和平之帆，大國風範
和平之帆，大國風範
The Sails of Peace
中文作者：Davos
英文作者：Allen
六百多年前，中華帝國的一次外交活動將一陣中國風吹向世界。不同於西方征服者的野蠻殖民侵略，這次活動為沿途各國帶去了和平和友誼。它用行動詮釋和平外交，以真正和平的方式彰顯帝國威儀，一展大國風範。
Over six hundred years ago, there was a fresh wind of Chinese diplomacy blowing across the globe. Unlike the brutal conquests of Western colonisation, the Chinese campaign was aimed to share peace and friendliness, exemplifying the essence of peaceful diplomacy as well as showing the empire"s strength.
它，就是鄭和下西洋。
My topic is all about this special campaign: the voyages of Zheng He
回憶
大明，永樂三年。
Our story dates back to the year of 1405 of Ming Dynasty.
今天的海西風吹拂，萬里無雲，正是起航的好時機。鄭和坐在岸邊，望著大海，任自己在記憶的海里暢遊。
It was a nice day to set sail, with the sea wind heading west and no clouds in the sky. Staring at the horizon, Zheng He set his memories free in the vast ocean.
他從沒忘記他是誰，從沒忘記自己的夢想。
Never had he forgotton who he was or what his dreams were.
夢想
鄭和原名馬三保，洪武四年出生於雲南。他從小就生活在一個虔誠的伊斯蘭教家庭，因此，他有一個每一個穆斯林都有的夢想：到麥加朝聖。那個年代，自然不會是飛機飛過去，要到達遙遠的麥加，唯有航海一途。因此，在中原孩子們寒窗苦讀之時，他便已經在研究航海，夢想有一天能去到麥加。
Originally named as Ma Sanbao, he was born in 1372 in a Muslim family in Yunnan, holding to dream of completing the pilgrimage to Mecca. With no planes to travel on, he devoted himself to navigation as normal kids studying for the tests, trying hard to learn about sailing, which was the only possible way to realise his dream.
按理說，這樣的他，應該是平靜地成長下去，有一天作為一個普通的穆斯林圓夢麥加。然而命運這東西，總喜歡跟人開玩笑。
If the destiny hadn"t played a joke on him, he would have grown up in peace and accomplished his dream as a proud Muslim at Mecca. Yet things went on differently.
從軍
洪武十四年，傅有德、藍玉遠征雲南。對於朱元璋和他的龐大帝國來說，這不過是又一次摧枯拉朽般的勝利，可對於十一歲的馬三保來說，迎接他的是古代閹割被俘男童的慣例。
In 1382, two generals started their conquest of the Yunnan region, which was simply a clear victory for the powerful Ming Empire. Nevertheless, it was a disaster for Ma Sanbao, for the traditional castration punishment for boy captives stayed unchanged for throughout ancient Chinese history.
就這樣，以一種無疑極其殘酷的方式，馬三保開始隨軍征戰。大漠飛沙，茫茫大雪成為了他生活的主色調。在軍營里，沒人管甚至沒人知道他是一個孩子，他能靠的只有自己的意志與信仰。他以意志為劍，以信仰為盾，在屍橫遍野，血流成河的戰場上為了生存頑強鬥爭，在刀光劍影中，他得到成長。
By such means of cruelty, Ma was brought to wars, through vast deserts and snowy barrens. He was merely a child, which made absolutely no sense in the barracks at all. Therefore, the child stood up for his survival, belief as the shield and spirit as the sword. Battlefields were places filled with clashes of sword and rivers of blood, but they were also where Ma began to mature.
直到他遇到那個人。
So was Ma maturing, till the very important person came into his life.
立功
那一天，還是燕王的朱棣來到了軍營。他一眼就看中了這個沉默寡言，目光堅毅的孩子，將他選入自己的衛隊。
On that day, Zhu Di, not as an emperor but as a local lord, paid a visit to the barracks, where he picked out a child as his personal guard at the very first glance he had at the eyes of the solemn and silent child.
