Is this the most beautiful building in the world? - Stephanie Honchell Smith

翻译人员: Grace Man 校对人员: Yip Yan Yeung

It’s 1631 in Burhanpur,

1631 年， 在印度的布尔汉普尔，

and Mumtaz Mahal, beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan,

莫卧儿帝国皇帝沙·贾汗 （Shah Jahan）的爱妻

穆塔兹·玛哈尔 （Mumtaz Maha），

is giving birth to their 14th child.

诞下了他们的第 14 个孩子。

A healthy girl is born, but not without difficulty.

一个健康的女婴诞生， 但过程并非一帆风顺。

Shah Jahan rushes to Mumtaz’s side, but he cannot save her.

沙·贾汗奔向穆塔兹的身边， 但他无法拯救自己的爱人。

Sobbing uncontrollably,

皇帝失声痛哭，决定要 建一座配得上他挚爱皇后的陵墓：

the emperor decides to build a tomb worthy of his queen:

an earthly replica of Paradise to embody their perfect love

它得是天堂仙境在尘世的复制品， 来表达他们这份完美的爱情，

and project the power of the Mughal Empire for all time.

并彰显莫卧儿王朝不朽的权柄。

Construction of the Taj Mahal began roughly seven months later.

大约七个月后，泰姬陵开始动工。

Royal architects worked to bring Shah Jahan’s vision to life

皇家建筑师们努力 将沙·贾汗的愿景变为现实。

at a site chosen by the emperor in the bustling imperial city of Agra.

皇帝为陵墓选址在 繁华的皇城阿格拉。

The Yamuna riverfront was already dotted with exquisite residences,

亚穆纳河的河畔已被别致的 住宅区、花园以及陵园点缀。

gardens, and mausoleums.

But when complete, the Taj Mahal would be the most magnificent structure of all.

但完工之时，泰姬陵将会是 最璀璨夺目的那个建筑。

In addition to housing Mumtaz’s mausoleum, the plans included a garden, mosque,

建筑计划不仅包括穆塔兹的陵寝， 还有花园、清真寺、

bazaar, and several caravanserais to house visiting merchants and diplomats.

集市，以及为商人和外交官 提供住宿的商旅客栈。

Together, this complex would seamlessly blend

整座建筑流畅完美地融合了

Persian, Islamic, Indian, and European styles,

波斯、伊斯兰、印度以及欧洲风格，

establishing the Taj Mahal as the culmination

泰姬陵是莫卧儿 建筑成就的集大成者。

of Mughal architectural achievement.

The entire compound was laid out on a geometric grid,

整个园区的布局具有几何精确性，

incorporating meticulously planned bilateral symmetry.

在建筑美学上，两边完全对称。

To further establish an atmosphere of balance and harmony,

为了进一步营造 平衡与和谐的氛围，

the architects divided the complex into two spheres,

建筑师们将泰姬陵 划分为两个部分，

representing the spiritual and earthly domains.

分别代表精神领域与世俗领域。

Most of the structures were made of brick and red sandstone,

大部分结构由砖块与红砂石砌造，

with white marble accents.

配有白色大理石点缀。

This was a common motif in Mughal architecture,

这是莫卧儿建筑的常见风格，

inspired by ancient Indian traditions

受古代印度传统的启发，

associating white with spiritual purity and red with warriors and royalty.

白色象征着精神世界的纯洁， 而红色象征着勇士与皇族。

But the central mausoleum took more inspiration from the Islamic tradition.

不过中央陵寝的设计灵感 更多地取自伊斯兰传统。

Framed by four minarets,

四周环绕着四座尖塔，

the structure was covered entirely in white marble

整个建筑结构完全被 开采自 400 公里外的

from quarries over 400 kilometers away.

纯白色大理石覆盖。

Its main dome towered above the skyline,

它的主穹顶高耸入云，

and those within the cavernous chamber experienced

室内洞穴式的结构会带来

an otherworldly echo lasting almost 30 seconds.

持续近 30 秒的空灵回声。

Perfecting the Italian stone-working technique, pietra dura,

匠人们将意大利石材加工技术—— 硬石镶嵌（pietra dura）发挥至极致，

craftsmen used all manner of semi-precious stones to create intricate floral designs

采用各式的次等宝石来 打造精致的花纹图案，

representing the eternal gardens of Paradise.

象征着天堂的永恒花园。

Calligraphers covered the walls with Quranic inscriptions.

