纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 023中国西周康侯簋(2)

In China the Shang Dynasty, which had been in power for over 500 years, was toppled by a new dynasty, the Zhou.

商朝的统治维持了五百年，便被新的周朝取代。

The Zhou came from the west-from the steppes of central Asia.

周朝的统治者来自西部：中亚的干草原。

Like the Kushites of Sudan who conquered Egypt at roughly the same time, the Zhou were a people from the edge, who challenged and overthrew the old-established, prosperous centre.

苏丹的库施人征服了埃及，而几乎在同一时间,来自帝国边缘的周人推翻了富庶稳定的中央帝国。

The Zhou ultimately took over the entire Shang kingdom and, again like the Kushites, followed it up by appropriating not just the state they'd conquered but its history, imagery and rituals.

他们最终接掌了整个商朝，并如库施人一样，在接手国家的同时也接手了前朝的历史、图像及仪式。

Central to the ritual of Chinese political authority was the practice of elaborate feasting with the dead, and this involved magnificent bronze vessels, which are both instruments of power and major historical documents.

他们继续鼓励不同形式的艺术创作，也延续了对中国政治权力来说极为重要的用青铜器祭祀祖先的仪式，以证明上天会庇佑新的政权。

I'm in the Asia gallery of the British Museum, and I'm with a handsome bronze vessel called a gui.

我现在正身处大英博物馆的亚洲艺术走廊,我手里是这件被称为簋的华丽青铜器。

It is about the shape and size of a large punch bowl, about a foot across, with two large curved handles.

本节中的簋大小如同大潘趣酒杯，直径约二十七厘米，有两个大把手。

What you first notice I think, looking at the outside, is the elaborate, flower-like decoration that run on bands on the top and the bottom;

杯沿与底座各有一圈精致的装饰花纹，

but undoubtedly it's the handles that really are the most striking element, because each handle is a large beast, with tusks and horns and huge square ears, and it's caught in the act of swallowing a bird whose beak is just emerging from its jaws.

但最引人注目的无疑是它的把手,每一个都是一头长牙尖角、大方耳的猛兽，正在吞食一只小鸟，嘴里还能看见鸟矇。