捕蛇者说

《捕蛇者说》原文

永州之野产异蛇：黑质而白章，触草木尽死；以啮人，无御之者。然得而腊之以为饵，可以已大风、挛踠、瘘疠，去死肌，杀三虫。其始太医以王命聚之，岁赋其二。募有能捕之者，当其租入。永之人争奔走焉。
有蒋氏者，专其利三世矣。问之，则曰：“吾祖死于是，吾父死于是，今吾嗣为之十二年，几死者数矣。”言之貌若甚戚者。余悲之，且曰：“若毒之乎？余将告于莅事者，更若役，复若赋，则何如？”蒋氏大戚，汪然出涕，曰：“君将哀而生之乎？则吾斯役之不幸，未若复吾赋不幸之甚也。向吾不为斯役，则久已病矣。自吾氏三世居是乡，积于今六十岁矣。而乡邻之生日蹙，殚其地之出，竭其庐之入。号呼而转徙，饥渴而顿踣。触风雨，犯寒暑，呼嘘毒疠，往往而死者，相藉也。曩与吾祖居者，今其室十无一焉。与吾父居者，今其室十无二三焉。与吾居十二年者，今其室十无四五焉。非死则徙尔，而吾以捕蛇独存。悍吏之来吾乡，叫嚣乎东西，隳突乎南北；哗然而骇者，虽鸡狗不得宁焉。吾恂恂而起，视其缶，而吾蛇尚存，则弛然而卧。谨食之，时而献焉。退而甘食其土之有，以尽吾齿。盖一岁之犯死者二焉，其余则熙熙而乐，岂若吾乡邻之旦旦有是哉。今虽死乎此，比吾乡邻之死则已后矣，又安敢毒耶？”
余闻而愈悲，孔子曰：“苛政猛于虎也！”吾尝疑乎是，今以蒋氏观之，犹信。呜呼！孰知赋敛之毒，有甚是蛇者乎！故为之说，以俟夫观人风者得焉。

中文翻译

永州的野外生长着一种奇异的蛇：黑色的质地，白色的花纹；它碰到草木，草木全都干枯而死；如果咬了人，没有能够抵挡蛇毒的办法。然而捉到后把它晾干用来做成药饵，可以用来治愈大风、挛踠、瘘、疠等恶疮，去除坏死的肌肉，杀死人体内的寄生虫。起初，太医用皇帝的命令征集这种蛇，每年征收这种蛇两次，招募能够捕捉这种蛇的人，充抵他的赋税缴纳。永州的人都争着去做（捕蛇）这件事。
有个姓蒋的人家，享有这种（捕蛇而不纳税的）好处三代了。我问他，他却说：“我的祖父死在捕蛇这件差事上，我父亲也死在这件事情上。现在我继承祖业干这差事也已十二年了，险些丧命也有好几次了。”他说这番话时，神情像是很悲伤。我很同情他，就说：“你怨恨这差事吗？我将要告诉管理政事的人，让他更换你的差事，恢复你的赋税，那么怎么样？”蒋氏(听了),更加悲伤，满眼含泪地说：“您是哀怜我，使我活下去吗？我这差事的不幸，还不如恢复我赋税遭受的不幸那么厉害呀。如果我不干这差事，那我早已困苦不堪了。自从我家三代住到这个地方，累计到现在，已经六十年了，可乡邻们的生活一天天地窘迫，把他们土地上生产出来的都拿去，把他们家里的收入也尽数拿去(交租税仍不够)，只得号啕痛哭辗转逃亡，又饥又渴倒在地上，(一路上)顶着狂风暴雨，冒着严寒酷暑，呼吸着带毒的疫气，一个接一个死去,处处死人互相压着。从前和我祖父同住在这里的，现在十户当中剩不下一户了；和我父亲住在一起的人家，现在十户当中只有不到两三户了；和我一起住了十二年的人家，现在十户当中只有不到四五户了。那些人家不是死了就是迁走了。可是我却凭借捕蛇这个差事才唯独存活了下来。凶暴的官吏来到我乡，到处吵嚷叫嚣，到处骚扰，那种喧闹的样子惊扰了乡间的平静，即使是鸡狗也不得安宁呢！我就小心翼翼地起来，看看我的瓦罐，我的蛇还在，就放心地躺下了。我小心地喂养蛇，到规定的日子把它献上去。回家后有滋有味地吃着田地里出产的东西，来度过我的余年。估计一年当中冒死的情况只是两次,其余时间我都可以快快乐乐地过日子。哪像我的乡邻们天天都在危险之中呢！现在我即使死在这差事上，比起我的乡邻就已经死在后面了，又怎么敢怨恨（捕蛇这件事）呢？
我听了(蒋氏的诉说)越听越悲伤。孔子说：“苛酷的统治比老虎还要凶暴啊!”我曾经怀疑过这句话，现在根据蒋氏的遭遇来看这句话，还真是可信的。唉！谁知道苛捐杂税的毒害比这种毒蛇的毒害更厉害呢！所以（我）写了这篇“说”,以期待那些朝廷派出的用来考察民情的人得到它。

