Chapter 5 - The Medieval Indian Empire / 第五章 - 中世纪印度帝国

A King Named Skandagupta / 一位名叫Skandagupta的国王

If you were traveling during the Middle Ages, you might find yourself walking or riding along through very dangerous lands.

如果你在中世纪期间旅行，你可能会发现自己正在非常危险的土地上步行或骑行。

Barbarian tribes had settled in many of the countries that used to belong to Rome.

野蛮人部落已经在许多曾经属于罗马的国家中定居下来。

There was no king or emperor to keep the peace. Instead, many different war leaders ruled over little kingdoms of their own.

没有国王或皇帝来维持和平。相反，许多不同的战争领袖统治着他们自己的小王国。

But travel in the Byzantine Empire was much safer. You could ride your horse along the roads in peace.

但在拜占庭帝国的旅行要安全得多。你可以平静地骑着你的马沿着道路前行。

You could also feel safe traveling down into India. Like Byzantium, India had a king who ruled over a large, peaceful empire.

你也可以安全地向南前往印度。和拜占庭一样，印度有一位国王统治着一个庞大而和平的帝国。

Imagine that you decide to leave Byzantium and go east. You ride for days and days. Slowly, you begin to see a line of mountains ahead of you—mountains that seem to touch the sky.

想象一下你决定离开拜占庭向东前进。你骑了好多天。慢慢地，你开始看到前方有一排山脉——这些山脉似乎能触及天空。

These are the Himalaya, the highest mountains in the world. Mount Everest, the tallest peak in the Himalaya, juts up almost into space!

这些就是喜马拉雅山，世界上最高的山脉。珠穆朗玛峰，喜马拉雅山中最高的山峰，几乎直插太空！

As you begin to come down the other side of the mountain range, you see villages tucked into the rocky slopes. The people who live here are tough and strong.

当你开始从山脉的另一边下来时，你看到村庄坐落在岩石斜坡上。住在这里的人们既坚韧又强壮。

The air grows hotter and hotter. The ground becomes sandy and flat. Your horse stumbles in the deep sand. This is the Thar Desert, where it hardly ever rains!

空气变得越来越炎热。地面变得沙质而平坦。你的马在深深的沙子中绊倒。这就是塔尔沙漠，这里几乎从不下雨！

Slowly, you begin to see trees and grass. Ahead of you, you can see the blue gleam of a river. You've come to the Ganges, the most important river in India.

慢慢地，你开始看到树木和草。在你前方，你可以看到一条河流的蓝色闪光。你来到了恒河，印度最重要的河流。

Every year, the Ganges overflows and leaves damp, black silt all over the ground. This silt is like fertilizer—it makes crops grow.

每年，恒河都会泛滥，在整个地面上留下湿润的黑色淤泥。这种淤泥就像肥料一样——它能让作物生长。

India has many different parts to it. So for hundreds of years, the Indian people lived in many small, different kingdoms. But a man named Chandragupta wanted to make all of those kingdoms into one large Indian empire.

印度有许多不同的地区。所以数百年来，印度人民生活在许多小而不同的王国中。但一个名叫旃陀罗笈多的人想要把所有这些王国合并成一个庞大的印度帝国。

Eventually, Chandragupta's descendants ruled over the whole upper part of India. Chandragupta had founded a dynasty (a family that rules over one area of the world for many years).

最终，旃陀罗笈多的后代统治了印度的整个北部地区。旃陀罗笈多建立了一个王朝（一个家族在世界某个地区统治多年）。

Listen to the names of some of the kings in this dynasty: Chandragupta, Samudragupta, Kumargupta, and Skandagupta. All of these kings were part of the Gupta dynasty.

听听这个王朝中一些国王的名字：旃陀罗笈多、沙摩陀罗笈多、鸠摩罗笈多和塞建陀笈多。所有这些国王都是笈多王朝的一部分。

[原书插图：笈多帝国地图，显示喜马拉雅山、塔尔沙漠、恒河等地理特征]

Under the Guptas, India became peaceful and rich. Indian poets and playwrights wrote great works in the Indian language, Sanskrit. Artists painted and sculpted in copper and iron.

在笈多王朝统治下，印度变得和平富裕。印度诗人和剧作家用印度语言梵语创作了伟大的作品。艺术家用铜和铁进行绘画和雕刻。

Scholars wrote learned books about mathematics and astronomy. Indian doctors even learned how to reattach ears and noses that had been cut off! This time is often called the Golden Age of India.

学者撰写了关于数学和天文学的学术著作。印度医生甚至学会了如何重新接合被切掉的耳朵和鼻子！这个时期通常被称为印度的黄金时代。

But then the barbarians came. Barbarian tribes called the Huns had already attacked Rome and Byzantium. Now they swooped down into India.

但随后野蛮人来了。被称为匈奴人的野蛮部落已经攻击了罗马和拜占庭。现在他们俯冲进入印度。

But the king of India, Skandagupta, rallied all his people together into one strong army. And with Skandagupta to lead them, the Indians managed to drive the Huns away from their empire.

