It's my first draft and it may a little childish. I don't know if my essay really fits for its requirements or not. I hope that I can receive suggestions or grammar corrections on my essay! Thank you so much!
(I am a student from china so my english is not that good.I hope if anyone can help me with the essay)
PROMPT:
Essay Option 2. The late-eighteenth-century popular philosopher and cultural critic George Lichtenberg wrote, "Just as we outgrow a pair of trousers, we outgrow acquaintances, libraries, principles, etc. . . . at times before they're worn out and at times - and this is worst of all - before we have new ones." Write an essay about something you have outgrown, perhaps before you had a replacement - a friend, a political philosophy, a favorite author, or anything that has had an influence on you. What, if anything, has taken its place?
My eassy:
Shi Ku Men
I can still vividly remember, near my old house, the spring flowers burgeoning in the corner of red tiles, the grass seeds germinating in the chink of cyan bricks, and the white pigeons hovering around the mottled wall. The old "Shi Ku Men" is where I come from, is how I initiate to recognize this world, and is what lies embedded in my memory.
Shi Ku Men --- is a unique word belongs to shanghai. Literally it means "the stone gate". It is a type of architecture emerged in 1860s in shanghai, which blended the features of both east and west, originally to meet the needs of refugees abroad. As time goes by, Shi Ku Men had gradually become a local private residence with about ten families living in the same building.
I had been staying in the old Shi Ku Men since I was born, although I got along well with every neighbors, I still looked forward to moving into those kempt, capacious and modern apartments. The residents there don't have to fight for the public rest room during the rush morning time, don't have to stepped cautiously on the timeworn cracking staircase, and don't have to worry about bothering others when their children played the piano in the late night.
Seven years later, due to the governmental moving, batched of old Shi Ku men were torn down on a large scale whereas new modern buildings were set up at an internet speed. I fulfilled my wishes to moving into the new apartment with independent wash room, efficient elevator and sound-proof room.
I started to love new and fancy things like new apartment, exotic food and modern costume. Every time I saw new things, the sense of superiority naturally aroused up in my adrenalin. At that time, I firmly believed everything new thing stands for faster, efficient and a better life. Questing for "new" turned to be my principal of life. I felt proud of my city turning into a modern one similar to New York and Paris.
The other day, however, when I looked up, what came into my view were the duplicate, matchbox-liked modern apartments. I found myself was placed in the midst of steel and concrete with the sense of heaviness and oppression invading my whole body. The city is developing at a high speed while the people are becoming apathetic towards each other. I am eager to talking to my new neighbors but I don't even know their names. I know something has been lost.
I started to miss the old days I spent in the Shi Ku Men. Not only the architecture but also the sense of sharing in the old cramped house is what I value most. The smell of bean curd pervaded the whole alley in front of Shi Ku Men at dusk, the chatter among the neighbors in bamboo chairs during the night of old summer days, and the game like "eagle catches chicks" and hopscotch with kids in the neighborhood after school occupied my memory of past.
I didn't realize the uniqueness of shanghai culture turns out to be not the modern skyscrapers, is not the interlaced network of city transportation, but is the forgotten "Shi Ku Men", until I saw the old mottled wall marked with the ruthless white painted words "knocking down". The "Shi Ku Men" is rooted in our city culture. It is like an old man who witnesses the vicissitudes of our city, who accompanies the development of this town, who tells the story of past to one generation and another. I understand I should not blindly pursue "new".
Fortunately, Shanghai seems to have the same "contrition" as I did that it slows down its speed of "modernization" as well as rescuing, renovating and revamping those survived Shi Ku Men. My city comes to realize that not everything new is suitable for itself, not everything of past should be spurned. For instance, part of the old "Tian Zi Fang" has been turned into the creative settlement for new artists while retaining part of it to be private residence. The revamped "Xin Tian Di" which gathered international gallery, boutique and café bar has become the most popular site for tourists home and abroad. The old Shi Ku Men is dazzled with new energy.
There is an old Chinese saying "discard the dross and select the essence". "New", doesn't mean the thorough rupture with the past. Our memory is precious because of "old" and our city culture is profound because of "old." Shanghai can be developed as modern as others, but the city culture is rooted in its atmosphere and can never be copied from others. Sometimes, it is necessary for us to look back those old stories and life. I really appreciate the fragrant memories of Shi Ku Men, the sense of sincere sharing with neighbors, and the harmonic relationship with nature.
Time makes me understand "new" is a good thing but "suitable" is more important. Nowadays as I live in the new apartment, when I cherish the memory of pigeons hovering above the mottled wall, I also enjoy the gleaming glow of sunset reflecting on the windows of opposite apartment. Trying hard to reestablish the intimate relationship among neighbors, I hope the old traditions in Shi Ku Men can be continued in the new apartments.
