The Ming Dynasty, which ruled China for 276 years, was described as one of the greatest, most well-governed and socially stable eras in human history. During this period, the development of handicrafts promoted the market economy and urbanization. A large number of goods, including wine and silk, were sold on the market. At the same time, many foreign goods, such as clocks and tobacco, were also imported. Large commercial centers such as Beijing, Nanjing, Yangzhou and Suzhou emerged one after another. It was also during the Ming Dynasty that the fleet led by Zheng He made seven large-scale voyages of exploration to the Indian Ocean. It is also worth mentioning that three of the four great classic novels of Chinese literature were written during the Ming Dynasty.
逐句译法
1. 明朝统治中国276年，被人们描绘成人类历史上治理有序、社会稳定的最伟大的时代之一。
参考译法：The Ming Dynasty, which ruled China for 276 years, was described as one of the greatest, most well-governed and socially stable eras in human history.
主干：明朝统治276年并被描绘为最伟大时代之一（主语策略：原句主语）主语就是 明朝（the Ming Dynasty）。这句中文含两个动作：统治中国276年 和 被人们描绘成…。主干以'被描绘成'为核心谓语，处理成 was described as one of the greatest eras；'统治276年'降级处理，不另起一句。
语法点：- 时态回指全篇基调用一般过去时：ruled、was described 均用过去式，因为明朝统治与后人对它的历史评价都属已成定论的过去事实。 - 语态被人们描绘成 是被动，英文顺势用被动 was described as，动作发出者'人们'泛指、可省略，正是英文偏爱被动的典型场景。 - 单复数最伟大的时代之一 的'之一'意味着不止一个时代，one of the 后必须接复数：one of the greatest eras，漏掉 eras 的复数是高频失分点。
降级处理：统治年数降级为定语从句把 统治中国276年 改写成定语从句 which ruled China for 276 years，挂在主语 the Ming Dynasty 之后；治理有序、社会稳定 是修饰'时代'的两个特征，用 well-governed and socially stable 作前置形容词修饰 eras，避免照中文堆成两个分句。
2. 这一时期，手工业的发展促进了市场经济和城市化。
参考译法：During this period, the development of handicrafts promoted the market economy and urbanization.
主干：手工业发展促进了市场经济和城市化（主语策略：原句主语）主语是 手工业的发展（the development of handicrafts），谓语 促进了（promoted），宾语是并列的 市场经济和城市化（the market economy and urbanization）。这一时期 作时间状语放句首。
语法点：- 时态用一般过去时 promoted，回指全篇基调——这是明朝当时发生的事。 - 单复数与冠词the development of handicrafts 中 handicrafts 用复数表泛指手工业各行当；the market economy 特指当时形成的那个市场经济，加 the；urbanization 是抽象不可数名词，不加冠词、不加复数。
降级处理：结构简单，时间状语前置本句是单一主谓宾，无需大幅降级。仅把 这一时期 译成 During this period 置于句首作时间状语，主干 the development of handicrafts promoted… 自然铺开即可。
3. 大量商品，包括酒和丝绸，都在市场销售。
参考译法：A large number of goods, including wine and silk, were sold on the market.
主干：大量商品在市场上被销售（主语策略：转被动）大量商品 是动作'销售'的承受者，都在市场销售 在中文里是主动形式但语义是被销售，故转被动：以 A large number of goods 作主语，谓语 were sold (on the market)。
语法点：- 语态与时态被动 + 过去时：were sold，回指全篇基调，'商品被卖'是过去发生的事。 - 主谓一致主语 A large number of goods 视作复数（a large number of + 复数名词谓语用复数），故用 were 而非 was；这与 the number of 用单数恰好相反，是易混点。 - 单复数goods（商品）本身是复数形式；wine、silk 在此表泛指类别，用不可数单数，不加 s。
降级处理：举例成分作插入语包括酒和丝绸 是对'大量商品'举例，用 including wine and silk 这个介词短语作插入语，紧跟主语 goods 之后、用逗号隔开，不另起分句。
4. 同时，还进口许多外国商品，如时钟和烟草。
参考译法：At the same time, many foreign goods, such as clocks and tobacco, were also imported.
