E59 韩琦：三朝宰执，竭诚劝谏

E59 韩琦：三朝宰执，竭诚劝谏
2023.09.22
夏鹏
难度：CSE7
课程导读

上节课我们讲到，青苗贷款法本意为解决贫民的困境，同时为国家增收，看似理想，却走向失败。原因就在于富户不需借款，而贫户急需借款，却无抵押之物，因此产生了“强民借贷”。当三朝老臣韩琦看到此情形时，他对此法的态度是什么呢？又会如何向皇帝劝谏呢？一起进入今天的课程。

英文原文

Han Chi, who was serving at Tamingfu as governor of Hopei, had seen how the loan plan worked in the country, and he submitted a memorial which gives the best picture of how the loans were being distributed.

In contrast to Su Tungpo's vehement outburst, here was a well-considered and well-worded, matter-of-fact report to the Emperor by a retired premier who had served the country in the highest capacities.

In the paper he said that even the poor people of the lowest class were assigned a denomination, while the richer classes were asked to subscribe more.

The so-called farmers' loans were also enforced among the city people and were sold among the landlords and "monopolist exploiters" whom it was the intention of the new measure to supplant and suppress; the loans were, therefore, defeating their own purpose.

For every dollar borrowed, the people had to pay back $1.30 after a few months.

However energetically the government denied that it was lending money for profit, people would not believe it.

Han pointed out that it was impractical to prevent the forcing of loans and depend on voluntary subscription, for the rich would not borrow and the poor, who would, could not offer guarantees; therefore, in time, it would be necessary to make the guarantors pay for the loans.

And since the high commissioners were anxious to please the authorities at the court, while the lower officials dared not speak up, so Han said, he found it incumbent upon him as an old faithful servant of the court to bring the facts to the Emperor's attention.

He asked for the suspension of the new measure, the recall of the tax commissioners, and the restoration of the price equalization granaries on the old basis.

"Han Chi is a faithful minister," said the Emperor, discussing this memorandum with Wang Anshih.

"While serving in the country, he still has not forgotten about the imperial house.

I thought the loans were for the benefit of the people and did not realize that they were doing so much harm.

Besides, these seedling loans were intended for the farming districts.

Why do they sell them in the cities?"
"What's the harm?" replied Wang Anshih quickly.

"If the people in the cities want the loans, why not let them have them?"

生词好句

1.Tamingfu
大名府

2.memorial
英 [məˈmɔːriəl]美 [məˈmɔːriəl]
n. 备忘录

3.give the best picture
给出很好的例子（give good examples/demonstration/best showcase）

4.distribute
英 [dɪˈstrɪbjuːt]美 [dɪˈstrɪbjuːt]
v. 分配

5.in contrast to
与……是相反的

6.vehement
英 [ˈviːəmənt]美 [ˈviːəmənt]
adj. 强烈的

7.outburst
英 [ˈaʊtbɜːst]美 [ˈaʊtbɜrːst]
n. 宣泄

8.well-considered
adj. 考虑周全的

9.well-worded
英 [wɜːd]美 [wɝːd]
adj. 字斟句酌的
拓展:
word v. 斟酌字词

10.matter-of-fact
adj. 直陈实情的

11.assign
英 [əˈsaɪn]美 [əˈsaɪn]
v. 分派（allocate, distribute）

12.denomination
英 [dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃn]美 [dɪˌnɑːməˈneɪʃn]
n. 面值（face value）

13.subscribe
英 [səbˈskraɪb]美 [səbˈskraɪb]
v. 订阅；本文
拓展:
thumb up 点赞
refer v. 转发
subscribe a newspaper 订阅报纸
subscription n. 订阅
yearly subscription 年卡

14.landlord
英 [ˈlændlɔːd]美 [ˈlændlɔːrd]
n. 地主

15.monopolist
英 [məˈnɒpəlɪst]美 [məˈnɒpəlɪst]
n. 垄断者
拓展:
monopoly v. 垄断

16.exploiter
英 [ɪkˈsplɔɪtə]美 [ɪkˈsplɔɪtər]
n. 剥削者
拓展:
employ v. 剥削

17.intention
英 [ɪnˈtenʃn]美 [ɪnˈtenʃn]
n. 目的

18.supplant
英 [səˈplɑːnt]美 [səˈplænt]
v. 取代

19.energetically
英 [ɪmˈpræktɪkl]美 [ɪmˈpræktɪkl]
adv. 努力地，费力地

20.impractical
英 [ɪmˈpræktɪkl]美 [ɪmˈpræktɪkl]
adj. 不切合实际的

21.anxious
英 [ˈæŋkʃs]美 [ˈæŋkʃs]
adj. 焦虑的

22.please
英 [pliːz]美 [pliːz]
v. 取悦

23.incumbent
英 [ɪnˈkʌmbnt]美 [ɪnˈkʌmbnt]
adj. （本文）有责任的（responsible）；在任的

24.suspension
英 [səˈspenʃn]美 [səˈspenʃn]
n. 暂停
拓展:
suspend v. 暂停

25.restoration
英 [ˌrestərˈeɪʃn]美 [ˌrestəˈreɪʃn]
n. 恢复
拓展:
restore v. 恢复

26.granary
英 [ˈɡrænəri]美 [ˈɡrænəri]
n. 粮仓

27.the old basis
旧例

28.faithful
英 [ˈfeɪθfl]美 [ˈfeɪθfl]
adj. 忠实的

29.memorandum
英 [ˌmeməˈrændəm]美 [ˌmeməˈrændəm]
n. 奏折