中英雙語話史記 第117期:元朝衰亡

Yuan Dynasty

元朝

The Decline and Fall

元朝的衰敗及滅亡

Despite the act that the Mongolian emperors sought to emulate much of the Chinese style of rule they continued to be regarded by the Chinese as unwelcome invaders and this may well have been the cause of their eventual failure as rulers.

儘管蒙古人尋求了各種方法來模仿漢人大部分的統治方式，他們仍被漢人認作不受歡迎的入侵者，這也許是導致作爲統治者的他們最終失敗的原因。

There is evidence of the declining ability of the Mongolian rulers to exercise control.

蒙古人控制能力的衰敗有跡可循。

The court was beset by intrigue which undermined the administration.

朝廷被陰謀所困擾，這漸漸破壞了管理。

Toghon Temur, the last Yuan ruler relied heavily on his councilors.

元朝的最後一任皇帝——妥歡帖木兒過於依賴他的大臣。

When he dismissed the Mongolian Toghto his action precipitated the disintegration of the government.

當他罷免了蒙古脫脫，他的行爲使整個政府迅速分崩離析。

The loss of military advantage brought about by the deterioration of the military system through a lack of funding and equipment plus the fact that the military leaders had to turn to agriculture for their survival contributed to the fall of the Yuan.

由資金和設備不足帶來的軍事系統的崩潰使元朝喪失了軍事方面的優勢，此外，軍事長官們爲了生計不得不轉向農業，這也導致了元朝的覆滅。

The garrison system set up to control local disturbances fell into disarray.

爲了控制地方騷亂而建立的衛戍部隊體系陷入一片混亂。

Rebellion became increasingly frequent from the 1330’s.

從14世紀30年代開始，反叛頻發。

The most important of these was to become known as the Red Turban Rebellion.

其中最著名的是“紅巾起義”。

Based upon a religious sect, these rebels were to rise up in several places in the Huaihe River region and elsewhere.

以宗教派別爲基礎，叛亂的人在淮河流域和其他一些地區分別揭竿而起。

The massive recruitment of labor to re-route the Yellow River was the cause of unrest and while some uprisings were led by religious fervor others were class led as the efforts were directed against landlords and officials.

爲了重改黃河河道而進行的大面積徵集勞力是動盪局面的原因，其中一些起義被宗教熱情所引導，另外一些起義軍則被領導直接對抗地主和官員。

The Yuan allowed these people to raise peasant armies to quell rebellion but a second round of revolt that proved more successful was led by Zhu Yuanzhang, who in 1368 was to become the first Ming emperor.

元朝允許這些人建立農民軍以鎮壓叛亂，但由朱元璋領導的第二輪反抗更加成功，他與1368年成爲了明朝的開國皇帝。

In many respects the Mongolian occupation of China is seen as unproductive but there were important developments in literature and other important feature concerns the military establishment.

從很多方面來說，元朝對於中國的控制佔領都是徒勞的，然而在文學和戲劇方面它取得了重要的發展。

Prior to the Yuan period the concept of conscription was tantamount.

另外一個重要的進步在於軍隊的建立。元朝之前，徵兵的概念是有償的。

This could only work efficiently under a strong and effective central government.

徵兵制只能存在與強大而有效的中央政府之下。

The Tang abandoned this idea and relied upon mercenaries, a practice followed also by the Song.

唐朝廢除了這一觀點並依賴於僱傭兵，宋朝延續了唐朝的這一制度。

The Yuan instituted a system of hereditary military families and this was to be continued by the Ming (1368—1644) and Qing (1644— 1911).

元朝建立了世襲的軍事家族，明朝（1368——1644）和清朝（1644——1911）又延續了元朝的這一制度。

The practice played a part in ensuring dynastic strength but it also encouraged despotism.

這種制度一方面確保了政權的實力另一方面卻加強了專制。

Finally，the legal system left a legacy.

最終，這種法律體系得以傳承。

One notable aspect was the imposition of a responsibility upon a wrong doer to provide financial support for his victim in addition to any penalty.

一個顯著的方面就是做錯了事的人在被處以懲罰之外將被徵收罰款來爲受害者提供經濟上的資助。