<p>the quoted text is from <a href="https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&amp;id=9041" rel="noreferrer">史記・大宛列傳</a></p>
<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/06082062.cn/page/n150/mode/2up" rel="noreferrer">https://archive.org/details/06082062.cn/page/n150/mode/2up</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>而天子好宛馬・使者相望於道・諸使外國一輩大者數百・少者百餘人・人所齎操大放博望侯時・其後益習而衰少焉・漢率一歲中使多者十餘・少者五六輩・遠者八九歲・近者數歲而反</p>
</blockquote>
<p>roughly:</p>
<p>而天子好宛馬</p>
<p>and the emperor (aka 漢武帝) was addicted to the horses from central asia (aka <a href="https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%A4%A7%E5%AE%9B" rel="noreferrer">大苑</a>)</p>
<p>使者相望於道</p>
<p>many envoys were on the way</p>
<p>諸使外國一輩大者數百・少者百餘人</p>
<p>every envoys to the foreign countries, the large entourage, accompanied by several hundred assistants / servants, the small one, with 100+ assistants / servants</p>
<p>人所齎操大放博望侯時</p>
<p>people brought souvenirs, and their spending, were more than the times of 博望侯 (aka [張騫])<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Qian" rel="noreferrer">3</a></p>
<p>其後益習而衰少焉 (<strong>warning</strong>: the ctext.org used the character “后”)</p>
<p>afterward, they’re more accustomed, and [the souvenirs and spendings) were less</p>
<p>漢率一歲中使多者十餘・少者五六輩</p>
<p>the han dynasty, generally, each year; “often-ly”, sent 10+ envoys. seldomly, 5-6 entourages</p>
<p>遠者八九歲・近者數歲而反</p>
<p>[those went to] faraway [countries] would return after 8-9 years, [those went to] nearer [countries] would return after a few years</p>
<p>mr 司馬, his writing style is very special, even amongst several thousands years. imo, most novices would have difficulty to comprehend his text.</p>
<p>on the other hand, his text is vivid, and interesting </p>
<p>have fun :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T12:14:22.187Z
"(warning: the ctext.org used the character “后”". Actually, [ctext.org](https://ctext.org/text.pl?node=9041&if=gb&show=parallel) has two versions of the text, one using 後(漢書·張騫李廣利傳), the other 后(史記·大宛列傳).
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T12:49:36.693Z
@joehua, that’s why i provide a link to the pdf file, from archive.org 
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T13:12:19.780Z
＠水巷孑蠻 Thanks for the explanation. Now that I read your answer more carefully, I found that the archive.org link you provided displays scanned pages of 史記, in which 後 is used. So, I'm not sure why ctext.org claims 后 is used in 史記. Probably they have a different print of 史記.
joehua
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T13:52:57.923Z
Thanks. Now the text is clear to me. Does 辈 mean the number of the entourage members?
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T14:08:25.533Z
@NanningYouth, “ Does 辈 mean the number of the entourage members? ” no. “輩” is used as a quantifier. 「輩」還用作量詞，古代六十騎為一輩。  see http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=輩 i interpreted it as the quantifier of entourage
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-15T11:43:31.733Z
2022-06-15T11:43:31.733Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>天子好宛马，使者相望于道。诸使外国一辈大者数百，少者百馀人，人所赍操大放博望侯时。其后益习而衰少焉。汉率一岁中使多者十馀，少者五六辈，远者八九岁，近者数岁而反。
I know (but am not sure)the first part that the Emperor loves horses and have diplomatic missionaries go abroad. The rest is beyond my understanding.</p>

<sentence>
What does this paragraph of 史记 mean?
# What does this paragraph of 史记 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-15)

天子好宛马，使者相望于道。诸使外国一辈大者数百，少者百馀人，人所赍操大放博望侯时。其后益习而衰少焉。汉率一岁中使多者十馀，少者五六辈，远者八九岁，近者数岁而反。
I know (but am not sure)the first part that the Emperor loves horses and have diplomatic missionaries go abroad. The rest is beyond my understanding.

**Tags:** sentence


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-06-15. Score: 8

the quoted text is from [史記・大宛列傳](https://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=gb&id=9041)

<https://archive.org/details/06082062.cn/page/n150/mode/2up>

> 而天子好宛馬・使者相望於道・諸使外國一輩大者數百・少者百餘人・人所齎操大放博望侯時・其後益習而衰少焉・漢率一歲中使多者十餘・少者五六輩・遠者八九歲・近者數歲而反

roughly:

而天子好宛馬

and the emperor (aka 漢武帝) was addicted to the horses from central asia (aka [大苑](https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%A4%A7%E5%AE%9B))

使者相望於道

many envoys were on the way

諸使外國一輩大者數百・少者百餘人

every envoys to the foreign countries, the large entourage, accompanied by several hundred assistants / servants, the small one, with 100+ assistants / servants

人所齎操大放博望侯時

people brought souvenirs, and their spending, were more than the times of 博望侯 (aka [張騫])[3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Qian)

其後益習而衰少焉 (**warning**: the ctext.org used the character “后”)

afterward, they’re more accustomed, and [the souvenirs and spendings) were less

漢率一歲中使多者十餘・少者五六輩

the han dynasty, generally, each year; “often-ly”, sent 10+ envoys. seldomly, 5-6 entourages

遠者八九歲・近者數歲而反

[those went to] faraway [countries] would return after 8-9 years, [those went to] nearer [countries] would return after a few years

mr 司馬, his writing style is very special, even amongst several thousands years. imo, most novices would have difficulty to comprehend his text.

on the other hand, his text is vivid, and interesting

have fun :)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: "(warning: the ctext.org used the character “后”". Actually, [ctext.org](https://ctext.org/text.pl?node=9041&if=gb&show=parallel) has two versions of the text, one using 後(漢書·張騫李廣利傳), the other 后(史記·大宛列傳).  
> **username_1**: @username_2, that’s why i provide a link to the pdf file, from archive.org   
> **username_2**: ＠username_1 Thanks for the explanation. Now that I read your answer more carefully, I found that the archive.org link you provided displays scanned pages of 史記, in which 後 is used. So, I'm not sure why ctext.org claims 后 is used in 史記. Probably they have a different print of 史記.  
> **username_0**: Thanks. Now the text is clear to me. Does 辈 mean the number of the entourage members?  
> **username_1**: @username_0, “ Does 辈 mean the number of the entourage members? ” no. “輩” is used as a quantifier. 「輩」還用作量詞，古代六十騎為一輩。  see http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-mf/search.php?word=輩 i interpreted it as the quantifier of entourage  

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