6.烽火戏诸侯（771）

Lesson 6 Playing with Beacon Fires

About 2800 years ago, in China's Zhou Dynasty, there was an emperor named You.

He loved wine and fun more than taking care of his country's important matters.

He was very fond of a concubine named Bao Si and did everything he could to make her smile.

On the advice of a minister who always agreed with him, he had beacon fires lit on the mountains just to make Bao Si smile.

Beacon fires were usually a sign that enemy forces were attacking, so when the leaders of nearby areas saw them, they quickly sent their soldiers to help the emperor.

But when these soldiers got there, they found a big party happening at the emperor's palace on the mountain.

The leaders were really surprised and upset about being tricked.

Bao Si laughed and clapped when she saw how they had been fooled, and this made Emperor You very happy.

In the eleventh year of Emperor You's rule, soldiers from the Xirong state attacked and surrounded Haojing, the capital.

Emperor You tried to call for help again by lighting the beacon fires, but this time, nobody came to his rescue.

He was very disappointed because not a single area came to help.

Soon, the attackers destroyed the city, and Emperor You was killed.

1. About 2800 years ago, in China's Zhou Dynasty, there was an emperor named You.

2. He loved wine and fun more than taking care of his country's important matters.

3. He was very fond of a concubine named Bao Si and did everything he could to make her smile.

4. On the advice of a minister who always agreed with him, he had beacon fires lit on the mountains just to make Bao Si smile.

5. Beacon fires were usually a sign that enemy forces were attacking, so when the leaders of nearby areas saw them, they quickly sent their soldiers to help the emperor.

6. But when these soldiers got there, they found a big party happening at the emperor's palace on the mountain.

7. The leaders were really surprised and upset about being tricked.

8. Bao Si laughed and clapped when she saw how they had been fooled, and this made Emperor You very happy.

9. In the eleventh year of Emperor You's rule, soldiers from the Xirong state attacked and surrounded Haojing, the capital.

10. Emperor You tried to call for help again by lighting the beacon fires, but this time, nobody came to his rescue.

11. He was very disappointed because not a single area came to help.

12. Soon, the attackers destroyed the city, and Emperor You was killed.

烽火戏诸侯

1. 大约2800年前，在中国的周朝，有一位名叫幽王的皇帝。

2. 他更喜欢酒和乐趣，而不是照顾国家的重要事务。

3. 他非常喜欢一个叫宝儿的妃子，并尽他所能让她笑。

4. 在一个总是同意他的大臣的建议下，他点燃了山上的烽火，仅仅是为了让宝儿笑。

5. 烽火通常是敌军入侵的信号，所以当附近地区的领袖看到它们时，他们迅速派兵前来帮助皇帝。

6. 但当这些士兵到达时，他们发现皇帝的山上宫殿正在举行一场大派对。

7. 领袖们对被愚弄感到非常惊讶和不悦。

8. 看到他们被愚弄，宝儿笑着拍手，这让幽王非常高兴。

9. 在幽王统治的第十一年，西戎国的士兵攻击并包围了都城镐京。

10. 幽王试图再次通过点燃烽火来呼叫帮助，但这次没有人来救他。

11. 他非常失望，因为没有一个地区来帮助。

12. 很快，攻击者摧毁了城市，幽王被杀。