中英雙語話歷史 第70期:五代十國(文化成就)
Despite the political division of China in this period, four important advances occurred. First, the trade became important In the south, trade became increasingly important, especially the tea trade.
Efforts at state monopozation occurred in an attempt to control the revenue of the tea trade.
爲了增加收入，茶的買賣由政府壟斷。Salt monopolies were developed and the salt taxes were the top budget item during this period.
鹽的買賣也出現了壟斷，鹽成爲當時最緊俏的商品。
The second development was translucent porcelain. This also happened in the south and was used both within China and as an export item.
第二，就是陶瓷的發展，透明的彩陶產於南方,是當時對外出口的主要商品。The next important development was in the field of printing. In about 940, the first printing of the Classics occurred. Attempts at movable type began in about 1045.
第三，就是印刷，大約公元940年出現了第一批印刷版的經典作品，並在1045年發明了活字印刷術。Printing had far reaching effects on the Chinese people. As would occur later in Europe, printing allowed more people to become educated because books became more readily available.
印刷術的發明對中國和世界都產生了深遠的影響，它使更多的人接受教育成爲可能。Finally, in northern China, paper money was introduced. This introduction was due in part to the fact that metal was scarce in China. Besides, the existing copper money was very heavy and difficult to transport. The beginning of paper money was deposit certificates that merchants used in provinces where copper coins were the currency.
第四，由於金屬缺乏，銅錢較重不方便攜帶，中國的北方發明了紙幣。紙幣的出現是存儲的憑證，它可以在銅錢流行的省份通行。Eventually, the government would accept copper and then issue certificates, thus creating the prototype of a banking system.
最後政府接受銅錢而後發行這種紙的憑證，這就形成了早期的銀行。This money system greatly prospered the trade.
新的貨幣制度大大推動了貿易的發展。The practice of binding womens feet also began during this time. The first evidence of this practice showed up in about 950.
五代十國時期婦女開始裹小腳，首次出現在公元950年。Scholars were not sure how this practice began, however, it was widely practiced among both the rich and poor of China.
學者們不清楚爲什麼婦女要裹小腳，然而，這種現象在中國富人和窮人中十分盛行。Only a few groups did not participate in this custom. They were the boat women of Kuang-tung and the aboriginal people of the southwest.
只有少數羣體像廣東的船家女兒和南方邊遠地方的女子纔不裹腳。None of the non-Chinese groups surrounding China followed this custom.
除此之外，在中國其它廣大地區的非少數民族女子都有裹腳的這一傳統。Buddhism experienced a sharp decline during this period.
這一時期佛教經歷了一次大的劫難。In northern China, Buddhists were heavily persecuted in 955.
在北方，公元955年，佛教徒遭受到嚴重迫害。This persecution seemed to be aimed at stopping men from becoming monks to avoid joining the armies.
這次迫害意在阻止男人們爲逃避兵役而加人僧侶隊伍。Many regulations were put into practice. 30 336 temples and monasteries were secularized, and many monks were forced to leave the monasteries and take up secular lives.
許多限制措施開始施行，30336個寺院被拆除，大量的僧侶被強迫還俗。The construction and the number of temples and monasteries were limited, in addition, private people could no longer build them.
寺院修建和數量被嚴格限制，作爲私人不能再建造寺院。Monks were also required to carry six i-dentification cards.
僧侶們還被要求帶六種身份證。Culturally, the Liao Dynasty achieved mainly in astronomy, the calendar, medicine and architecture.
遼國的文化發展及其成就,主要體現在天文曆法、醫學和建築方面。Not only did the Liao calendar kept the best parts of the Central Plain Han calendar, but also retained some of the special traits of the Khitan people.
遼國曆法不僅吸收了中原漢族曆法的優點，而且在許多方面體現了契丹民族特色。Important achievements were made in acupuncture, pulse-feeling diagnosis, gynecology, obstetrics and preservation of corpses.
遼國的醫學成就也很顯著，其針炙、切脈診法、婦產醫科、屍體防腐等技術都具有較高水 平。The Book of Acupuncture and Pulse-Feeling , written by a celebrated doctor named Zhi Lugu, enjoyed wide popularity at the time.
遼國名醫直魯古所著《針炙脈決書》，在當時很有影響。The Liao architecture influenced by the Tang style, accommodating the Khitan customs, achieved its own unique style.
遼代的建築受唐代建築的影響，並糅合契丹尚東之俗而形成自己的風格。The Khitan dialect and the Han language were the main languages used in the Liao Dynasty.
遼代主要通行的文字是契丹文和漢文。