從此，馬三保一直在朱棣麾下當一個普通的侍衛，但他始終沒有忘記自己的夢想。他也清楚地直到，想要去麥加，就必須在人群中脫穎而出，而想要脫穎而出，就必須要研讀兵法。於是就有了無數個秉燭夜讀的黑夜，無數個聞雞起舞的黎明，於是就有了鄭家壩的驚天妙計，於是，就有了改變命運的那一天。
Ever since then, Ma had served as a regular guard for Zhu Di, yet he didn"t let go of his aspirations. Realising that he couldn"t reach Mecca unless he outstood from others, he turned to tactics and strategies, on which he had spent countless days and nights. As a result, there came a change in his fate on the day he came up to the brilliant stratagem.
鄭和站了起來，整整朝服，嘴角掛上了一絲微笑。每當想起那一天，他總會微笑，因為，那是他生命中最輝煌的時刻之一。
Standing up on the shore, he smiled. Looking back on that special day, he couldn"t help smiling for that was his time of glory.
那一天，因為他的忠誠，更因為他的才能，已身為永樂大帝的朱棣賜名「和」，因他在鄭家壩立功，賜姓「鄭」。從那天開始，他從那個邊遠鄉村的馬三保變成了國姓爺，鄭和。
On that day, for both his loyalty and his ability, Zhu Di, as a great emperer, gave him the name of Zheng He, which signalled that he was no more a soldier, but a noble leader.
起航
「大人，是時候起航了。」下屬恭敬的聲音將鄭和拉回現實。他登上了大明的旗艦，面朝大海，抽出佩劍。懷著自己兒時的夢想，肩負著大明揚名四海的責任，他用平生之力吶喊：「揚帆，起航！」
"My lord, time to set off." Zheng He embarked the captain"s ship, drewing his sword out and facing the sea. For the dream of the boy, and the ambition of the empire, he called out with all his strength, "Launch! Full Sail!"
在接著往下講之前，讓我們先插入一點科普小知識，那就是鄭和下西洋的船隊。先看官方解釋（史料）：「大者，長四十四丈四尺，闊一十八丈，中者，長三十七丈，闊一十五丈。」幫大家換算一下，大船長148米，寬60米，中等大小的船長123米，寬50米。再補充一下，船的尺寸大約相當於現代驅逐艦，至於寬度嗎，也就是普通驅除艦的三到四倍。大家可以設想一下，這種在今天都足以讓人嘆為觀止的巨艦，在那個工業革命尚未開始的年代，其威力可以想像。毫不誇張地說，擁有這等武力的明帝國，完全可以統治世界（當時英法百年戰爭在打，拜占庭帝國奄奄一息，德意志帝國四分五裂，奧地利-匈牙利地區的哈布斯堡家族外強中乾）。但我們並沒有這樣做，我們選擇了和平，而不是侵略，選擇了以德服人，而不是殖民統治。這，或許就是大國氣度，或許是中華民族熱愛和平的最好體現。
Before our story move on, let"s look through some facts and figures about Zheng"s fleet. The large ships were as long as 148m and as wide as 60m, and the medium ones were 123m in length and 50m in width. The tremendous size is even defeating the modern destroyers. It must have been surprising, for an ancient empire could possess such huge vessels. And when I say Chinese at that time could easily have the world conquered, I"m not joking. Yet we didn"t. We didn"t choose be invaders, but to be friends, convincing the world with our generosity but not our guns and cannons. All this fact can be one of the best evidence of Chinese people"s love for peace.
結好
我們接著來說鄭和的遠航。
Let"s come back to the voyages of Zheng He.
經過一路奔波，初次遠航的鄭和到達了本次遠航的終點站，古里。在為古里人民送去來自帝國的饋贈後，心滿意足，意氣風發的鄭和同伴們在這裡豎起了一座碑。
At the destination of his first voyage, Calicut, a monument was set up by Zheng He"s team, who had presented the Indian people with Ming"s gifts.
