The Art of Tour Commentary Delievery I

I. Method of Narrative Introduction

This method attempts to introduce tourist sites by accurate, terse and objective wording so that tourists can evaluate what they have seen themselves. It is one of the most common methods, by which a guide takes the opportunities to introduce the origin, scale and other features of tourist sites. 

But tourists are likely to get bored when the guide introduces tourist sites using the method of narrative introduction, for they are only the passive audience in this case. 

So the guide may vary his intonation and make appropriate gestures and facial expressions so as to avoid the tedious narration.

II. Method of Question-and-answer Introduction

It is a method of introduction used by a guide to ask tourists questions or encourage them to raise questions when they travel. By this way a guide can animate (活跃) the atmosphere, inspire their imagination, and avoid the boring monologue (独白) or the method of spoon-feed. Tourists will be delighted to participate in discussions and be proud of understanding the aesthetic values and cultural significance of the tourist sties they are touring. In addition, the guide can promote the communication among the tourists. 

In general, there are three basic methods of question-and-answer introduction. First, a guide raises questions and answers them by himself. In this case, a guide can control the pace (节奏) of introduction and avoid some “hard-to-answer questions” put forward by tourists. Second, a guide can raise the questions, and then let tourists answer them. When he uses this method a guide should take into account the categories of tourist sites to see if they are interested in the places of interests. 

Third, a guide asks tourists to raise questions and, then answers them himself. However, the guide should give priority to the questions related to the current introduction, and answers the less important questions later, otherwise the introduction might be interrupted by tourists who raise random (随意的) questions. 

III. Method of Introduction with a Focus on Key Events

This method is to emphasize some aspect (方面) of tourist site or event instead of focusing on every aspect of it. A large-scale tourist site may boast a dozen of gardens, pavilions, towers and so on. In addition, the site may have some historical interests and legendary stories related to the site. The guide can not introduce the places of interest in the garden in a short time. If he introduces the scenic attractions one by one tourists may get tired or feel tided up with the repeated introduction of the similar (类似的) scenic spots. Instead, the guide may lay focus on the major scenic spots. He may give priority to (优先考虑) the important or interesting ones and neglect the minor ones. 

Take the Zhuozheng Garden for example. There are three major parts in the garden, namely the east part, Gui Tian Yuan Ju (Return to Nature归田园居), the middle part Fu Yuan (复园), and the western part Bu Yuan (补园). The guide may focus on his introduction on the east part, for it is the first part of the garden, where tourists can appreciate the main features of Suzhou classic garden; in the east part he may as well introduce Lanxue Tang (Orchid Snow Hall兰雪堂), Furong Xie (Lotus Waterside Pavilion芙蓉榭), Tian Quan Pavilion (Heavenly Spring Pavilion天泉阁) and neglect other ones.

IV. Method of Introduction with Quotations

This method is used to introduce places of interests to reinforce the vividness (行动), conciseness (准确) and comprehensiveness (全面) of tourist sites by quoting proverbs (谚语), mottos (格言), slangs (格言), anecdotes (轶事), legends, folk tales or remarks of celebrities (名人). The introduction of the Linying Temple by Miss. Ke Liting is a good example. When the guide takes the Brown’s to the temple she quotes a saying to emphasize the position of the temple as tourist attraction in Hangzhou.

 “First, tour the West Lake; second, visit the Lingyin Temple.” That is why tourists come here. She also makes use of a legendary story about the Indian monk Huili, who gave the temple a poetic name: “Temple of the Soul’s Retreat”. When she introduces the Hall of Heavenly Kings she quotes lots in order to make her introduction more appealing to the Brown’s. The story of Emperor Kangxi’s visit to the temple, and his inscription on the horizontal board come with an imperial touch, hence the temple gets another beautiful name: 

 Cloud Forest Buddhist Temple. The quotation of the couplet on the door is also quite successful. “Let us sit and wait upon the threshold, where we shall see another peak flying from afar. Let us welcome spring with a smile as the snow melts and the brook starts to flow once more”, hence the name of the Peak Flown from Afar. The motto “endure all intolerance and laugh at every laughable person in the world” not only describes the character of Maitreya Buddha, but also let the Brown’s profoundly (深刻地) think of the life philosophy of mankind in laughers.