英语听力：自然百科 消失的西藏王朝古格(24)（在线收听）

Research shows that the climate in western Tibet has been steadily changing over the past millenium, and that man has been on the losing end of an age old battle with nature.

研究显示西藏气候过去经历大改变在与大自然长期对抗中，人类是落败的一方。

Areas that were once moist and relatively lush are now dry and have become deserts, and in Guge this process is all the more intensified,

这里一度是多雨又富庶的地方，但如今却变成干燥的沙漠，这对古格来说形成相当强烈的对比，

it's because it's located in the range shadow of Asia's greatest mountain ranges.

因为古格王朝位在亚洲最大山脉的背侧。

Evidence of this ongoing force known as desertification comes from satellite photographs of once arable fields now abandoned,

从卫星照片可以看出沙漠化曾是耕地的地方，如今弃置荒废，

but not all of them moved away, in the middle of desert like conditions that surround modern Tsaparang, there are still a few places with enough moisture to grow barley, the fall of the Guge kingdom might not have been triggered by just one major military campaign,

但并非所有地方都改变，在现代札布让周围的，沙漠类似地区中仍有几处地方可种植青稞，引发古格王朝消失的原因可能不是拉达克人的侵略。

but rather from a long term sustained assault from mother nature herself,

而是长期的自然变迁，

even today 400 years after the fall of the citadel, nature is still battling with the remaining few farmers struggling to eke out an existence from the land,

即使是今天，在古格王朝投降后的四百年大自然仍然在打击这片土地上寥寥无几的农人。

the farmers explained to John that they have been trying to grow barley in these fields, during the time the Guge kingdom they said the water levels much higher than it is now,

农人向约翰说，他们想在这些田地内种植青棵，在古格王朝时代水位比现在高很多。

but the lack of water has now driven them to the lower areas right next to the river, the demise of the Guge kingdom was the end of line of Tibetan monarchs that stretch from 1630 back to 200 years AD,

缺水问题已经扩及象泉河附近的低洼地区，古格王朝灭亡后1630年起存续两百年的西藏王族亦告结束。

but the legacy of Guge lives on in festivities like this annual horse fair, as they would centuries ago,

但古格王朝的传承活在今日札布让的年度赛马盛会之中，仿照几世纪以前。

Buddhist monks are on hand to bless the jockeys, wishing them a successful and safe endeavour, participants dipped their fingers into beer and flicked it heavenward, a sign of gratitude and an offering to the divine.

佛教僧侣出席赛马会祝福赛马勇士希望他们平安成功，参赛者依照仪式用手指沾取啤酒，往天空轻弹，显示他们的感激，以酒祭拜天神。

But it is when the races begin, that we are reminded of the lenient of these hardy men.

赛马开始后我们回想到这些强壮男儿的家族。