中英雙語話史記 第120期:鄭和下西洋

Ming Dynasty

明朝

Maritime Expeditions of Zheng He

鄭和下西洋

During the Ming period, the emperors sent seven maritime expeditions probing down into the South Seas and across the Indian Ocean.

明朝時期，皇帝共派遣了7支海上探險隊去探索南海和整個印度洋。

Yongle Emperor (永樂帝) strenuously tried to extend China’s influence beyond her borders by encouraging other rulers to send ambassadors to China to present tribute.

永樂帝通過命令他國的領袖派使者前來進貢，費盡心力想要將中國的影響力延伸至版圖之外。

The Chinese armies reconquered Annam and blocked Mongol expansionism, while the Chinese fleet sailed the China seas and the Indian Ocean, cruising as far as the east coast of Africa.

當中國的艦隊航行在中國的海域和印度洋上，巡航遠至非洲的東海岸時，中國軍隊奪回了安南，阻止了蒙古的擴張。

The Chinese gained a certain influence over Turkestan.

中國在土耳其斯坦獲得了一定的影響力。

The maritime Asian nations sent envoys with tribute for the Chinese emperor.

海上的亞洲國家派使者帶着超貢品來參見中國皇帝。

Internally, the Grand Canal was expanded to its farthest limits and proved to be a stimulus to domestic trade.

國內，大運河延伸到了它史上最遠的地方，它對於貿易的刺激作用得以證明。

The most extraordinary venture, however, during this stage was the dispatch Zheng He’s (鄭和）seven naval expeditions， which traversed the Indian Ocean and the Southeast Asian archipelago.

然而，在這個時期最超凡的一場冒險是鄭和七下西洋，他橫渡了印度洋和東南亞羣島。

An ambitious Muslim eunuch of Hui descent, a quintessential outsider in the establishment of Confucian scholar elites, Zheng He led seven expeditions from 1405 to 1433 with six of them under the auspices of Yongle.

作爲一個具有野心的擁有回族血統的穆斯林太監、一個典型的遊離於儒家學者精英體制之外的人，鄭和在1405到1433年間七下西洋，其中六次都在永樂帝的支持下進行。

He traversed perhaps as far as the Cape of Good Hope.

他的征程遠達好望角。

The first expedition in 1405 consisted of 62 ships and 28 000 men---- then the largest naval expedition in history.

1405年的第一支探險隊由62艘船和28000人組成，這是歷史上最龐大的一次海上探險。

Zheng He’s multi-decked ships carried up to 500 troops but also cargoes of export goods, mainly silks and porcelains, and brought back foreign luxuries such as spices and tropical woods.

鄭和的多甲板艦船不僅攜帶了500支軍隊，還裝載了出口貨品，其中主要是絲綢和瓷器，他帶回了國外的奢侈品如香料和熱帶森林的木材。

The economic motive for these huge ventures may have been important , and many of the ships had large private cabins for merchants.

這些大冒險的經濟動機是很重要的，大部分船隻上都有提供給商人的私人小屋。

But the chief aim was probably political, to enroll further states as tributaries and mark the reemergence of the Chinese Empire following nearly a century of barbarian rule.

但是探險的主要目的可能還是政治性的，它爲了進一步徵收其他國家爲朝貢國並證明漢人王朝在經歷了一個世紀蠻人的統治後的再次復興。

The political character of Zheng He’s voyages indicates the primacy of the political elites.

鄭和船隊的政治特性表明了政治精英的主導地位。

Despite their formidable and unprecedented strength, Zheng He’s voyages were not intended to extend Chinese sovereignty overseas.

儘管具有強大的、前所未有的實力，鄭和的艦隊並沒有打算拓展中國海外的版圖。

Zheng He sailed from China to many places throughout South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf and distant Africa in seven epic voyages from 1405 to 1433，some 80 years before Columbus’s voyages.

鄭和在1405到1433年建的7次遠航中從中國起航到達了許多地方，包括南太平洋、印度洋、波斯灣和遙遠的非洲，這比哥倫布的船隊要早了約80年。

These explorations have impressed themselves deeply into the voyage history of the world.

這些探索使他們在世界航海史上留下了深深的印記。