中英雙語話歷史 第66期:唐朝的成就
The Tang was the most brilliant dynasty in Chinese history, it’s also China’s second golden age after Han.
Tang accomplished splendid achievements in the areas of politics, economy, military affairs, culture, and foreign relations.
唐代時，中國在政治、經濟、軍事、文化、中外關係等各個方面都取得了輝煌的成就。Its especially important position in Chinese history may be summarized as follows ：
唐朝在中國歷史上的特殊重要地位可以從以下幾個方面來認識：
First, it was a second peak of development in Chinese history. In Chinese history, the development of economy, politics and culture peaked three times after the Warring States Period. The first peak appeared in the Western Han Dynasty, the second in the Tang, and the third in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
首先,中國歷史自戰國以來，社會經濟、政治、文化等在發展過程中出現過三次高潮，即三次鼎盛局面:第一次在西漢，第二次在唐代，第三次在明清。The second period of development, especially the early years of the Tang Dynasty, saw ever rising agricultural production, increasingly fined handicrafts, a prosperous commodity economy, and vigorous urban life.
在第二次高潮中，尤其是唐朝前期，農業生產蒸蒸日上，手工藝品日益精巧，商品經濟空前繁榮，城市生活繁華似錦。In the late Tang, areas in the south of the Yangtze River developed further, which laid a foundation for the economy of the south to overtake the north.
唐朝後期,江南經濟進一步發展，爲以後南方經濟水平超越北方奠定了基礎。The peaceful and stable periods of Zhenguan and Kaiyuan administrations exceeded even that of Emperors Wen and Jing of the Western Han.
當時在政治上，先後出現了“貞觀之治”和“開元之治”，國家統社會安定，呈現一派昇平景象，其成就超越西漢的“文景之治”。The reign of Emperor Xuan Zong was the pinnacle of Tang culture and the thriving scene permeated all aspects of the arts-literature, in particular, reached new heights.
唐玄宗統治時期，鼎盛局面達到了高峯，甚至在文壇上也出現了“盛唐氣象”。The early stage of Tang witnessed the booming of liberal arts and a large scale of prominent artists were sprouted in such as fields of poem, writing and painting.
唐朝前期的人文藝術發展迅速。詩、書、畫各方面大批名家涌現。The renowed are “the four elites of the early Tang”（Wang Bo, Luo Binway，Yang Jiong and Lu Zhaoling)，the pastoral poet Wang Wei (699 ~ 759) and the “immor-tal poet” Li Bai( (707 ~762) etc.
其中包括 “初唐四傑”、“田園山水派”的代表王維（699 ~759);“邊塞派”詩人岑參（715 ~ 770)以及素有“詩仙”之稱的唐代大詩人李白（707 ~762)等等。In addition, the well-known representative artists are the “Sage painter” Wu Daozi, Li Sixun; the celebrated musician Li Guinian etc.
此外，還有令人熟知的“畫聖”吳道子，李思訓，大音樂家李龜年，都是盛唐氣象的代表。Without disturbance from both inside and outside, the economy in early Tang grew unprecedently.
唐朝前期由於沒有內憂外患，其經濟得到了空前的發展。From the period of Zhenguan to Kaiyuan, the population, lands and food production exceeded to its previous dynasties.
自貞觀至開元年間，唐朝的人口、土地和糧食產量都大大超過了前朝。People enjoyed their contented and comfortable life.
人民安居樂業，豐衣足食。All these achievements laid a solid base for future growth of handicraft industry.
這也爲之後大力發展手工業提供了有力的保障。From an international point of view, China under the Tang was one of the strongest and most important empires in the world.
總體比較，就當時的世界範圍來看，唐帝國也是最重要、最強盛的國家之一。At that time, the Franks and the Byzantine empires were the two most powerful regimes in Europe. But they were far surpassed by the Tang in social and economic development.
歐洲的封建強國主要有法蘭克王國和拜占庭帝國，但就社會發展階段而言，他們都遠遠落後於唐朝。In the east, there was India and Japan.
東方重要的國家有印度和日本。India had just established its feudal system when King Jieri reunified the subcontinent. But after his death the country fell again into disunity, which lasted until the end of the 12th century.
印度戒日王重新統一次大陸剛剛確立了封建制，可他死後次大陸隨即分崩離析,割據局面一直持續到12世紀末。The Japanese “Grand Reform”， though trying hard to imitate the Tang policies and systems, was nothing but a transition from slavery to feudalism.
日本的“大化革新”雖然儘量模仿唐朝的制度，但改革本身卻具有由奴隸制向封建制過渡的性質。Therefore, in the world-wide range, the Tang Dynasty stands by itself not only as an powerful nation but also the most developed one.
