中英雙語話歷史 第34期:漢朝(光武中興)
The Eastern Han was another strong and prosperous dynasty after the Western Han, and its economy went on booming.
Since its foundation by Emperor Guangwu, the empire lasted 196 years over fourteen generations.
自光武帝建國起共傳14帝，經歷196年。The first 40 plus years of the Eastern Han witnessed the relative stability during the reign of the emperors Guang Wu, Ming and Zhang.
漢光武帝、明帝和章帝統治的前40多年，東漢的社會比較穩定。
After a civil war that had lasted from 25 A. D. to 36 A. D. , Emperor Guangwu finally reunited the country.
公元25年至36年光武帝平定各地叛亂,重新一統天下。He tried to reinstate the central government, so the new dynasty was more autocratic than the Western Han.
建國之初，光武帝重新加強中央集權,東漢政權較之西漢政權更爲專制。Although the emperor re-established the princedoms and marquisates, and gave titles and fiefs to his followers, all of them were free from executive powers actually.
光武帝大封功臣，卻剝奪了他們的實權。He made a comprehensive reform on the policies made by Wang Mang, rectifying the bureaucratic system.
全面改革王莽所實施的舊政策，整頓吏治。The power of the reputed three chancellors, i. e. , the chancellor of civil administration, the chancellor of military affairs and the great censor, was weakened.
削弱三公即司徒、司空和太尉的權力。Being still in high positions, but in name only，they didn’t have any real power any longer.
三公的職位雖高，徒有虛名，並無實權。Then all the power was centralized in the imperial board of ministries, which took orders from the emperor directly. This played an important role in the autocratic sovereignty, which sustained and further enhanced the centralization of the Western Han.
權力集中於尚書檯，尚書檯則直接聽命於皇帝, 這對皇帝的個人專制獨裁起到重要作用，The inspection system was strengthened, and prefectural governor was appointed to each prefecture.
這是對西漢武帝加強中央集權的繼續和發展。He should go on an inspection tour around his administrative region in August every year, reviewing the lawsuits, inspecting the official achievements, and presenting a memorial of his inspection to the emperor at the end of the year.
加強監察制度，每州設刺史一人。The local forces were also cut down step by step in order to enhance the central military power.
刺史於每年8月巡行所屬郡國，檢閱刑獄情況，考察官吏政績,年終奏於皇帝。Therefore, armies in prefectures and fiefdoms were too few to fight independently, and a big war had to resort to the central forces.
一再削弱地方的軍權，加強中央軍權。Economic Policies：One crucial task for the Eastern Han Empire was the reconstruction of the economy.
爲此郡、國的軍隊很少，一般不能作戰。大的戰爭要依靠中央軍隊。Long years of war and the flooding of the Yellow River rendered many peasant refugees roam around in the countryside.
社會經濟政策:東漢面臨的首要問題是恢復經濟。In order to control the population and to restrict the power of the local nobility, Emperor Guangwu tried to implement a system of “measuring fields”.
由於常年戰亂，加之黃河氾濫，各地流民甚多。In 39, he ordered a country-wide check-up on land reclamation and census.
爲控制人口，限制地方豪紳勢力,光武帝實施“度田”政策。However the local officials shielded the landlords and cheated on figures in order to shift tax burden onto the peasants.
公元39年，下令清查土地和人口。The emperor had a dozen magistrates executed, for being guilty of false measurement, and ordered to speed up measuring fields.
然而地方官吏偏袒地主，謊報數據,將賦稅轉嫁到農民身上。The large land owners began to resist the property assessment with armed forces.
光武帝以“度田不實”之罪誅殺了10餘個郡太守，下令加緊度田。The deceived peasants also put up a violent resistance.
這引起大地主的武裝反抗，許多農民不明真象，也跟從反抗，這就是史稱的“度田事件”。The emperor, who could do nothing effective, had to end the matter up with nothing definite. Therefore the counterattack was calmed down.
後度田不了了之，反度田鬥爭也就平息下來。Later, he issues six prescripts to release bondservants, which helped to stabilize the social order, restore and develop economy effectively.
光武帝6次頒佈釋放奴婢的詔令，對穩定社會秩序，恢復發展社會經濟,都起了巨大的作用。After a series of reforms, the Eastern Han Dynasty had recovered its former prosperity under the reign of Emperors Guangwu, Ming and Zhang in the middle of the first century. This period of time is known as the Rule of Guangwu.
經過一系列的改革，到公元一世紀中葉，經過光武帝、明帝（58 ~76年在位）、章帝(76?89年在位）三代的治理，東漢王朝已經逐漸恢復了往日漢朝的強盛，這一時期被後人稱之爲“光武中興”。After Emperor Guangwu died in 57, Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang came to the throne successively, and they all carried on the practice of the founder of the Eastern Han.
公元57年,光武帝死後繼承帝位的先後是明帝、章帝。This period of time was seen as days of peace and prosperity, when the economy found time to recover from the damage.
二人皆遵奉光武之治， 爲此這一時期國家繁榮、安定，社會經濟得到恢復。The two emperors also attached importance to Confucianism.
兩位皇帝也都很重視儒家思想。In 59, Emperor Ming personally lectured in the imperial academy and discussed Confucian classics with scholars.
公元59年,明帝親自到太學講學，並與博士討論儒家經典。Nearly 100 000 people are said to have attended.
據說有近10萬人 參加這一活動。In 79, since there were theoretical diversities existed within Confucianism, Emperor Zhang brought together the famous scholars in the White Tiger Hall in Luoyang to discuss the varieties and unities of the Five Classics. He ordered Ban Gu to incorporate the conclusions into a book, Bai Hu Tong Yi (Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall), which served to deify and consolidate imperial authority.
公元79年，因經學家多分歧，章帝集中諸卿、博士等於洛陽白虎觀講議五經同異，並命班固將討論結果整理成書，名爲《白虎通德論》（又稱《白虎通 義》、《白虎通》），爲神化和鞏固封建政權服務。