英文翻译

In the wilds of Yongzhou, there is a kind of strange snake. Its body is black with white stripes. Wherever it touches, the grass and trees wither and die; if it bites a person, there is no way to resist its venom. However, when it is captured, dried, and made into a medicinal bait, it can cure such serious diseases as leprosy, convulsions, fistulas, and ulcers, remove necrotic muscles, and kill parasites in the human body. At first, the imperial physician collected this kind of snake by imperial order, levying it twice a year, and recruiting those who could catch it to offset their tax payments. People in Yongzhou all vied with each other to do this job.
There was a family surnamed Jiang who had enjoyed the privilege of catching this kind of snake without paying taxes for three generations. When I asked him about it, he said, "My grandfather died from this job, and my father also died from it. Now I've been doing this for twelve years since inheriting the family business, and I've almost died several times." As he spoke, his expression looked very sad. I felt sympathy for him and said, "Do you resent this job? I'm going to report to the official in charge and ask him to transfer you to another job and restore your tax payment. How about that?" Jiang's family became even more sorrowful, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Are you pitying me and trying to keep me alive? The misfortune of this job is nothing compared to the greater misfortune of resuming tax payments. If I hadn't done this job, I would have been in dire straits long ago. Since my family has lived in this place for three generations, up to now it has been sixty years. During this time, the lives of my neighbors have become increasingly difficult day by day. They have exhausted everything produced from their land and all the income from their homes. They cry out and wander around, starving and thirsty, collapsing on the ground. They are exposed to wind, rain, cold, heat, and poisonous diseases, and those who die one after another are piled up on top of each other. Among those who used to live with my grandfather, now only one out of ten families remains. Among those who lived with my father, now only two or three out of ten families remain. Among those who have lived with me for twelve years, now only four or five out of ten families remain. They either died or moved away. Only I have survived by catching snakes. When the fierce tax collectors come to our village, they shout and make a racket in all directions; they cause chaos everywhere. Even the chickens and dogs can't have peace. I get up cautiously, check my jar, and as long as my snake is still there, I can lie down and relax. I carefully feed it and offer it on time. After that, I happily enjoy the local produce and live out my remaining years. It's estimated that I only face life - threatening situations twice a year, and for the rest of the time, I can live a happy life. How can it be compared to my neighbors who are in danger every single day? Even if I die from this job now, I've already outlived my neighbors. How could I possibly resent it?"
As I listened, I felt even more sorrowful. Confucius said, "Cruel government is more ferocious than a tiger!" I once doubted this statement, but now, looking at Jiang's family's experience, I realize it's true. Alas! Who would have thought that the harm caused by heavy taxes is even worse than the venom of this snake? Therefore, I wrote this essay, hoping that those officials sent by the court to observe the people's livelihood will read it.

背景补充

创作背景

《捕蛇者说》创作于唐宪宗元和年间（806 - 820 年）。当时唐朝经历了安史之乱后，社会矛盾日益尖锐，藩镇割据、宦官专权等问题严重，国家财政困难。为了增加财政收入，统治者不断增加赋税，百姓生活苦不堪言。柳宗元被贬为永州司马期间，深入民间，了解到了百姓在苛捐杂税下的悲惨遭遇，有感而发创作了这篇文章。

作者简介

柳宗元（773 年－819 年），字子厚，河东郡（今山西运城永济）人，世称“柳河东”“河东先生”。他是唐代杰出的文学家、思想家、哲学家、散文家和诗人，“唐宋八大家”之一。
柳宗元一生积极参与政治革新运动，与韩愈共同倡导古文运动，并称为“韩柳”。他的文学成就颇高，其散文题材广泛，体裁多样，寓言、山水游记、传记等都有很高的艺术价值。代表作有《永州八记》《捕蛇者说》《封建论》等。他的诗歌也独具特色，风格清峭自然。

文章主旨

《捕蛇者说》通过描写蒋氏一家三代以捕蛇抵税的悲惨遭遇，以及乡邻们在苛捐杂税下的艰难生活，深刻地揭露了当时封建统治阶级横征暴敛的罪恶，表达了作者对劳动人民的深切同情，同时也揭示了“赋敛之毒有甚是蛇者”的社会现实，体现了作者对黑暗社会的批判和对人民疾苦的关注。

作品影响

《捕蛇者说》是一篇具有深刻思想内涵和强烈感染力的散文，在文学史上具有重要地位。它以其真实生动的描写、深刻的思想和精湛的艺术技巧，成为了中国古代文学的经典之作。这篇文章不仅在当时引起了人们对社会现实的关注和反思，而且对后世的文学创作和社会思想产生了深远的影响。后世许多文人学者在论述民生疾苦、批判社会黑暗等问题时，常常引用这篇文章中的观点和事例。同时，它也为中国古代散文的发展做出了重要贡献，其叙事、抒情、议论相结合的写作手法，为后世散文创作提供了借鉴。