Zhou Dynasty

周朝

Social and Economy

西周的社会与经济

The Western Zhou made a further achievement in social economy.

西周在社会经济方面取得了进一步的成就。

Slaves were popularly exploited in pursuit of the production of greater surpluses, thereby creating wealth for their owners.

为了获得更多的生产剩余，奴隶总是被剥削来为他们的主人创造更多的财富。

Handcrafts progressed in this period and the bronze industry was especially important.

手工艺在这段时期发展进步，而青铜工业是最重要的。

Besides the bronze workshops controlled by the central government, the small kingdoms also had foundries of their own.

除去被中央政府管理的青铜器作坊，小国家同样有他们自己的铸造厂。

Bronze products greatly increased in quality, quantity and variety so that their use covered nearly all aspects of life.

青铜制品的质量、数量和种类大幅上涨以至于生活的每一个方面都被其覆盖。

The Western Zhou Chariot Burial Pit unearthed near Xi’an exemplifies the high technical standard of bronze production of this period.

在西安被开采出的西周战车埋葬坑说明了这一时期青铜制造的高技术水平。

The development of the bronze industry also promoted the prosperity of other industries.

青铜产业的发展同样促进了其他工业的繁荣。

In agriculture, iron tools and the coupling-plough were brought into use for the first time, this greatly enhanced productivity.

在农业上，铁具和耦合犁第一次被投入使用，它们极大地提高了生产力。

Bazaars appeared in some larger towns, where silk, weapons, cattle as well as slaves were traded.

在大一些的城镇，市场出现了，在那里可以买卖丝绸、武器、四轮马车和奴隶。

In addition, script became more widely used.

除此之外，文字得到了更加广泛的使用。

People not only engraved inscriptions on oracle bones, but also engraved epigraphs on thousands of bronze utensils, recording the social life of that time.

人们不再仅仅将铭文刻在龟甲兽骨上，而是将铭文刻在数以千计的青铜器皿上，这些铭文记录了那时的社会生活。