主干：许多外国商品被进口（主语策略：转被动）中文 还进口许多外国商品 是无主句（没说谁进口）。受事 许多外国商品 是动作承受者，转被动：以 many foreign goods 作主语，谓语 were imported；同时 作衔接状语放句首。
语法点：- 语态与时态被动 + 过去时 were imported，与上句 were sold 保持时态、语态一致，回指全篇基调。 - 单复数foreign goods 复数；clocks（时钟可数）用复数 clocks；tobacco（烟草）是不可数名词，不加 s。两个例子一可数一不可数，需分别处理。
降级处理：举例用such as后置如时钟和烟草 是对外国商品举例，用 such as clocks and tobacco 后置于 goods 之后，作举例修饰；同时 译 At the same time 或 Meanwhile 置句首，承接上句。
5. 北京、南京、扬州、苏州这样的大商业中心相继形成。
参考译法：Large commercial centers such as Beijing, Nanjing, Yangzhou and Suzhou emerged one after another.
主干：大商业中心相继形成（主语策略：原句主语）主语是 大商业中心（large commercial centers），谓语 相继形成（emerged/took shape one after another）。北京、南京、扬州、苏州这样的 是对'商业中心'举例，作修饰。
降级处理：城市名作such as举例把 北京、南京、扬州、苏州这样的 译成 such as Beijing, Nanjing, Yangzhou and Suzhou 后置于 large commercial centers 之后作举例；相继 用 one after another 作方式状语，体现'一个接一个'。
6. 也是在明代，由郑和率领的船队曾到印度洋进行了七次大规模探险航行。
参考译法：It was also during the Ming Dynasty that the fleet led by Zheng He made seven large-scale voyages of exploration to the Indian Ocean.
主干：郑和的船队进行了七次航行（主语策略：原句主语）主语是 由郑和率领的船队（the fleet led by Zheng He），谓语 进行了…探险航行（made… expeditions），宾语 七次大规模探险航行（seven large-scale voyages of exploration）。也是在明代 作强调性时间状语置句首。
语法点：- 时态一般过去时 made，回指全篇基调；曾 强调'过去做过'，正与过去时吻合，不必另用完成时。 - 数词与单复数七次 修饰可数名词 voyages／expeditions，必须用复数：seven voyages；漏掉复数 s 是常见硬伤。 - 搭配'进行航行／探险'的动词搭配用 make voyages 或 make expeditions；'大规模'用 large-scale 作前置形容词修饰 voyages。
降级处理：率领降级为过去分词定语由郑和率领的 用过去分词短语 led by Zheng He 作后置定语修饰 the fleet，不另起从句；到印度洋 用介词短语 to the Indian Ocean 作地点状语；也是在明代 用 It was also during the Ming Dynasty that… 强调句突出'也是在明代'这一时间。
7. 还值得一提的是，中国文学的四大经典名著中有三部写于明代。
参考译法：It is also worth mentioning that three of the four great classic novels of Chinese literature were written during the Ming Dynasty.
主干：值得一提：三部名著写于明代（主语策略：形式主语it）还值得一提的是 用形式主语 It is also worth mentioning that… 引出后面的真正主语从句；从句主干是 四大经典名著中有三部（three of the four great classic novels）作主语，谓语 写于明代（were written during the Ming Dynasty）转被动。
语法点：- 语态与时态被动 + 过去时 were written：书是被写的、写作发生在明代，回指全篇基调。 - 主谓一致主语 three of the four… 的中心词是 three（复数），谓语用复数 were，不是 was；of 后短语不决定谓语单复数，看 of 前的 three。 - 单复数与冠词the four great classic novels：'四大'特指那确定的四部，加 the，novels 用复数；three 后省略的也是 novels（复数概念）。
降级处理：四大中有三部用部分of整体四大经典名著中有三部 用 three of the four great classic novels 表'整体中的部分'；写于明代 的施动者不重要，转被动 were written during the Ming Dynasty。
词汇与译名提示
明朝／明代明朝 与后文 明代 指同一朝代，必须全篇统一为 the Ming Dynasty（约定俗成的固定英译，朝代名首字母大写）；切忌一处 Ming，一处 the Ming Dynasty 来回换。
印度洋印度洋 用约定俗成译名 the Indian Ocean（专有地名，实词首字母大写并加定冠词 the）。
四大经典名著中国文学的四大经典名著 译为 the four great classic novels of Chinese literature；'四大名著'是一个固定整体概念，用 the four great classic novels 这一约定说法，避免逐字直译成 four big famous books。