中英雙語話歷史 第20期:東周(改革)

Marquis Wen of Wei, a famous statesman, appointed Li Kui to carry out reforms.

魏國的建立者魏文侯是著名的政治家，任用李悝進行改革。

Li Kui changed the old hereditary system, and put two new agricultural policies into practice, which encouraged peasants to develop agriculture and stabilized food prices.

李悝改變舊的“世卿世祿”制度，實行“盡地力”與“善平糴”兩項農業政策,鼓勵農民積極發展生產，穩定糧食價格。

Meanwhile, he formulated A Book of Laws , a famous law book.

此外,李悝還制定了《法經》。

Though it was set to protect the interests of the exploiting class, it placed an important role in maintaining the social order and stabilizing the political situation in Wei.

這一法律雖然主要是保護剝削階級的利益，但對魏國來說，在維護社會秩序、穩定政局方面，起了重要的作用。

After a series reforms, Wei became the strongest state in the early Spring and Autumn Period.

經過一系列改革，魏國成爲戰國初期最強大的國家。

In 382 B. C. , Chu King Dao designated Wu Qi to reform. Similar to Li Kui, he focused his reform on the hereditary system, selecting and appointing persons on their merits, rewards and punishments being rigid.

周安王二十年(公元前382年），楚悼王任用吳起進行變法，他改革的重點和李悝一樣，主要也是在於削弱舊的“世卿世祿”制度，選賢任能，賞罰嚴明。

There measures rectified the political system, and strengthened the armed forces, which benefited the state but aroused the resentment of nobles.

楚國經過此次改革，政治得到整頓，軍力也日益強大。改革雖有利於國家，卻引起了貴族的不滿。

As the conservative forces of Chu were poweful, when Chu King Dao died, Wu Qi was killed with arrows, and his reforms were nearly abolished.

楚國舊勢力強大，楚悼王剛死，吳起就被亂箭射死，其改革幾乎都被廢除。

Zhao, Han, Qi and Yan also reformed, but the most radical one took place in Qin launched by Shang Yang.

趙、韓、齊、燕四國亦進行了改革，但戰國時期最徹底的改革當數秦國的“商鞅變法”。

Shang Yang was a declining noble of Wei, and his surname was Gongsun, a distinguished legalist. He went to Qin for not being put in an important position in Wei.

商鞍姓公孫，名鞅,衛國沒落貴族，傑出的法家，他在魏不被重用而入秦。

In Qin he was enfiefed in Shang (in Southeast of Shang County in Shaanxi)due to his merits, therefore he was called Shang Yang.

在秦以功封於商(今陝西商縣東南），因稱商君，亦稱商鞅。

Shang Yang ’ s reform was a thorough revolution of the landlord class.

秦國的“商鞅變法”是一場比較徹底的地主階級政治改革。

In 356 B. C. and 350 B. C. , Duke Xiao of Qin appointed Shang Yang to reform twice. His measures included ： encouraging the population growth, elevating agriculture and downgrading commerce, abolishing the traditional privileges of the nobles, rewarding a person for his military exploit, registering the residents.

公元前356年和公元前350年，秦孝公任用商鞅進行了兩次變法，內容包括鼓勵人口增長，重農抑商，廢除世卿世祿制度，獎勵軍功，編制戶口，爲實現中央集權而建立縣制。

To establish a political system of centralization, Shang Yang grouped all villages and towns into 31 counties governed by magistrates, who were designated by the monarch, in which way the sovereign ’ s control could be reached.

在全國設置31個縣，國君直接派官吏治理，國家統一控制。

Since the reform of Shang Yang, Qin became the most powerful state in a short time.

自商鞅變法後，秦國一躍成爲七國中實力最強的國家。

Though Shang Yang was put to death by his opponents, the new laws were not eliminated, which paved the way for Qin to conquer the other six states and unify the whole country.

雖然後來商鞅被車裂而死，新法卻並未廢止。商鞅變法爲秦消滅六國、統一中國奠定了基礎。