中英双语话史记 第17期:商朝概况

Shang Dynasty

商朝

General

概况

Thousands of archaeological finds in the Huang He, Henan Valley, the apparent cradle of Chinese civilization----provide evidence about the Shang dynasty, which endured roughly from 1700 to 1027 B.C.

上千起在中国文明的摇篮——黄河河南流域的考古发现为商朝（大约从公元前1700年持续到公元前1027年）提供了证据。

The Shang dynasty (also called the Yin dynasty in its later stages) is believed to have been founded by a rebel leader who overthrew the last Xia ruler.

据信，商朝（在其后期也被称为商殷）是由一个造反的领袖推翻了夏朝的最后一任统治者而建立的。

Its civilization was based on agriculture, augmented by hunting and animal husbandry.

它的文明以农业为基础，以打猎和动物饲养而扩大。

Two important events of the period were the development of a writing system, as revealed in archaic Chinese inscriptions found on tortoise shells and flat cattle bones (commonly called oracle bones or ),

这段时期有两大重要事件，一个是文字系统的发展，表现为在乌龟壳和凭证的牛骨上发现的古老的中国文字（一般称为甲骨文），

and the use of bronze metallurgy.

另一个是青铜冶金的使用。

A number of ceremonial bronze vessels with inscriptions date from the Shang period；

很多在庆典上使用的刻有铭文的青铜器皿都源于商朝。

The workmanship on the bronzes attests to a high level of civilization.

对于青铜器的技艺证实了其文明水平之高。