The slave system was well developed in the Zhou Dynasty.

周朝时奴隶制度发展完善。

The king, vassals and high officials owned slaves of different status and under dif-ferent names and forced them to create great wealth for them.

国王、贵族和高官都拥有奴隶，强迫他们劳动为自己创造财富。但是这些奴隶的地位和名字却有所不同。

Commonpeopleliving in the capital were called “guo ren” ，also interpreted as freemen; peasants in rural communes were called “ye ren”，or “people in the fields”.

居住在都城中的普通人被称为“国人”，意为自由人,而在农村生活的人则是“野人”。

Both guo ren and ye ren were exploited by the king, nobles or slave owners under various names.

国王、贵族和奴隶主会以各种各样的名义剥削他们。

Agriculture in the Zhou Dynasty was very intensive and in many cases it was directed by the government.

周朝的农业大多数是在官府的指导下实行集约化生产。

Farmland was periodically distributed on the basis of fertility.

根据土地的肥沃程度定期进行重新分配。

The peasant worked a piece of land distributed to him and let another piece lie fallow.

农民可以先耕种一块地，而休耕另一块。

The system of fallow was a progressive development and gradually replaced the method of slash and burn.

“休耕制”逐步发展， 慢慢取代了原来的抛荒制。

The ideal field system of the Zhou period as described in the Rites of Zhou is the well field system.

根据《周礼》记载，井田制是最理想的土地制度。

Every arable area was divided into nine squares in the shape of the character for “water well”.

每一块耕地都被分成九块，形状尤如“井”字。

Eight families were supposed to cultivate one plot of land each with a common field in the middle. The crops from it were given to the government and that of surrounding squares kept by individual farmers.

八户人家为一个单位，集体耕作中间的公田，收获物归官府所有，其余部分归个人。

In this way, the government was able to store surplus food and distribute it in times of famine or bad harvest.

这样，官府就可以把多余的粮食储存起来，以备荒年和收成欠佳时赈灾所用。

Eight families bound to this field structure thus also built an administration unit from which taxes and services could be drawn by the government.

耕种井田的八户农民实际是一个行政单位，他们要向官府交租，服劳役。

Sharp bronze tools for farm production were widely used in cultivation and tillage on a large scale at that time. The main method of farming was called “ ou geng”，or “two men working together”.

西周时，锋利的青铜农具广泛应用于规模较大的垦殖和耕耘，开始实行耦耕, 即两人一起劳动。

Peasants prepared their fields with a plough driven by two men, creating compartments one chi wide, six chi counted a pace.

每块地上都由两个人扶一把犁耕作，每走一步都会留下一条一尺宽，六尺长的畎（田地中间的沟）。

The standard measure of fields was one mu , namely one pace wide and hundred paces long, every man could obtain a field measuring one hundred mu .

土地以亩为标准计量单位，即一步宽，一百步长。每个男子都可分到一块一百亩的地。

The farm management made new progress： green fertilizer was employed, fire used to control pests and the technique of simple drainage and irrigation improved.

沤治和施用绿肥，以火烧法防治病虫害，标志了田间管理的新水平。

There was a greater variety of farm produce, covering nearly all crops, beans and hemps.

农作物品种增加，谷类、豆类和麻类等。

Along with Si Jia, an imperial court official guiding the agriculture development, there were also specialized officials, chang ren, in charge of gardens, managing the production of vegetable, melon and fruit.

除负责指导农业生产司稼外，周朝特别设场人，专管园圃，从事蔬菜、瓜果的生产。

Handicrafts continued to develop.

西周时手工业继续发展。

Royal families and vassals controlled important handicraft industries, in which various handicraftsmen were engaged under the control of Si Kong. Bronze casting continued to be most important, particularly in the building of chariots.

比较重要的手工业都由王室和诸侯控制，众多的百工在司空的领导下负责管理各项手工业，其中最重要的仍然是青铜铸造业尤其是战车的制造。

Craftsmen had a quite low social status and had to dwell in quarters within the capital and their status was inherited.

手工业者的社会地位极低，不得不居住在城市之隅，并且这种地位还要世代继承。

Trade was an indispen-sable section in the social economy.

商业已成为社会经济中不可缺少的部门。

Aerchants，activities were restricted to markets (shi) in the capital and were tightly controlled by the government.

商贾的活动被限定在都城的“市”，又被官府牢牢控制。

An official Zhi Ren was appointed to care for commercial activities.

市场中设有“质人”管理商业活动。

At this time, slaves, cattle and horses, arms and jewellery were exchanged through barter.

奴隶、牛马、兵器、珍异等物品的买卖主要是通过物物交换。

Among the common people barter mostly involved daily necessities.

百姓间的物物交换多为生活必需品。

The currency of the Western Zhou period was a coin shaped like a cowry shell with the currency unit peng .

西周的主要货币仍然是贝，以朋为单位。

Another currency was copper with the currency unit lue They all originated in the Shang Dynasty.

还有金(铜），以锊为单位。这两种货币都源自商代。