故宫已有600年的历史。走进故宫，能够引人注目的是太和殿门前两侧的四口大铜缸，以及乾清门外两侧的10口大缸。大铜缸在日照下金光闪闪，在红色宫墙的映衬下富丽堂皇。

The Forbidden City has a history of 600 years. When you enter the Forbidden City, you can notice the four large copper vats in front of the Taihe Hall and the ten large vats outside the Qianqing Gate. The large copper vat glitters in the sunlight and is magnificent against the red palace wall.

有些铜缸上一道道刮痕，是八国联军侵略中国是把上面的金刮走留下的。 紫禁城内的宫殿周围，陈设着无数有目共睹的“吉利缸”（也称“和平缸”）。

There are scratches on some copper cylinders, which were left by the Eight Power Allied Forces when they invaded China. Around the palace in the Forbidden City, there are countless "auspicious jars" (also known as "peace jars").

“吉利缸”有铜缸和铁缸两种，还在铜缸外包上一层棉外套，另外，在特别寒冷的时节里，要把缸架在特制的石圈上，在石圈内点燃炭火，昼夜不熄，使缸内不冻，直到大地回春。

There are two types of "auspicious vats": copper vats and iron vats. The bronze vats are also covered with a cotton coat. In addition, in the especially cold season, the vats should be set on special stone circles, and the charcoal fire should be lit in the stone circles, which will not be extinguished day and night, so that the inside of the vats will not be frozen until spring returns.

某处一旦失火，就用这些大缸里的水补救，以此确保故宫的安全。它们即是美化紫禁城内的装饰品，一起也是不可或缺的消防器材。

If there is a fire somewhere, use the water in these vats to make up for it, so as to ensure the safety of the Forbidden City. They are not only decorations to beautify the Forbidden City, but also indispensable fire-fighting equipment.

古人将“吉利缸”称为“门海”，既是“门前大海”的意思。这些“吉利缸”内常年都储藏有清水，一旦宫中失火，太监们就可以就进从铜缸内取水补救。

The ancients referred to the "auspicious jar" as "the sea in front of the gate", which means "the sea in front of the gate". These "auspicious jars" have water stored in them all the year round. Once there is a fire in the palace, eunuchs can take water from the copper jars to remedy it.

现在你可以明晰的看到大缸的壁上有许多的划痕，那都是八国联军的造孽留下的痕迹，必定要务忘国耻，振兴中华。

Now you can clearly see that there are many scratches on the wall of the vat, which are all traces of the sins of the Eight Power Allied Forces. We must forget the national humiliation and revitalize China.