝。
02:37
And they would be somethings出头 like saws, knives,
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工具有锯、刀、
02:41
sickles镰刀 and axes
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镰刀和斧头,
02:43
that I covered覆盖 up with a piece of towel毛巾.
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我在树枝上盖了一条毛巾。
02:48
I would bring带来 the branches分支机构 home,
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我把树枝带回家,
02:50
riding骑术 buses公共汽车 and subways地铁,
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又是公共汽车, 又是地铁的,
02:52
barely仅仅 holding保持 them in my hands.
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我勉强抱着走。
02:55
And I did not bring带来 the tools工具 here to Long Beach海滩.
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我没有把工具带到长滩来。
02:59
Airport飞机场 security安全.
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机场安检。
03:00
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
03:02
In the privacy隐私 of my room房间, covered覆盖 in sawdust锯末,
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我自己的房间里,满地木屑,
03:06
I would saw, trim修剪 and polish抛光 wood all night long
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我独自在里面整夜地又锯,又刨光,
03:10
until直到 a bow took shape形状.
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终于做出了弓的模样。
03:13
One day, I was changing改变 the shape形状 of a bamboo piece
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一天,我正在改一片竹子的形状
03:17
and ended结束 up setting设置 the place地点 on fire.
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结果把竹片给烧着了。
03:22
Where? The rooftop屋顶 of my apartment公寓 building建造,
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在哪儿烧的?在我公寓大厦屋顶,
03:27
a place地点 where 96 families家庭 call home.
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里面住着96户 家庭。
03:30
A customer顾客 from a department store商店 across横过 from my building建造
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大楼对面的一家百货公司的顾客
03:33
called 911,
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打了 911,
03:34
and I ran downstairs楼下 to tell my mom妈妈
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我跑下楼去告诉我妈妈,
03:37
with half of my hair头发 burned.
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当时我头发一半都烧焦了。
03:42
I want to take this opportunity机会
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我妈妈现在就坐在观众席上,
03:44
to tell my mom妈妈, in the audience听众 today今天:
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我想籍此机会,告诉妈妈:
03:48
Mom妈妈, I was really sorry,
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妈妈,当时我真的很抱歉,
03:50
and I will be more careful小心 with open打开 fire from now on.
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并且,以后再着火我一定更小心。
03:54
My mother母亲 had to do a lot of explaining说明,
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当年,我母亲被迫一再解释,
03:56
telling告诉 people that her son儿子 did not commit承诺
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一再跟人家讲,她儿子没犯
03:59
a premeditated预谋的 arson纵火.
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故意纵火罪。
04:05
I also researched研究 extensively广泛 on bows around the world世界.
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我当时还广泛研究世界各地的弓,
04:09
In that process处理, I tried试着 to combine结合
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其间,我尽力融汇贯通,
04:11
the different不同 bows from across横过 time and places地方
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取古今韩外各弓之长,
04:13
to create创建 the most effective有效 bow.
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致力于做出世界上最高效的弓。
04:17
I also worked工作 with many许多 different不同 types类型 of wood,
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我试了各种木材,
04:20
such这样 as maple, yew红豆杉 and mulberry,
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如枫树、 红豆杉和桑树,
04:23
and did many许多 shooting射击 experiments实验
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还到市内高速公路旁边的树丛里
04:25
in the wooded林地 area near the urban城市的 expressway高速公路
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做了很多次射箭实验,
04:27
that I mentioned提到 before.
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就是我之前提到的树丛。
04:30
The most effective有效 bow for me
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我认为:最有效的弓
04:32
would be like this.
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应该是这样的。
04:35
One: Curved弯曲 tips提示 can maximize最大化 the springiness弹性
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第一:弯度适宜的箭尖,这样,拉弓射箭时,
04:39
when you draw and shoot射击 the arrow箭头.
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能最大限度地弹射出去。
04:43
Two: Belly肚皮 is drawn inward向内的 for higher更高 draw weight重量,
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第二: 箭弦内拉,让射手能拉满弓,
04:47
which哪一个 means手段 more power功率.
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这样射出的力量更大。
04:51
Three: Sinew腱子 used in the outer layer of the limb
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第三:在弓的外层使用动物的腱,
04:55
for maximum最大值 tension张力 storage存储.
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以期存储更大拉力。
04:58
And four: Horn喇叭 used to store商店 energy能源 in compression压缩.
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第四: 用角来存储受压的能量。
05:07
After fixing定影, breaking破坏, redesigning重新设计,
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经过固定,拆卸,再设计,
05:10
mending修补, bending弯曲 and amending修订,
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修补、 弯曲和修改,
05:12
my ideal理想 bow began开始 to take shape形状,
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我理想的弓初具雏形,
05:16
and when it was finally最后 doneDONE,
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终于做成时,
05:20
it looked看着 like this.
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弓是这样的。
05:24
I was so proud骄傲 of myself
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独自发明了如此完美的一把弓,
05:26
for inventing发明了 a perfect完善 bow on my own拥有.
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我洋洋自得。
05:32
This is a picture图片 of Korean朝鲜的 traditional传统 bows
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这是韩国传统弓的图片,
05:36
taken采取 from a museum博物馆,
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是在博物馆照的,
05:38
and see how my bow resembles酷似 them.
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请看一下我的弓有多像这些弓。
05:43
Thanks谢谢 to my ancestors祖先
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感谢列祖列宗,
