The Great Wall 万里长城 - 8

So when they left the sheltering walls of Dunhuang(敦煌), heading for the desert that local people referred to as "go in and you will not come out". They knew they had a little extra spiritual protection on their side. And this is where they finally left the protection of the wall and faced the dangers of the unknown.

The Jade¹ Gate(玉门关) at the end of the wall is famous for the poem that says of this lonely spot: The Yellow River runs up to the white sky; a lonely tower stands in a thousand mountains; spring never reaches the Jade Gate.

The Great Wall was the start of a wonderful chain reaction for the Han Dynasty. The wall protected the caravans² of the Silk Road. The caravans increased and prospered³, and the Han grew wealthy and extended their territories to the north and west of the Great Wall itself.

Tired at lapping at the base of a wall they couldn't breach⁴, the nomads⁵ thundered west and conquered Central Asia and Eastern Europe, threatening the other great power of the ancient world, Rome.

When Attila the Hun(匈奴王阿提拉), the Scourge⁶ of God(上帝之鞭), marched on Rome, he was so feared that Pope Leo(教皇里奥) went outside the gates to plead with Attila to spare the holy city. The meeting of pagan and pope never would have taken place without the Great Wall of China. Legend says that Attila, highly superstitious⁷, retreated because the Pope's name meant the lion. But it was just a short reprieve⁸ for Rome. A later fatal invasion finally brought Rome to its knees, plunging⁹ Europe into five centuries of Dark Ages.

While Europe suffered, China was entering its golden age, the Tang Dynasty, the richest and most powerful rulers in Chinese history. Scattered¹⁰ throughout the countryside are spirit guardians¹¹, protecting the tombs of China's most golden age. One of the few royal tombs excavated¹² is that of Princess Yongtai(永泰公主), the daughter of an emperor. It reflects the luxurious¹³ life these internationally-minded aristocrats¹⁴ led, with their fashions imported down the Silk Road and their games of Polo.

凉州词
王之涣

黄河远上白云间，
一片孤城万仞山。
羌笛何须怨杨柳，
春风不度玉门关。


lap: wrap or wind around (something); encircle

thunder: move fast, noisily, and heavily

reprieve: temporary relief, as from danger or pain

1 jade   

n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠

参考例句：

• The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
• He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

2 caravans   

（可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队）

参考例句：

• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles that are pulled by horses. 旧式的吉卜赛大篷车是由马拉的涂了颜色的木质车辆。
• Old-fashioned gypsy caravans are painted wooden vehicles. 旧时的吉普赛大篷车是涂了颜色的木质车辆。

3 prospered   

成功，兴旺( prosper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Mr. Black prospered from his wise investments. 布莱克先生由于巧妙的投资赚了不少钱。

4 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

5 nomads   

n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活

参考例句：

• For ten years she dwelled among the nomads of North America. 她在北美游牧民中生活了十年。
• Nomads have inhabited this region for thousands of years. 游牧民族在这地区居住已有数千年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

7 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

8 reprieve   

n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解

参考例句：

• He was saved from the gallows by a lastminute reprieve.最后一刻的缓刑令把他从绞架上解救了下来。
• The railway line, due for closure, has been granted a six-month reprieve.本应停运的铁路线获准多运行6 个月。

9 plunging   

adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• War broke out again, plunging the people into misery and suffering. 战祸复发，生灵涂炭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He is plunging into an abyss of despair. 他陷入了绝望的深渊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

11 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

12 excavated   

v.挖掘( excavate的过去式和过去分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘

参考例句：

• The site has been excavated by archaeologists. 这个遗址已被考古学家发掘出来。
• The archaeologists excavated an ancient fortress. 考古学家们发掘出一个古堡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 luxurious   

adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的

参考例句：

• This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

14 aristocrats   

n.贵族( aristocrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many aristocrats were killed in the French Revolution. 许多贵族在法国大革命中被处死。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• To the Guillotine all aristocrats! 把全部贵族都送上断头台！ 来自英汉文学 - 双城记