The Eastern Han was another strong and prosperous dynasty after the Western Han, and its economy went on booming.
东汉是继西汉之后国力强盛,封建经济继续发展的一个王朝。
Since its foundation by Emperor Guangwu, the empire lasted 196 years over fourteen generations.
自光武帝建国起共传14帝,经历196年。
The first 40 plus years of the Eastern Han witnessed the relative stability during the reign of the emperors Guang Wu, Ming and Zhang.
汉光武帝、明帝和章帝统治的前40多年,东汉的社会比较稳定。
After a civil war that had lasted from 25 A. D. to 36 A. D. , Emperor Guangwu finally reunited the country.
公元25年至36年光武帝平定各地叛乱,重新一统天下。
He tried to reinstate the central government, so the new dynasty was more autocratic than the Western Han.
建国之初,光武帝重新加强中央集权,东汉政权较之西汉政权更为专制。
Although the emperor re-established the princedoms and marquisates, and gave titles and fiefs to his followers, all of them were free from executive powers actually.
光武帝大封功臣,却剥夺了他们的实权。
He made a comprehensive reform on the policies made by Wang Mang, rectifying the bureaucratic system.
全面改革王莽所实施的旧政策,整顿吏治。
The power of the reputed three chancellors, i. e. , the chancellor of civil administration, the chancellor of military affairs and the great censor, was weakened.
削弱三公即司徒、司空和太尉的权力。
Being still in high positions, but in name only,they didn’t have any real power any longer.
三公的职位虽高,徒有虚名,并无实权。
Then all the power was centralized in the imperial board of ministries, which took orders from the emperor directly. This played an important role in the autocratic sovereignty, which sustained and further enhanced the centralization of the Western Han.
权力集中于尚书台,尚书台则直接听命于皇帝, 这对皇帝的个人专制独裁起到重要作用,
The inspection system was strengthened, and prefectural governor was appointed to each prefecture.
这是对西汉武帝加强中央集权的继续和发展。
He should go on an inspection tour around his administrative region in August every year, reviewing the lawsuits, inspecting the official achievements, and presenting a memorial of his inspection to the emperor at the end of the year.
加强监察制度,每州设刺史一人。
The local forces were also cut down step by step in order to enhance the central military power.
刺史于每年8月巡行所属郡国,检阅刑狱情况,考察官吏政绩,年终奏于皇帝。
Therefore, armies in prefectures and fiefdoms were too few to fight independently, and a big war had to resort to the central forces.
一再削弱地方的军权,加强中央军权。
Economic Policies:One crucial task for the Eastern Han Empire was the reconstruction of the economy.
为此郡、国的军队很少,一般不能作战。大的战争要依靠中央军队。
Long years of war and the flooding of the Yellow River rendered many peasant refugees roam around in the countryside.
社会经济政策:东汉面临的首要问题是恢复经济。
In order to control the population and to restrict the power of the local nobility, Emperor Guangwu tried to implement a system of “measuring fields”.
由于常年战乱,加之黄河泛滥,各地流民甚多。
In 39, he ordered a country-wide check-up on land reclamation and census.
为控制人口,限制地方豪绅势力,光武帝实施“度田”政策。
However the local officials shielded the landlords and cheated on figures in order to shift tax burden onto the peasants.
公元39年,下令清查土地和人口。
The emperor had a dozen magistrates executed, for being guilty of false measurement, and ordered to speed up measuring fields.
然而地方官吏偏袒地主,谎报数据,将赋税转嫁到农民身上。
The large land owners began to resist the property assessment with armed forces.
光武帝以“度田不实”之罪诛杀了10余个郡太守,下令加紧度田。
The deceived peasants also put up a violent resistance.
这引起大地主的武装反抗,许多农民不明真象,也跟从反抗,这就是史称的“度田事件”。
The emperor, who could do nothing effective, had to end the matter up with nothing definite. Therefore the counterattack was calmed down.
后度田不了了之,反度田斗争也就平息下来。
Later, he issues six prescripts to release bondservants, which helped to stabilize the social order, restore and develop economy effectively.
光武帝6次颁布释放奴婢的诏令,对稳定社会秩序,恢复发展社会经济,都起了巨大的作用。
After a series of reforms, the Eastern Han Dynasty had recovered its former prosperity under the reign of Emperors Guangwu, Ming and Zhang in the middle of the first century. This period of time is known as the Rule of Guangwu.
经过一系列的改革,到公元一世纪中叶,经过光武帝、明帝(58 ~76年在位)、章帝(76?89年在位)三代的治理,东汉王朝已经逐渐恢复了往日汉朝的强盛,这一时期被后人称之为“光武中兴”。
After Emperor Guangwu died in 57, Emperor Ming and Emperor Zhang came to the throne successively, and they all carried on the practice of the founder of the Eastern Han.
公元57年,光武帝死后继承帝位的先后是明帝、章帝。
This period of time was seen as days of peace and prosperity, when the economy found time to recover from the damage.
二人皆遵奉光武之治, 为此这一时期国家繁荣、安定,社会经济得到恢复。
The two emperors also attached importance to Confucianism.
两位皇帝也都很重视儒家思想。
In 59, Emperor Ming personally lectured in the imperial academy and discussed Confucian classics with scholars.
公元59年,明帝亲自到太学讲学,并与博士讨论儒家经典。
Nearly 100 000 people are said to have attended.
据说有近10万人 参加这一活动。
In 79, since there were theoretical diversities existed within Confucianism, Emperor Zhang brought together the famous scholars in the White Tiger Hall in Luoyang to discuss the varieties and unities of the Five Classics. He ordered Ban Gu to incorporate the conclusions into a book, Bai Hu Tong Yi (Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall), which served to deify and consolidate imperial authority.
公元79年,因经学家多分歧,章帝集中诸卿、博士等于洛阳白虎观讲议五经同异,并命班固将讨论结果整理成书,名为《白虎通德论》(又称《白虎通 义》、《白虎通》),为神化和巩固封建政权服务。