「此國去中國十萬餘里，民風咸若，熙皞同風，刻石於茲，永昭萬世！」
"This is a country over a hundred thousand miles away from China, but we share similar customs. We set up this monument to mark our friendship, as well as the friendship of the future generations."
這是一座象徵著友好的豐碑，記錄著兩國間的友誼，記錄著中國的氣度。
This monument fully demonstrated the friendliness and morality of China.
六十餘年後，另一支船隊到達了古里。相比於上一支，這由四艘船組成的船隊是那麼寒酸。這是達·伽馬的船隊。達·伽馬到達這裡後，第一件事就是滿地尋找金銀珠寶。當地人十分詫異地看著這些客人，不明所以。更讓他們不解的是，達·伽馬不由分說地在這片富饒的土地上插了一根木樁，表示「葡萄牙的主權」。這就是殖民主義侵略者的邏輯，以木樁示主權，在今天看來豈不可笑！為達·伽馬所不知道的是，六十年前，有一直龐大的艦隊帶著一個偉大帝國的意志而來，並在這裡建起了一座碑，一座象徵和平友好的豐碑。
Sixty years later, another fleet reached Calicut. Compared with Zheng"s tremendous ships, Vasco Da Gama"s ships were unusually small. Tiny as their ships were, the first thing they did after landing was to search treasures, with all the local people staring at them curiously. To their surprise, the weirdo called Da Gama set a strange wooden pillar on the ground, a pillar saying that the land belongs to Portugal. It couldn"t be funnier for modern people, that Da Gama was putting a pillar to conquer the city, where a greater fleet from a greater empire had left a great monument.
插曲
說完遠航的始末，再回頭來看過程。考慮到艦隊的可怕實力，要說這次遠航是一帆風順也是情理之中。然而，還真有那麼一個二愣子想來摸摸老虎屁股。下面我們就請這位二愣子粉墨登場。
Here is something that happened during the journey. Considering the incredible strength of the ships, it is not hard for us to know that the voyage was completed undisturbed. But it happend that there was a "brave" guy who attempted to challenge. Let"s welcome.
陳祖義，廣州潮州人氏，明洪武年間，全家逃到南洋入海為盜。盤踞馬六甲十幾年，成為世界最大的海盜集團頭目之一，其海盜團鼎盛時期成員超過萬人，戰船近百艘。劫掠超過萬艘以上的過往船隻，攻陷過五十多座沿海城鎮，南洋一些國家甚至向其納貢。
Chen Zuyi, born in Chaozhou, Guangdong, was the boss of the largest gang of pirates. The number of his vessels was over a hundred, with more than ten thousand pirates in his command. Having robbed a large quantity of passing ships and coastal towns, he even asked some small countries for tributes.
這就是陳祖義先生的輝煌事迹，而正當他事業達到頂峰，野心與慾望也達到頂峰時，一隻肥羊出現了在他的視野里——鄭和艦隊。
So this is the achievements of a notorious pirate, who is attempting to attack Zhenghe"s fleet when he was at the summit of his pirate career.
膽大包天的陳祖義準備干一票大的，於是……
He was fearless enough to do something really big, so...
他向鄭和投降了。
He surrendered.
要知道，即便是在那個年代，想要成為一個成功的海盜也是相當不容易的，而作為海盜王的陳祖義，當然不會是個省油的燈。他明白自己不可能正面戰勝鄭和，於是他便想出了這等陰招。
It was always uneasy to be successful in any fields, even when it comes to piracy. As the pirate boss, Chen came up with this plot knowing there is no chance could he defeat Zheng He by fair means.
應該說，這一招相當的妙，不過可惜的是，他低估了自己的對手。
Hadn"t it been for Zheng He, it could have been a successful plot. But clearly, Chen underestimated his rival.
鄭和是誰？他是一代梟雄朱棣看好的人，是在戰火中長大的老兵，他打過的仗，無論是規模還是陰險程度，豈是陳祖義所能比？
Chen didn"t realise that Zheng He was even cleverer, for there was hardly possibilities for a veteran, who grew up in wars and was trusted by the emperor, to make fool mistakes.