所以，在世界範圍內，唐朝不但能夠自立於世界民族之林,而且屬於最先進的行列。Secondly, the Tang Dynasty played an important role in unifying the many ethnic groups within its borders.
其次，唐代在中國多民族國家的發展壯大中也具有重要的歷史地位。Although the Sui Dynasty achieved reunification it only lasted a short time. As a result, it was up to the Tang rulers to consolidate and bring into its culture new influences from its many peoples.
中國社會經過魏晉南北朝的民族融合和文化整合，到隋朝重新實現了政治統一。The Tang lasted nearly three hundred years. In its early years, it enjoyed harmonious unification, powerful national strength, and vast territories.
但隋朝畢竟太短,中華民族新的統一體的鞏固和發展，中國新文化的形成和繁盛，就成了 李唐王朝的歷史任務。唐歷時近300年，前期統一，國力強盛，疆域遼闊。Its advanced civilization attracted neighboring peoples who quickly adopted many of its practices. These people frequently intermingled, allowing a closer understanding of each others cultures.
高度的物質文明和高水平的文化使周邊各族增強了向心力，於是國內各民族間的接觸和交往空前發展，民族關係進一步密切。Therefore, the Tang is regarded, along with the Han Dynasty an important period in the development of a unified and multi-racial country.
因此，唐代是繼漢代之後，中國統一的多民族國家壯大、發展的又一重要歷史階段。Thirdly, it facilitated the interaction between China and the world, its advanced civilization made the Tang Empire the envy of Asia, Europe and Africa, who frequently sent envoys and merchants. The Tang Empire thus became a centre of economic and cultural communication in Asian countries and played a pivotal role in communication between the East and the West.
第三，唐帝國崇高的國際地位和輝煌的經濟文化成就，使亞洲各國乃至歐洲、非洲國家對其產生了由衷的欣羨之情，他們爭相與唐朝交往，遂使中國成爲亞洲諸國經濟文化交流的橋樑和中心，在東西方交往中發揮了顯著重要的作用。Of the three main cultural centres in the world at that time, India, Arabia, and China, the latter was the most important one.
在當時的世界中，文化交流中心主要有印度、阿拉伯和唐朝中國，其中又以唐朝地位最爲 突出。Therefore, the Tang Dynasty was another significant stage after Han in that the economic and cultural communication was brought to another pear in the world.
唐代是繼漢代之後，中國歷史上中外經濟文化交流的又一高峯期，具有特別重要的地位。Fourth, Tang is an important period in history because it was a transitional stage from the early feudal to the late feudal system.
第四，唐朝正處於中國古代社會由前期向後期發生轉折的關鍵時期，從這個意義上說，唐朝也具有重要的歷史地位。During this period, various systems underwent frequent and all-round reforms.
與此相應是各項制度不斷的、全面的變革更新。Therefore, many things that appeared in the Tang Dynasty had long-lasting influence on history for more than a thousand years.
唐朝後期出現的很多萌芽狀態的新事物，對此後千餘年的歷史發展產生了深遠的影響。For example, the “two taxes” system of the Song Dynasty, the “ single whip method of taxation”of the Ming Dynasty were originated from the Tang’s taxation system.
例如:宋時的“兩稅法”和明朝時的單稅法都來自於唐朝的賦稅制度。The philosophical thoughts of Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan in the mid-Tang laid a foundation for Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties.
中唐時期韓愈和柳宗元的思想爲宋和明朝時的“新儒家”思想奠定了基礎。The influence of the classicist prose writing advocated by Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan continued through the Song Dynasty until the eve of the Vernacular (baihua) Movement during the May Fourth Movement. )
由韓愈和柳宗元提倡的散文寫作方法，傳至宋直到五四運動前的白話文運動。Clearly, the two hundred years from the mid-Tang to the establishment of the Northern Song saw drastic changes in Chinese society.
從唐中葉開始到北宋建立,200年間醞釀了中國古代社會的重大變化，許多新事物都萌發產 生於唐代。To sum up, the Tang was the greatest dynasty after the Han for its prosperous economy, vigorous culture, powerful strength, and high international status. It was remembered as “the strong Han and flourish Tang” in Chinese history. Developments in the late Tang served as a forerunner for future events that profoundly influ-enced China.
總之,唐朝經濟發達、文化繁榮、國力強盛，國際地位超越往古,是中國歷史上繼漢代之後出現的又一鼎盛局面，史稱“強漢盛唐”；唐朝後期的發展又爲中國古代社會的巨大變革開了先河。The Tang Dynasty fully deserved the “the greatest time” in the history of Chinese people.
唐代當之無愧是中華民族歷史上最光輝燦爛的偉大時代！