05:45
for robbing劫财 me of my invention发明. (Laughter笑声)
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抢了我的发明。(笑声)
05:51
Through通过 bowmakingbowmaking,
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通过做弓,
05:53
I came来了 in contact联系 with part部分 of my heritage遗产.
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我有幸接触到我先祖的文化传统。
05:56
Learning学习 the information信息 that has accumulated积累 over time
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学习经年累月积累下来的知识
06:00
and reading the message信息 left by my ancestors祖先
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和读取祖先遗留下来的信息
06:02
were better than any consolation安慰 therapy治疗
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胜过任何的心理疗法,
06:05
or piece of advice忠告 any living活的 adults成年人 could give me.
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强过任何一位在世成年人所能给我的忠告。
06:10
You see, I searched搜索 far and wide,
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你看,我当初上下求索,
06:13
but never bothered困扰 to look close and near.
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偏偏没在身边找。
06:16
From this realization实现,
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认识到这一点之后,
06:19
I began开始 to take interest利益 in Korean朝鲜的 history历史,
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我开始对韩国历史产生了兴趣,
06:21
which哪一个 had never inspired启发 me before.
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之前我对韩史都毫无感觉的。
06:25
In the end结束, the grass is often经常 greener更环保
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总之,原来自己家篱巴里的草
06:28
on my side of the fence篱笆,
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才更绿呢,
06:30
although虽然 we don't realize实现 it.
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尽管我们不意识到这一点。
06:33
Now, I am going to show显示 you how my bow works作品.
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现在,请看我的弓怎么样。
06:38
And let's see how this one works作品.
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各位请看:
06:43
This is a bamboo bow,
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这是竹弓,
06:45
with 45-pound-磅 draw weights权重.
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拉力45 磅。
06:49
(Noise噪声 of shooting射击 arrow箭头)
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(箭破空的声音)
06:51
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
07:00
A bow may可能 function功能 in a simple简单 mechanism机制,
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也许,弓机制功能简单,
07:04
but in order订购 to make a good bow,
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但为了做把好弓,
07:07
a great amount of sensitivity灵敏度 is required需要.
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正所谓:差之毫厘,失之千里。
07:11
You need to console安慰 and communicate通信
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您要安抚联络
07:13
with the wood material材料.
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这些木头材料。
07:16
Each fiber纤维 in the wood
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木头里的每一丝纤维
07:18
has its own拥有 reason原因 and function功能 for being存在,
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都有其存在原因和作用,
07:21
and only through通过 cooperation合作 and harmony和谐 among其中 them
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只有其通力合作
07:24
comes a great bow.
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才能成就一把好弓。
07:28
I may可能 be an [odd] student学生
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我可能是个 [怪] 学生
07:29
with unconventional非传统的 interests利益,
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爱好特异,
07:32
but I hope希望 I am making制造 a contribution贡献
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但我希望通过分享我的故事
07:34
by sharing分享 my story故事 with all of you.
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为这世界尽我一份绵薄之力。
07:38
My ideal理想 world世界 is a place地点
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我的理想世界里
07:41
where no one is left behind背后,
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没有落后生,
07:43
where everyone大家 is needed需要 exactly究竟 where they are,
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人人各司其职,
07:46
like the fibers纤维 and the tendons in a bow,
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仿佛是弓的纤维和筋,
07:50
a place地点 where the strong强大 is flexible灵活
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刚中有柔,
07:53
and the vulnerable弱势 is resilient弹性.
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柔中带刚。
07:57
The bow resembles酷似 me,
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这弓就仿佛是我,
07:58
and I resemble类似 the bow.
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而我仿佛是这把弓。
08:01
Now, I am shooting射击 a part部分 of myself to you.
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现在,我正把我的一部分向你射去。
08:06
No, better yet然而, a part部分 of my mind心神
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不对,说的再美妙一些,我心灵的一部分
08:09
has just been shot射击 over to your mind心神.
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刚刚向你的心灵射去。
08:12
Did it strike罢工 you?
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射中你了吗?
08:14
Thank you.
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谢谢。
08:16
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
Translated by Tina Zhao
Reviewed by Ho Man Li

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dong Woo Jang - Bow designer
Dong Woo Jang turns an unusual stick of bamboo into an archer’s bow, an exploration of his cultural heritage and a metaphor for his perfect world.

Why you should listen

His parents wouldn’t let him play video games, so Dong Woo Jang had to invent other ways to entertain himself in and around his Seoul apartment. First, he studied spider anatomy and hunting skills for three years, creating their habitat in his room. Next, Dong headed outside, where he picked up fallen tree branches and turned them into archery bows.

Later, while researching the age-old craft, he discovered that his optimal design was strikingly similar to that of his ancestors. Though he concedes that, during his process of “fixing, breaking, redesigning, mending, bending, and amending” bows, he accidently set his building on fire. The 15-year-old says that working with wood -- and traveling back and forth in time -- makes him feel free.

More profile about the speaker
Dong Woo Jang | Speaker | TED.com