中英雙語話史記 第33期:長平之戰
Battle of Changping
長平之戰During the Warring States Period (戰國時期), the Battle of Changping (長平之戰）broke out in 260 BC, which results in a decisive victory of the state of Qin (秦國）over Zhao.
長平之戰爆發於公元前260年的戰國時期，這場戰爭以秦國決定性的戰勝趙國爲結局。In 257 BC, the Qin invaded the Han.
公元前257年，秦國侵略韓國。
Responding to the Han call for help，the Zhao king decided to send Lian Po (廉頗）to deal with the threat.
收到韓國需要救援的信息，趙國國君派出廉頗來對抗秦國。The two armies met at Changping, situated in the Northern part of the Han lands.
兩支軍隊交戰於韓國北部之地，長平。On one side was the Qin army, led by renowned General Bai Qi, on the other was the Zhao army led by Lian Po.
一支軍隊是由名將白起率領的秦國軍隊，另一支則是由廉頗率領的趙國軍隊。Lian Po, after looking over the Qin formations, decided that the only way to stop their attack was to wait it out.
觀察了秦國軍隊的排布之後，廉頗決定唯一能夠阻止他們進攻的方法就是耐心等待。Thus he built several fortresses and camped there, waiting for the opposing army to go away or a peace treaty to be concluded by the Han and the Qin.
因此，他建立了一些堡壘並在那裏安營紮寨，等待敵方軍隊離開或是兩國和解。
The Qin had no intention of leaving.
秦國軍隊沒有離開的打算。They sent spies to the state of Zhao and Han, ordering them to spread the word that Lian Po was cowardly and was too old to fight battles.
他們向韓國和趙國派遣間諜，散佈廉頗是懦夫以及廉頗太老不能再打仗的傳言。The king, upon hearing this, immediately decided to remove Lian Po and replace him with Zhao Kuo, the son of another famous Zhao general, Zhao She.
國君一聽，立刻棄用廉頗，命趙國另一名將趙奢的兒子，趙括出征。Legend has it that on his deathbed, Zhao She told his wife never to let Zhao Kuo command an army.
傳說趙奢臨終之時囑咐他的妻子千萬不要讓趙括帶兵打仗。So Zhao She’s wife, after hearing of Zhao Kuo;s appointment as general, went up to the King of Zhao and tried to persuade him not to let Zhao Kuo command an army, along with the minister, Lin Xiangru.
所以趙奢的妻子一聽說趙括被任命爲統帥就和另一位官員藺相如一起來到趙國國君的面前，想要勸說他不要讓趙括領兵。The king turned their requests down.
國君拒絕了他們的請求。When Zhao Kuo assumed command, he ordered the army to launch an invasion of the Qin camp.
趙括擔任指揮後，命令軍隊向秦軍營地發起進攻。The Qin were already lying in wait for them and the Zhao forces were eventually driven up a hill, which the Qin then besieged for 40 days.
秦軍一直在等着趙軍發動進攻，最終趙國軍隊攀上了秦國軍隊包圍了40天的山峯。At last, driven mad by hunger and thirst, the Zhao forces made a desperate change down the hill, with Zhao Kuo leading.
最後，由於被飢餓和口渴逼瘋，趙國軍隊在趙括的帶領下孤注一擲，闖下山頭。He was shot down by Qin archers.
趙括死於秦軍弓箭手的箭下。The troops of Zhao were routed.
趙國軍隊被一舉擊敗。Legends accounted for more than four hundred thousand Zhao prisoners of war massacred but such grossly overestimated number has been disputed.
傳說超過400000的趙國戰俘被屠殺，但是這樣粗略的高估存在着爭議。With this victory, Qin had established military superiority over other states.
通過這場戰爭的勝利，秦國在其他國家面前樹立了軍隊優勢。More campaigns and battles ensued, especially in the conquest of the state of Chu.
尤其是在征服了楚國之後，秦國發動了更多的戰爭。Nevertheless no matter how bloody these military operations would be, Qin's final victory was guaranteed.
不論這些戰爭有多麼的殘忍，它們都保障了秦國最終的勝利。
