中英双语话历史 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.
唐代时，中国在政治、经济、军事、文化、中外关系等各个方面都取得了辉煌的成就。Its especially important position in Chinese history may be summarized as follows ：
唐朝在中国历史上的特殊重要地位可以从以下几个方面来认识：
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,中国历史自战国以来，社会经济、政治、文化等在发展过程中出现过三次高潮，即三次鼎盛局面:第一次在西汉，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，农业生产蒸蒸日上，手工艺品日益精巧，商品经济空前繁荣，城市生活繁华似锦。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.
唐朝后期,江南经济进一步发展，为以后南方经济水平超越北方奠定了基础。The peaceful and stable periods of Zhenguan and Kaiyuan administrations exceeded even that of Emperors Wen and Jing of the Western Han.
当时在政治上，先后出现了“贞观之治”和“开元之治”，国家统社会安定，呈现一派升平景象，其成就超越西汉的“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.
唐玄宗统治时期，鼎盛局面达到了高峰，甚至在文坛上也出现了“盛唐气象”。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.
唐朝前期的人文艺术发展迅速。诗、书、画各方面大批名家涌现。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 “初唐四杰”、“田园山水派”的代表王维（699 ~759);“边塞派”诗人岑参（715 ~ 770)以及素有“诗仙”之称的唐代大诗人李白（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，还有令人熟知的“画圣”吴道子，李思训，大音乐家李龟年，都是盛唐气象的代表。Without disturbance from both inside and outside, the economy in early Tang grew unprecedently.
唐朝前期由于没有内忧外患，其经济得到了空前的发展。From the period of Zhenguan to Kaiyuan, the population, lands and food production exceeded to its previous dynasties.
自贞观至开元年间，唐朝的人口、土地和粮食产量都大大超过了前朝。People enjoyed their contented and comfortable life.
人民安居乐业，丰衣足食。All these achievements laid a solid base for future growth of handicraft industry.
这也为之后大力发展手工业提供了有力的保障。From an international point of view, China under the Tang was one of the strongest and most important empires in the world.
总体比较，就当时的世界范围来看，唐帝国也是最重要、最强盛的国家之一。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.
欧洲的封建强国主要有法兰克王国和拜占庭帝国，但就社会发展阶段而言，他们都远远落后于唐朝。In the east, there was India and Japan.
东方重要的国家有印度和日本。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.
印度戒日王重新统一次大陆刚刚确立了封建制，可他死后次大陆随即分崩离析,割据局面一直持续到12世纪末。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”虽然尽量模仿唐朝的制度，但改革本身却具有由奴隶制向封建制过渡的性质。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，在世界范围内，唐朝不但能够自立于世界民族之林,而且属于最先进的行列。Secondly, the Tang Dynasty played an important role in unifying the many ethnic groups within its borders.
其次，唐代在中国多民族国家的发展壮大中也具有重要的历史地位。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.
中国社会经过魏晋南北朝的民族融合和文化整合，到隋朝重新实现了政治统一。The Tang lasted nearly three hundred years. In its early years, it enjoyed harmonious unification, powerful national strength, and vast territories.
但隋朝毕竟太短,中华民族新的统一体的巩固和发展，中国新文化的形成和繁盛，就成了 李唐王朝的历史任务。唐历时近300年，前期统一，国力强盛，疆域辽阔。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.
高度的物质文明和高水平的文化使周边各族增强了向心力，于是国内各民族间的接触和交往空前发展，民族关系进一步密切。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，唐代是继汉代之后，中国统一的多民族国家壮大、发展的又一重要历史阶段。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，唐帝国崇高的国际地位和辉煌的经济文化成就，使亚洲各国乃至欧洲、非洲国家对其产生了由衷的欣羡之情，他们争相与唐朝交往，遂使中国成为亚洲诸国经济文化交流的桥梁和中心，在东西方交往中发挥了显著重要的作用。Of the three main cultural centres in the world at that time, India, Arabia, and China, the latter was the most important one.
在当时的世界中，文化交流中心主要有印度、阿拉伯和唐朝中国，其中又以唐朝地位最为 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.
唐代是继汉代之后，中国历史上中外经济文化交流的又一高峰期，具有特别重要的地位。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，唐朝正处于中国古代社会由前期向后期发生转折的关键时期，从这个意义上说，唐朝也具有重要的历史地位。During this period, various systems underwent frequent and all-round reforms.
与此相应是各项制度不断的、全面的变革更新。Therefore, many things that appeared in the Tang Dynasty had long-lasting influence on history for more than a thousand years.
唐朝后期出现的很多萌芽状态的新事物，对此后千余年的历史发展产生了深远的影响。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:宋时的“两税法”和明朝时的单税法都来自于唐朝的赋税制度。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.
中唐时期韩愈和柳宗元的思想为宋和明朝时的“新儒家”思想奠定了基础。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. )
由韩愈和柳宗元提倡的散文写作方法，传至宋直到五四运动前的白话文运动。Clearly, the two hundred years from the mid-Tang to the establishment of the Northern Song saw drastic changes in Chinese society.
从唐中叶开始到北宋建立,200年间酝酿了中国古代社会的重大变化，许多新事物都萌发产 生于唐代。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.
总之,唐朝经济发达、文化繁荣、国力强盛，国际地位超越往古,是中国历史上继汉代之后出现的又一鼎盛局面，史称“强汉盛唐”；唐朝后期的发展又为中国古代社会的巨大变革开了先河。The Tang Dynasty fully deserved the “the greatest time” in the history of Chinese people.
唐代当之无愧是中华民族历史上最光辉灿烂的伟大时代！