鄭和識破了他的詭計，不過，但凡成功識破地敵方的計策，不來個將計就計都對不起自己。
Not only did Zheng learned all of Chen"s plots, but waited for the best time to defeat the enemies.
於是就有了那個月黑風高的夜晚，將刀磨得賊亮的陳祖義氣勢洶洶地撲向了明軍，下一刻他就被裝備精良訓練有序的明軍好好教訓了一番，不光自己被活捉，還害死了他的5000多個小弟。
On that night, Chen Zuyi"s army suffered a bitter defeat when trying to attack, with Chen himself captured alive as well as 5,000 pirates killed.
後來，他被鄭和帶回明帝國，在西洋各國使節面前被朱棣做了個反面典型，這或許就是他一生做的最有價值的事吧。
Perhaps the most meaningful thing Chen had ever done in his life was to be brought back to China in shackles to warn the foreigners who bade to attack.
豐碑
在第一次遠航圓滿成功之後，鄭和又陸陸續續地進行了六次遠航。總結一下，他大約幹了這麼幾件事：
Six other voyages were completed successfully following the very first attempt. Here is a sum of what Zheng He did through the journey.
1、推行和平外交，穩定東南亞國際秩序
I. Rebuild order in Southeast Asia with the diplomacy of peace.
2、震懾倭寇，牽制蒙元勢力，維護國家安全
II. Shock the foreign forces to guard the empire.
3、發展海外貿易，傳播中華文明（帶多國代表團到中國參觀，最為誇張的是蘇祿國，國王親自帶隊，三百四十多人玩了一個多月）
III. Expand oveseas trades as well as Chinese Civilisation (Welcome foreign visitors like the Sulu King who enjoyed a tour of a month with several hundreds of people.).
4 、開拓海洋事業，鋪平亞非航路
IV. Open up sea routes that connected East Asia with Africa.
這樣，鄭和下西洋的故事就差不多了。
Up to now, I have told you almost all of Zheng He"s story.
不，還有一件值得寫的事。
All but one thing, one thing that is worth writing.
在第七次下西洋的過程中，鄭和圓了兒時的夢想。
In his seventh voyage, Zheng"s dream came true.
他到了麥加。他換上最莊重的衣服，像一個普通穆斯林一樣到了麥加。他虔誠地朝聖，一如他曾經的夢想。他笑了，他終於觸摸到了那塊神聖的石頭，他終於圓了兒時的夢想。他終於釋然了。
In Mecca, he dressed up as a normal Muslim for the faithful pilgrimage. Touching the sacred stone, he couldn"t have asked more in this legendary life.
不久，他又回到了古里，這個熟悉的地方，這個他曾經立碑的地方。彷彿是命運的安排吧，在這裡，一代傳奇鄭和永遠閉上了他的眼睛。他去得安詳，心滿意足。
Later, back in Calicut, where he set up a historic monument, Zheng He closed his eyes forever in peace, like fate had deliberately designed all the story.
鄭和之後，再無鄭和。
There was only one Zheng He, and Zheng He was the only.
最後的最後，讓我們回到本文的主旨：嚮往和平的偉大帝國，嚮往和平的中華民族。中華民族，從來都不是一個熱愛侵略的民族。那時的我們輝煌強大，可我們並沒有讓這份強大變成侵略的資本，而是將它作為了傳播和平的堅實後盾。
At the very end of the article, let"s look at my main ideas, which is all about the great nation who shares peace and friendliness. Strong as we were, we never sought excuses to invade. Instead, we used our strengths to protect the peace.
在南亞，永遠都會有兩個截然不同的碑。一個，來自盛極一時的大明帝國，一個，來自西方的殖民主義者。它們同樣的永恆，同樣的刻在人心裡。它們，昭顯著中華民族的和平之心，展現著我們的大國風度。
In South Asia, there was two completely different monument. One is from the prosperous Ming Empire. The other is from the Western colonists. They both went on forever in history and was remembered for generations. Compare the two, and you will find the value of Chinese people"s idea of peace.
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