第33部分(第4/7 页)

　Luoyang　was　presently　entered。　Within　the　walls　all　was　destruction。　The　palaces　and　halls　had　been　burned；　the　streets　were　overgrown　with　grass　and　brambles　and　obstructed　by　heaps　of　ruins。　The　palaces　and　courts　were　represented　by　broken　roofs　and　toppling　walls。　A　small　〃palace〃　however　was　soon　built；　and　therein　the　officers　of　court　presented　their　congratulations；　standing　in　the　open　air　among　thorn　hushes　and　brambles。　The　reign　style　was　changed　from　Prosperous　Stability　to　Rebuilt　Tranquillity；　the　first　year　（AD　196）。

The　year　was　grievous　with　famine。　The　Luoyang　people；　even　reduced　in　numbers　as　they　were　to　a　few　hundreds；　had　not　enough　to　eat　and　they　prowled　about　stripping　the　bark　off　trees　and　grubbing　up　the　roots　of　plants　to　satisfy　their　starving　hunger。　Officers　of　the　government　of　all　but　the　highest　ranks　went　out　into　the　country　to　gather　fuel。　Many　people　were　crushed　by　the　falling　walls　of　burned　houses。　At　no　time　during　the　decadence　of　Han　did　misery　press　harder　than　at　this　period。

A　poem　written　in　pity　for　the　sufferings　of　that　time　says：

Mortally　wounded；　the　white　serpent　poured　forth　its　life　blood　at　Mangdang　Hills；

Blood…red　pennons　of　war　waved　then　in　every　quarter；

Chieftain　with　chieftain　strove　and　raided　each　other's　borders；

Midst　the　turmoil　and　strife　the　Kingship　even　was　threatened。

Wickedness　stalks　in　a　country　when　the　King　is　a　weakling；

Brigandage　always　is　rife；　when　a　dynasty's　failing；

Had　one　a　heart　of　iron；　wholly　devoid　of　feeling；

Yet　would　one　surely　grieve　at　the　sight　of　such　desolation。

Imperial　Guardian　Yang　Biao　memorialized　the　Throne；　saying；　〃The　decree　issued　to　me　some　time　ago　has　never　been　acted　upon。　Now