Ximen Bao was a Chinese hydraulic engineer, philosopher, and politician. He was a government minister and court advisor to Marquis Wen of Wei (reigned 445–396 BC) during the Warring States period of ancient China. He was known as an early rationalist, who had the State of Wei abolish the practice of sacrificing people to the river god He Bo.[1] Although the earlier statesman Sunshu Ao is credited as China''''s first hydraulic engineer (damming a river to create a large irrigation reservoir), Ximen Bao is nonetheless credited as the first engineer in China to create a large canal irrigation system.

西门豹是中国古代的一位水利工程师、哲学家和政治家。他是中国古代战国时期魏文侯(公元前445-396年在位)的大臣和宫廷顾问。他还被认为是中国早期理性主义者,魏国因为他而废除了祭祀河伯的习俗。尽管更早时候的政治家孙叔敖被认为是中国第一位水利专家(修建水坝、建造大型灌溉用水库),但西门豹仍被视为中国第一位主持修建了大型运河灌溉系统的人。
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Hebo''''s Bride

河伯娶妻
原创翻译:龙腾网 http://www.ltaaa.cn 转载请注明出处


Ximen Bao is the central figure in a popular historical event called Hebo''''s Bride.

西门豹还是一个为后人熟知的历史故事“河伯娶妻”的核心人物。
Around 400BC, Ximen was appointed to oversee the County of Ye (鄴城), a poor region that experienced constant flooding. He met with the locals to inquire on the problems facing the populace. They told him the high taxes they had to pay for providing a bride for Hebo, the River God was severely draining their finance and for those who have young daughters, lived in fear. With support from many village elders, three powerful elders known as San Lao (三老) colluded with the local officials (廷椽) and a shamaness to concoct a legend that the flooding was caused by the wrath of Hebo. To appease the god, the locals must sacrifice a beautiful young maiden as his bride every year. The cabal heavily taxed the county, used a small portion of the money to arrange for the bridal ceremony and divided the rest for themselves. Any family that could not afford to pay the tax would have their daughter taken as sacrifice - she would be dressed up the day of, and following a ceremony - put on a makeshift boat, and send floating on the river until it fell apart and together they sunk into the river. Many families with young daughters, fearing they would be taken, would send their daughters away; resulting in many social and economic issues.
公元前400年前后,西门豹被任命管理邺城。邺城是一个不断遭受洪水侵袭的贫瘠之地……(故事大家都知道,这里省略一部分)……

When the ceremony came, Ximen Bao met then on the river. The elder, subordinate official, and female disciple came. Ximen Bao said the maiden is not pretty. He ask his soldiers to throw the witch on the river and report to the River God that we will search for a prettier maiden. Sometime after he said why is the witch taking so long, so he threw the disciples one by one. He said again the witch and disciples have not come back, he wanted the inspector and local powerful men to fetch them, but all of them kneel before him. The people of Ye was terrified, no one dared to bring up the idea of finding a bride for the River God.

到了为河伯娶媳妇的日子,西门豹到河边与长老相会。当地三老、属下官员、(巫婆的十来个)女弟子也都来了。西门豹说,这个献给河伯的新娘不够漂亮,于是命令士兵把巫婆扔进合里,叫她“禀报河伯”,需要重新找一个漂亮些的女子。过了一会儿,西门豹问:“巫婆为什么去了这么久?叫她弟子去催催她!”于是又把女弟子们一个接一个扔进河里。还是没人回来,于是他又想让廷掾、当地权贵们去“催一催”——这些人全都吓坏了,纷纷跪地求饶,从此谁也不敢再提给河伯娶妻的事了。