(I am a student from china so my english is not that good.I hope if anyone can help me with the essay)
PROMPT:
Essay Option 2. The late-eighteenth-century popular philosopher and cultural critic George Lichtenberg wrote, "Just as we outgrow a pair of trousers, we outgrow acquaintances, libraries, principles, etc. . . . at times before they're worn out and at times - and this is worst of all - before we have new ones." Write an essay about something you have outgrown, perhaps before you had a replacement - a friend, a political philosophy, a favorite author, or anything that has had an influence on you. What, if anything, has taken its place?
My eassy:
Shi Ku Men
I can still vividly remember, near my old house, the spring flowers burgeoning in the corner of red tiles, the grass seeds germinating in the chink of cyan bricks, and the white pigeons hovering around the mottled wall. The old "Shi Ku Men" is where I come from, is how I initiate to recognize this world, and is what lies embedded in my memory.
Shi Ku Men --- is a unique word belongs to shanghai. Literally it means "the stone gate". It is a type of architecture emerged in 1860s in shanghai, which blended the features of both east and west, originally to meet the needs of refugees abroad. As time goes by, Shi Ku Men had gradually become a local private residence with about ten families living in the same building.
I had been staying in the old Shi Ku Men since I was born, although I got along well with every neighbors, I still looked forward to moving into those kempt, capacious and modern apartments. The residents there don't have to fight for the public rest room during the rush morning time, don't have to stepped cautiously on the timeworn cracking staircase, and don't have to worry about bothering others when their children played the piano in the late night.
Seven years later, due to the governmental moving, batched of old Shi Ku men were torn down on a large scale whereas new modern buildings were set up at an internet speed. I fulfilled my wishes to moving into the new apartment with independent wash room, efficient elevator and sound-proof room.
I started to love new and fancy things like new apartment, exotic food and modern costume. Every time I saw new things, the sense of superiority naturally aroused up in my adrenalin. At that time, I firmly believed everything new thing stands for faster, efficient and a better life. Questing for "new" turned to be my principal of life. I felt proud of my city turning into a modern one similar to New York and Paris.
The other day, however, when I looked up, what came into my view were the duplicate, matchbox-liked modern apartments. I found myself was placed in the midst of steel and concrete with the sense of heaviness and oppression invading my whole body. The city is developing at a high speed while the people are becoming apathetic towards each other. I am eager to talking to my new neighbors but I don't even know their names. I know something has been lost.
I started to miss the old days I spent in the Shi Ku Men. Not only the architecture but also the sense of sharing in the old cramped house is what I value most. The smell of bean curd pervaded the whole alley in front of Shi Ku Men at dusk, the chatter among the neighbors in bamboo chairs during the night of old summer days, and the game like "eagle catches chicks" and hopscotch with kids in the neighborhood after school occupied my memory of past.
I didn't realize the uniqueness of shanghai culture turns out to be not the modern skyscrapers, is not the interlaced network of city transportation, but is the forgotten "Shi Ku Men", until I saw the old mottled wall marked with the ruthless white painted words "knocking down". The "Shi Ku Men" is rooted in our city culture. It is like an old man who witnesses the vicissitudes of our city, who accompanies the development of this town, who tells the story of past to one generation and another. I understand I should not blindly pursue "new".
Fortunately, Shanghai seems to have the same "contrition" as I did that it slows down its speed of "modernization" as well as rescuing, renovating and revamping those survived Shi Ku Men. My city comes to realize that not everything new is suitable for itself, not everything of past should be spurned. For instance, part of the old "Tian Zi Fang" has been turned into the creative settlement for new artists while retaining part of it to be private residence. The revamped "Xin Tian Di" which gathered international gallery, boutique and café bar has become the most popular site for tourists home and abroad. The old Shi Ku Men is dazzled with new energy.
There is an old Chinese saying "discard the dross and select the essence". "New", doesn't mean the thorough rupture with the past. Our memory is precious because of "old" and our city culture is profound because of "old." Shanghai can be developed as modern as others, but the city culture is rooted in its atmosphere and can never be copied from others. Sometimes, it is necessary for us to look back those old stories and life. I really appreciate the fragrant memories of Shi Ku Men, the sense of sincere sharing with neighbors, and the harmonic relationship with nature.
Time makes me understand "new" is a good thing but "suitable" is more important. Nowadays as I live in the new apartment, when I cherish the memory of pigeons hovering above the mottled wall, I also enjoy the gleaming glow of sunset reflecting on the windows of opposite apartment. Trying hard to reestablish the intimate relationship among neighbors, I hope the old traditions in Shi Ku Men can be continued in the new apartments.