纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 055唐代墓葬俑(6)

Ceramic¹ figures like these were made in huge numbers for about 50 years, around 700. Their sole purpose was to be placed in high-status tombs. They have been found all around the great Tang cities of north-west China, where Liu Tingxun held office. The ancient Chinese believed you needed to have in the grave all the things which were essential to you in life. So the figures were just one element in the total contents of Liu Tingxun's tomb, which would also have contained sumptuous² burial objects of silk and lacquer, silver and gold. While the animal and human statues would serve and entertain him, the supernatural guardian³ figures warded⁴ off malevolent⁵ spirits. You could hardly make better preparation for being dead!

公元700年左右，类似的陶俑在五十年间被大量制造，而其唯一用途便是立于位高权重者的坟墓之中。在刘廷荀任职的中国西北部，大型城市大量出土了这种陶俑。古代中国人认为，人应该用一切在世时的必需品作陪葬，因而陶俑只是刘廷苟墓葬的一部分，此外还有可观的丝绸、漆器、白银、黄金等奢侈物品。人俑与兽俑能够服侍和取悦墓主，神兽俑则用于驱邪镇魔。

Between their manufacture and their entombment, the ceramic figures would have been displayed to the living only once, when they were carried in the funeral cortege. They were never intended to be seen again. Once in the tomb, they took up their unchanging positions around the coffin⁶, and then the stone door was firmly closed for eternity⁷. A Tang poet of the time, Zhang Yue, commented:

从制造完工到人葬，这些陶俑应该只有一次在世人面前露面的机会，即在出殡时被运往墓地的过程中,此后便该永不再见天日。进入墓室之后，它们便按照一定位置围绕若棺木摆放，其后石门会被永久闭合。其时有位诗人张说评价道：

"All who come and go follow this road,

往来皆此路，

But living and dead do not return together."

生死不间归。

Like so much else in eighth-century China, the production of ceramic figures like these ones was controlled by an official bureau, just one small part of the enormous civil service that powered the Tang state.

与8世纪中国的各种物品一样，陶俑制造业受某个官方部门的控制，而该部门只是维系唐朝社会运行的庞大官吏系统中的一小部分。

1 ceramic   

n.制陶业，陶器，陶瓷工艺

参考例句：

• The order for ceramic tiles has been booked in.瓷砖的订单已登记下来了。
• Some ceramic works of art are shown in this exhibition.这次展览会上展出了一些陶瓷艺术品。

2 sumptuous   

adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
• We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

3 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

4 warded   

有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的

参考例句：

• The soldiers warded over the city. 士兵们守护着这座城市。
• He warded off a danger. 他避开了危险。

5 malevolent   

adj.有恶意的，恶毒的

参考例句：

• Why are they so malevolent to me?他们为什么对我如此恶毒？
• We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。

6 coffin   

n.棺材，灵柩

参考例句：

• When one's coffin is covered,all discussion about him can be settled.盖棺论定。
• The coffin was placed in the grave.那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。

7 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。