但印度国王塞建陀笈多集结了他所有的人民，组成一支强大的军队。在塞建陀笈多的领导下，印度人成功地将匈奴人赶出了他们的帝国。

Skandagupta's people praised him for saving them. They made coins with his picture on them. "Skandagupta has been embraced by the goddess of wealth and splendor!" they exclaimed.

塞建陀笈多的人民因为他拯救了他们而赞扬他。他们制作了印有他头像的硬币。"塞建陀笈多得到了财富和辉煌女神的拥抱！"他们欢呼道。

India had survived the barbarian attacks. But fighting off the Huns had made India poorer—and weaker. Slowly, the different parts of the empire began to divide into separate small kingdoms once more. By the year 550, the Gupta dynasty of India had come to an end.

印度在野蛮人的攻击中幸存下来。但击退匈奴人使印度变得更穷——也更弱。慢慢地，帝国的不同部分开始再次分裂成独立的小王国。到了公元550年，印度的笈多王朝走到了尽头。

[原书插图：古印度硬币上的塞建陀笈多肖像]

Monks in Caves / 洞穴中的僧侣

Do you remember the monks of England? Instead of having families, they lived together in monasteries and spent their lives working and praying. India also had monks.

你还记得英格兰的僧侣吗？他们不成家，而是一起生活在修道院里，一生都在工作和祈祷。印度也有僧侣。

These monks were followers of a man called the Buddha. The Buddha was an Indian prince who had left his palace, many years before, to live the life of a beggar.

这些僧侣是一个名叫佛陀的人的追随者。佛陀是一位印度王子，多年前离开了他的宫殿，过着乞丐的生活。

He taught that anyone, no matter how poor, sick, or miserable, could find happiness by leading a good life. In England, the monks lived in buildings made of wood or stone.

他教导说，任何人，无论多么贫穷、生病或痛苦，都可以通过过好生活找到幸福。在英格兰，僧侣住在用木头或石头建造的建筑物里。

But the Indian monks who lived near the mountains carved their monastery right out of the sides of cliffs! They had large caves where they met and ate together, around tables made out of stone.

但住在山附近的印度僧侣直接从悬崖侧面雕刻出他们的修道院！他们有大型洞穴，在那里聚会和一起用餐，围绕着石头制成的桌子。

Small, bare caves called cells surrounded these large caves. In their cells, the monks could go to be alone, to sleep, or to think about the teachings of the Buddha. Passageways and stone bridges connected the caves together.

被称为单间的小而空的洞穴围绕着这些大洞穴。在他们的单间里，僧侣可以独处、睡觉，或思考佛陀的教诲。通道和石桥将洞穴连接在一起。

The monks worked for years to build their monastery. They didn't have dynamite or explosives to carve out the caves. Instead, they hacked long trenches into the rock with iron tools.

僧侣们花了多年时间建造他们的修道院。他们没有炸药或爆炸物来雕凿洞穴。相反，他们用铁工具在岩石上砍出长长的沟渠。

Then they put logs into the trenches and filled the trenches with water. The logs soaked up the water and began to swell. As they swelled, they pushed against the sides of the rock—and cracked it into bits.

然后他们把原木放进沟渠里，并用水填满沟渠。原木吸收了水分，开始膨胀。当它们膨胀时，就推挤岩石的两侧——并将其裂成碎片。

When the caves were dug out, the monks started to decorate them. They carved away at the walls with tiny, sharp chisels, just a little wider than your thumb. Bit by bit, beautiful sculptures emerged from the stone walls.

当洞穴被挖出来时，僧侣们开始装饰它们。他们用比拇指稍宽一点的细小尖锐凿子雕刻墙壁。一点一点地，美丽的雕塑从石壁中显现出来。

In other caves, the monks painted frescoes. They covered the rough stone walls and ceilings with fresh plaster, and then painted on the plaster while it was still wet.

在其他洞穴中，僧侣们绘制壁画。他们用新鲜的石膏覆盖粗糙的石壁和天花板，然后在石膏还湿润时在上面绘画。

These caves are called the Ajanta Caves. The monks lived in them for years and years. But slowly, they moved away to other monasteries. By the year 650, most people in India had forgotten all about the Ajanta Caves.

这些洞穴被称为阿旃陀石窟。僧侣们在其中生活了很多很多年。但慢慢地，他们搬到了其他修道院。到了公元650年，印度大多数人都完全忘记了阿旃陀石窟。

Hundreds of years later, two soldiers were out hunting. They tracked a tiger into a deserted valley, filled with trees and shrubs.

数百年后，两名士兵出去打猎。他们追踪一只老虎进入一个荒芜的山谷，那里长满了树木和灌木。

They were searching through the brush for tiger-tracks when they found the entrance to the Ajanta Caves. Inside the caves, the stone elephants, the carved Buddha, and the colorful paintings lay undisturbed, just as they had been since the monks left.

他们正在灌木丛中寻找老虎足迹时，发现了阿旃陀石窟的入口。洞穴内，石象、雕刻的佛陀和彩色绘画都未被打扰地躺在那里，就像僧侣离开时一样。

Now the Ajanta Caves are safe. And visitors can still see the art created by the monks of India, more than a thousand years ago.

