Although resting content with retaining sovereign in the south, rulers of the Eastern Jin did plan to recover the Central Plains in the north.
东晋虽然偏安于江南,但历代帝王在位的时候都希望收复北方的国土。
Led by the four ranking families of Wang, Xie, Huan and Yu in succession, these southern nobles carried out several expenditures towards the north.
其中以王、谢、桓、庾四大家族为主的北伐，在东晋时曾进行过多次。
In 311 Zu Ti, a southern gentry-official, once led an expeditionary force to the north and regained the Yellow River valley for a short time. However, Zu Ti died from too much upsetting for being not trusted by the court and left the cause of recovering the north unfinished.
公元311年，大将祖逖出兵收复河北，但后因受到朝廷的排斥忧郁而死，最终未能完成统一大业。
Afterwards ,most of the gentry-officials in power advocated northern expeditions so as to gain their family prestige. Among them, three northern expeditions led by Huan Wen are the best known.
在此之后，当权的士族多标榜北伐以增加门户威望，其中以桓温的三次北伐最为著名。
His armies took Luoyang, entered Guanzhong and reached Hebei. But he did not consolidate these victories.
他曾经收复洛阳，进入关中，进兵河北，但都未能够巩固北伐成果。
In 386, the Former Qin forces marched southward and threatened the Eastern Jin impressively.
公元386年，前秦南下,东晋面临空前威胁。
In January 382, The King of Former Qin called together his ministers to discuss the expenditure plan to reunify the imperial China.
382年(太元七年）一月，前秦苻坚召集群臣商议南伐，准备统一中国。
In discussion, Fu Jian insisted the march despite most of his ministers opposed the risking operation.
当时，绝大多数人认为不可轻举妄动，但苻坚却坚持己见。
In July of the following year, Fu Jian ordered a decisive campaign and started to draft recruits the nationwide.
次年七月，苻坚下诏大举伐晋，在全国征兵。
In August, Fu Jian set out from Chang an with his infantry force of 600 000 and cavalry force of 270000, in such an impressive strength that it was depicted as uthe initial banners and beats can nearly link to that of the end, and the troops in marching occupy thousands of roads ” All the troops headed for the south.
八月，苻坚从长安启程，秦军步兵60万，骑兵27万，“旗鼓相望， 前后千里”，从各地一齐向南进发。
In sheer swell, Fu Jian even boasted his men to carry with him the stuffs such as the titles and ranks for the will-be captured Emperor and ministers of the Eastern Jin.
这时苻坚非常骄傲，出发前连东晋皇帝、宰相俘虏后的官号、公馆都准备好了。
Scared by this threatening pose, the Eastern Jin fell into the state of turmoil.
东晋闻苻坚率大军南下，惶恐不安。
Nevertheless, Chancellor Xie An devised strategies in great composure by or-dered his one brother Xie Shi to assume the position of chief general to marshal in headquarters and his nephew, Xie Xuan as the vanguard in the battle field. The 80 000 opposing army and 5 000 navies were meeting their enemy in the south.
宰相谢安沉着冷静，派弟谢石为大都督，侄子谢玄为前锋，率八万北府兵、水军五千迎战。
In October, the vanguard Fu Rong took over Shouchun and entered Luojian (west of Dingyuan, Anhui) and closed off Huai River to block Jin army and the latter had to station in the place 25 miles away from Luojian.
十月，前秦先锋苻融攻占寿春，进驻洛涧（安徽定远西），封锁淮水，阻挡晋军前进。晋军被阻，在距洛涧25里的地方驻扎。
Informed the facts that the Jin army had merely insufficient supplies , Fu Jian hurried to Shouchun with 8 000 strong crack horsemen and sent the surrendered general of Jin, Zhu Xu to intimidate Xie Shi to give in.
当苻竖得知晋军先锋缺乏粮草的情况后，便亲率精骑八千,兼程赶往寿春，并派俘虏的晋将朱序到晋营威胁谢石投降。
Devoted to Jin, Zhu Xu told Xie Shi all the confidentials and actual strength of the Former Qin, furthermore, he suggested deboosting the morale of Qin before the main force approaching.
朱序不忘故国,见到谢石告诉了秦军的虚实，并劝谢石乘前秦大军未到，挫其锐气，争取全胜。
Following Zhu Xu’s advice, a subordinate general Liu Laozhi, led 5000 crack forces to attack the Qin vanguard unit at Luojian at night. The Qin unit suffered 15 000 casualties.
谢石采纳朱序的建议，派名将刘牢之率精兵五千渡河夜袭洛涧，歼灭前秦军一万五千。
Meanwhile the main force of Xie Shi proceeded along the Huai River, reached at the east bank of Feishui (now Feihe south of Shouxian county, Aihui), facing Qin army.
谢石等又率大军沿淮水前进,到淝水（安徽寿县淝河南）东岸与秦军隔河对峙。
Seeing from the wall of Shouchun City, Fu Jian and Fu Rong observed that Jin army was well-organized, mistaking the trees on the Bagong Mountain as the armed soldiers, Fu Jian was by all means lost the hold.
苻坚听说晋军攻到，便与苻融登上寿春城观看形势，见晋军部伍严整，又望见八公山（安徽寿春北)上的草木，以为皆是晋兵，不免有些惊恐。
When asked to move back a little for a decisive battle so that Jin troops could cross the river, Fu Jian agreed, hoping to strike his blow home while the Jin troops were half-way across.
谢玄派人要求苻融 把阵地后移，以便晋军渡河决战，苻坚企图在晋军半渡时发动突然袭击，便挥军后撤。
Unexpectedly, when the order of withdrawal was given, the Qin troop panicked and ran in confuse with Zhu Xu spreading the news that Fu Jian was beaten up.Jumping at the opportunity, the Jin soldiers launched a full-scale offensive attack, and scattered their enemy.
不料队伍因此大乱，朱序又在阵后连呼苻坚败了，晋军乘胜追击，驱散敌军。
Fu Jian fled, by the time reached Luoyang, his army was down to only a little more than 100000 men.
苻坚逃走,到洛阳，检点余众，不过十余万人。
The battle of Feishui was Former Qin ’s attempt to reunify the imperial China.
淝水之战是前秦企图统一全国的一次战争。
Due to the preparation and situation then, the endeavor was premature. Xie Shi and Xie Xuan leading the Beifu troops utterly defeated the Former Qin forces and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Feishui.
当时，综合各个方面的情况看，时机和条件显然还不成熟，谢石、谢玄领导的北府军击败了前秦，取得了决定性的胜利。
The southern China was shunned from the chaos and wreck so its development continued. But this relief from external threat was followed by a series of internal disturbances.
淝水之战后，南方由于战争的胜利,避免了一场大的混乱和破坏，经济文化得以继续发展，同时确定了南北长期对峙的局面。
First, Sun En and Lu Xun launched rebellions. Then Huan Xuan won the civil war and usurped the throne.
此后,南方由于外乱威胁解除而爆发内战，孙恩、卢循起兵。桓玄在内战中获胜，一度篡晋。
Later, General Liu Yu of the Beifu troops suppressed the peasant uprisings and gained prestige through a number of northern expeditions. At last, he established his own state to replace the Eastern Jin.
北府兵将领刘裕起兵镇压了农民军，并通过北伐树立威望，最终取代东晋。