Yue Fei: Four Characters on His Back (Part 1)
A poor farm boy becomes the general the enemy fears most — carrying his mother's four characters on his back.
一一零三年，岳飞出生在河南的一个农民家庭，家里很穷。In 1103, Yue Fei was born into a farming family in Henan; his family was very poor.传说他出生的时候，一只大鸟从房子上飞过，所以父亲给他起了个名字，叫“飞”。People say that when he was born, a great bird flew over the house, so his father gave him the name "Fei" — "to fly."
岳飞小时候话不多，人很严肃，可是力气特别大。As a boy, Yue Fei spoke little and was very serious, but he was remarkably strong.他跟着老师学射箭和武艺，每天练习，从来不停。He studied archery and martial arts with a teacher, practicing every day without stopping.
那时候，北方的女真人建立了金朝，金朝的军队开始进攻宋朝。In those days, the Jurchen people of the north founded the Jin dynasty, and the Jin armies began to attack the Song.一一二七年，敌人占领了首都开封，还抓走了两个皇帝。In 1127, the enemy occupied the capital, Kaifeng, and even carried off two emperors.岳飞看着自己的国家，心里又痛又急，决定参军。Watching what was happening to his country, Yue Fei was heartsick and anxious, and he decided to join the army.
传说，在他离开家以前，母亲让他跪下，在他的背上刺了四个字。It is said that before he left home, his mother had him kneel down and tattooed four characters on his back.刺字很痛，可是岳飞一动也不动。Tattooing hurts, but Yue Fei did not move at all.那四个字的意思是：用全部的忠心报答国家。The four characters meant: repay the country with all your loyalty.
母亲对他说：“孩子，不管走到哪里，你都不能忘记背上的这四个字。”His mother said to him: "Child, no matter where you go, you must never forget the four characters on your back."
在军队里，岳飞打仗非常勇敢，总是在最前面。In the army, Yue Fei fought with great courage and was always at the very front.他从一个普通的士兵，一步一步做到了将军。From an ordinary soldier, he rose step by step to become a general.他的军队纪律特别好：士兵冻死也不拆老百姓的房子，饿死也不抢老百姓的东西。His army's discipline was extraordinary: his soldiers would freeze to death before tearing down a commoner's house, and starve to death before robbing the people.
老百姓都爱他的军队，敌人却非常害怕。The common people all loved his army — but the enemy was terrified of it.
金朝的士兵常常说：“摇动一座山容易，打败岳飞的军队，难！”Jin soldiers often said: "Shaking a mountain is easy; defeating Yue Fei's army — that is hard!"
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