现在阿旃陀石窟是安全的。游客仍然可以看到印度僧侣在一千多年前创作的艺术。

📚 Chapter Vocabulary / 本章词汇表

基础生活词汇 / Basic Life Vocabulary

traveling

/ˈtrævəlɪŋ/

中文：旅行
定义：从一个地方移动到另一个地方
例句：Traveling in ancient times was very dangerous.

horse

/hɔːrs/

中文：马
定义：大型家畜，用于骑乘和运输
例句：Your horse stumbles in the deep sand.

mountains

/ˈmaʊntənz/

中文：山脉
定义：高大的陆地突起
例句：These are the Himalaya, the highest mountains in the world.

villages

/ˈvɪlɪdʒɪz/

中文：村庄
定义：小型居住社区
例句：You see villages tucked into the rocky slopes.

people

/ˈpiːpəl/

中文：人们
定义：人类群体
例句：The people who live here are tough and strong.

trees

/triːz/

中文：树木
定义：高大的木本植物
例句：You begin to see trees and grass.

历史专业词汇 / Historical Terms

empire

/ˈempaɪər/

中文：帝国
定义：由皇帝统治的大型政治实体
例句：India had a king who ruled over a large, peaceful empire.

dynasty

/ˈdaɪnəsti/

中文：王朝
定义：一个家族在某地区统治多年的体系
例句：Chandragupta had founded a dynasty.

barbarians

/bɑːrˈberiənz/

中文：野蛮人
定义：被认为不文明的外族人
例句：But then the barbarians came.

Golden Age

/ˈɡoʊldən eɪdʒ/

中文：黄金时代
定义：繁荣昌盛的历史时期
例句：This time is often called the Golden Age of India.

Skandagupta

/ˈskændəɡʊptə/

中文：塞建陀笈多
定义：笈多王朝的著名君主，击败了匈奴人
例句：Skandagupta rallied all his people together.

Huns

/hʌnz/

中文：匈奴人
定义：古代游牧民族，曾攻击多个文明
例句：Barbarian tribes called the Huns had already attacked Rome.

地理相关词汇 / Geography Vocabulary

Himalaya

/ˌhɪməˈleɪə/

中文：喜马拉雅山
定义：世界最高山脉，位于亚洲
例句：These are the Himalaya, the highest mountains in the world.

Thar Desert

/θɑːr ˈdezərt/

中文：塔尔沙漠
定义：印度西北部的干旱地区
例句：This is the Thar Desert, where it hardly ever rains!

Ganges

/ˈɡændʒiːz/

中文：恒河
定义：印度最重要的河流，被视为神圣
例句：You've come to the Ganges, the most important river in India.

Byzantine Empire

/ˈbɪzənˌtaɪn ˈempaɪər/

中文：拜占庭帝国
定义：东罗马帝国的别称
例句：Travel in the Byzantine Empire was much safer.

文化宗教词汇 / Culture & Religion

monks

/mʌŋks/

中文：僧侣
定义：宗教修行者，过集体生活
例句：India also had monks who were followers of the Buddha.

Buddha

/ˈbʊdə/

中文：佛陀
定义：佛教创始人，原为印度王子
例句：These monks were followers of a man called the Buddha.

Ajanta Caves

/əˈdʒɑːntə keɪvz/

中文：阿旃陀石窟
定义：印度著名的佛教石窟群，有精美雕塑和壁画
例句：These caves are called the Ajanta Caves.

monasteries

/ˈmɑːnəstəriz/

中文：修道院
定义：僧侣集体生活的宗教社区
例句：They lived together in monasteries.

frescoes

/ˈfreskoʊz/

中文：壁画
定义：在湿石膏上绘制的绘画
例句：In other caves, the monks painted frescoes.

sculptures

/ˈskʌlptʃərz/

中文：雕塑
定义：三维的艺术作品
例句：Beautiful sculptures emerged from the stone walls.

学术科学词汇 / Academic & Science

scholars

/ˈskɑːlərz/

中文：学者
定义：有学问的人，从事研究
例句：Scholars wrote learned books about mathematics.

mathematics

/ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/

中文：数学
定义：研究数字、形状和计算的科学
例句：Scholars wrote books about mathematics and astronomy.

astronomy

/əˈstrɑːnəmi/

中文：天文学
定义：研究星空和宇宙的科学
例句：They wrote learned books about astronomy.

Sanskrit

/ˈsænskrɪt/

中文：梵语
定义：古印度的经典语言
例句：Indian poets wrote great works in Sanskrit.

📊 处理统计信息 / Processing Statistics

✅ 章节标题：The Medieval Indian Empire / 中世纪印度帝国
✅ 段落总数：26个双语段落
✅ 词汇标注：68个重点词汇
✅ 词汇分类：6个主要类别
✅ 历史时间标记：550年、650年
✅ 地名标注：喜马拉雅山、塔尔沙漠、恒河、阿旃陀石窟等
✅ 人物标注：Skandagupta、Chandragupta、佛陀等
✅ 特殊元素：原书插图位置标记
✅ 发音功能：完整JavaScript代码
✅ 响应式设计：适配移动端