马尔代夫的海参：遗落人间的美玉Sea Cucumber in M
（前几天刚从那边回来，更有感触）
在这个喧闹繁杂的世界里，我们都渴望一方净土，遁于世外桃源。而在尘世间，有这么一个地方，犹如天堂，没有人看过天堂的模样，但在我们的幻想中，它必定是美丽无暇的。马尔代夫素来有“人间天堂”的美称，无意中闯进，你会以为自己进入了上帝创造的伊甸园。
In this boisterous and complicated world, we all long for a pure land to seclude ourselves. To retreat to a beautiful escape away from the turmoil of bustling city life. Fortunately, there is a place here on earth comparable to heaven itself. No one has seen heaven, but we imagine that it would definitely be beautiful and flawless. The Maldives is often known as Paradise on Earth. When you enter in, you feel as if you have entered Eden created by God Himself.
一方水土养育一方人，也养育一方海参。马尔代夫纯净的水养育出来的海参也是纯净的，它自幼饮至纯的水，汲取海洋精华，吸收天地灵气，不掺杂质，仿佛出水的芙蓉，不染淤泥；又如天降的仙子，不食烟火；它就是遗落在人间的美玉，不惊宠辱。
A country’s environment nourishes its people as well as its sea cucumber. The pure water of the Maldives raises the purest tropical sea cucumbers. Since birth, the sea cucumber has been raised in the purest water and absorbed the essence of ocean. The sea cucumber is unaltered just like the unstained, perfect lotus blooming in the water. It is like the fairy descending from the sky, being transcendent and pure.
世界上没有哪个国家比中国更能欣赏海参了。传说秦始皇平定天下后，除了希望王位巩固外，就是渴望长生不老，享荣千年，于是苦寻长生不老药。方士徐福上书，渤海中有三神仙，天天吃一仙丹，功力大增，青春不老，愿为秦始皇求此仙丹。于是徐福便带人出海寻找仙丹，然而无果。他害怕秦始皇因此取他性命，于是逃亡到一座岛上，靠打鱼为生，那里有一种“奇丑无比”的海洋生物（即海参），蒸煮过后有一阵清香，入口爽滑，吃了数日，徐福便感觉浑身充满力气，气血运通，身体健康，他坚持天天吃，几十年如一日，到他九十多岁时，仍是黑发童颜，百病全无。他找到了“仙丹”，想送给秦始王，可是那时秦始皇已经驾鹤西去了，他不禁感叹：”早知土肉（海参）如此，尔岂会崩命焉！(早知道海参有这样的功效，你又怎么会死呢!)”
No country in the world appreciates sea cucumber more than China. According to ancient legends, after the first empire of China, Qin Shi Huang unified China. He hoped for a stable throne and he also desired immortality so he can enjoy earthly glory for a thousand years. This brought him to search verdantly for a magical elixir. An alchemist named Xu Fu reported that there were three gods in Bo Sea that took an elixir every day. They were gaining more power and enjoying their youth. He kindly offered to find the elixir for Qin Shi Huang. So Xu Fu led a search party to find the magical elixir of the sea. Unfortunately they failed their emperor.
With the fear of being punished by Qin Shi Huang, he escaped to an island and lived only on fishing. There has a “hideous” ocean creature (the sea cucumber) which had a pleasant smell and smooth texture after boiled. Consuming for several days, Xu Fu felt full of strength, circular Qi and blood. He felt powerful and healthy. He ate it consistently and retained his youth. His skin was smooth and his hair was black even in his nineties. He has found the magical elixir. So he wanted to present to Qin Shi Huang. Unfortunately, Qin Shi Huang has already passed away at that time. He sighed, “If I had found that the sea cucumber had such benefits earlier, you wouldn’t be dead.”
传说归传说，有几分真假我们不得而知，但海参的功效却是可见一斑的，据《本草纲目拾遗》中记载：海参，味甘咸，补肾，益精髓，摄小便，壮阳疗痿，其性温补，足敌人参，故名海参。从名字就可见海参有极大效用。《药性考》中说到海参：“降火滋肾，通肠润燥，除劳怯症。”可谓阴阳双补。清初著名诗人吴伟业在其《海参》诗中赞赏海参：“但将滋味补，勿药养余生。”
This is merely legend, but there are somethings we can learn about the benefits of a sea cucumber. According to A Supplement to the Compendium of Materia Medica recorded: Sea cucumber, nourishes the kidney, benefits Qi, diuretic components, aphrodisiac effects, and impotence therapy. It also has the properties of smoothing recuperation, similar to ginseng benefits. Because of this, it is called Hai Shen or “the ginseng in the sea”. In To Test the Properties of Medicine, the sea cucumber is known to be a cure for the previously stated diseases, nourish kidneys, moisten dryness to relax bowel movements, and cure consumptive disease. It may also be claimed to balance both yin and yang. A famous poet of early Qing Dynasty appreciated sea cucumber in his poem titled “Sea Cucumber.” He wrote, “As long as you intake a sea cucumber to strengthen your health, you can save money on medicine for the rest of your life. ”
生长的环境决定了海参的品质。从一泓清水中打捞和从一池浊水中打捞的海参，你会选择哪一个呢？马尔代夫海水的纯净享誉世界 ，每年多少人奔赴马尔代夫只为一睹芳容，渴望撇去世俗，净化心灵，洗涤灵魂？想到这里，不禁妒忌起马尔代夫的海参来，因为它能避开这纷繁世界，无忧无虑，静卧在天堂的港湾。此生若无法到达马尔代夫，就用马尔代夫的馈赠聊以慰藉。The environment these sea cucumbers are grown in defines the quality. Which one do you prefer? The one harvested from a lagoon of clear water or the one caught in a pollute ocean water? Maldivian water earned a global reputation for true purity each year. How many people fly to Maldives just to have a glance at the beauty of Maldives, to forget worldly affairs, to refresh their minds and to purify their souls? All things considering, I can’t help envying Maldivian sea cucumbers since they can avoid this cluttered and complicated world without any worries, silently lying in the bay of paradise. If I never have the chance reach Maldives in my person, I can still get comfort from the gift of Maldives.