书法家在墙上刻上《古兰经》经文。

And because the Islamic depiction of Paradise has eight gates,

因为在伊斯兰文化的描述中， 天堂有八个大门，

the mausoleum’s rooms were designed to be octagonal.

所以陵寝的房间被设计成八角形。

The garden in front of the mausoleum was split into four parts

陵寝前的花园采用波斯风格， 被分为四部分，

in the Persian style,

but its flora reflected the Mughals’ nomadic Central Asian heritage.

但是其中的植被体现的是 莫卧儿中亚游牧文化的传承。

Flowers and trees were carefully selected to add color,

精心挑选的花卉和树木为花园增添 亮丽的色彩和香甜的气味。

sweet scents, and fresh fruit to be sold in the bazaar.

新鲜的水果在集市上售卖。

Masons built intersecting walkways, pools, and channels of water

石匠修建了相互交织的步道、 水池、水路通道，

to weave through the lush greenery.

巧妙地穿行于郁郁葱葱的绿植。

Even before its completion,

在泰姬陵未完工之时，

Shah Jahan used the Taj to host the annual commemoration of Mumtaz’s death,

沙·贾汗便用它来举行 穆塔兹每年忌日的悼念活动，

celebrating her reunification with the Divine.

庆祝她与神灵的重聚。

Directly across the river, Shah Jahan built another sprawling garden

在河的正对岸， 沙·贾汗建造了另一个庞大的花园，

with a central pool that perfectly reflected the mausoleum.

其中央水池完美倒映着陵寝。

Building this intricate complex took 12 years

打造这座结构错综复杂的建筑 花费了 12 年，

and employed thousands of skilled craftsmen and artisans,

雇佣了数以千计的能工巧匠——

from masons and bricklayers to masters of pietra dura and calligraphy.

包括石匠、砖匠、硬石镶嵌专家 以及书法家。

After the Taj was completed in 1643,

泰姬陵于 1643 年建成以后，

Shah Jahan retained some of these craftsmen for routine repairs,

沙·贾汗留下了一些匠人 进行日常维修，

and hired Quran reciters, caretakers, and other staff to maintain the complex.

又雇佣了《古兰经》诵读者、管理员 以及其他工作人员来维护建筑。

He paid these workers by establishing a vast endowment for the Taj—

这些工人的工资来自于沙·贾汗 为泰姬陵设立的一笔巨额基金——

a system which remained in place until the early 19th century.

直到 19 世纪早期， 该基金仍在运作。

Since its completion, Shah Jahan’s grand memorial has drawn travelers

自竣工以来，沙·贾汗 这座巨型纪念碑

from around the world.

便吸引着全世界的游客。

And every time a visitor is awed by the mausoleum,

每一次游客在参观时 油然而生的敬畏感，

the emperor’s goal is achieved anew.

都代表着皇帝目标的又一次实现。

Unfortunately, after 15 years of presiding over Mumtaz’s memorial,

不幸的是，泰姬陵 建成的 15 年后，

Shah Jahan fell ill and a war of succession broke out between his sons.

沙·贾汗得了重病， 他的几个儿子开始夺权。

While Shah Jahan eventually recovered, his son, Aurangzeb,

虽然沙·贾汗最终痊愈， 但他的儿子奥朗则布（Aurangzeb）

had already emerged as the new emperor.

已经作为新皇帝开始掌权。

For the last eight years of his life,

在他人生最后的 8 年里，

Shah Jahan lived under house arrest in Agra’s Fort,

沙·贾汗被软禁在阿格拉堡，

where he could see the Taj glimmering in the distance.

他可以遥遥地看着远处 若隐若现的泰姬陵。

When he died in 1666, he was buried next to Mumtaz,

沙·贾汗死于 1666 年，

他的陵寝被置于穆塔兹的旁侧， 破坏了建筑的对称性。

his grave breaking the complex’s symmetry,

so that his wife could remain at the Taj’s center for all eternity.

为的是使他的妻子可以 永恒地处在泰姬陵的中心。

This video was made possible with support from Marriott Hotels.

本视频的制作 由万豪酒店集团支持。

With over 590 hotels and resorts across the globe,

万豪集团旗下超 590 家酒店 和度假村遍布全球，

Marriott Hotels celebrates the curiosity that propels us to travel.

唤起内在的好奇心， 踏上奇妙旅程。

Check out some of the exciting ways TED-Ed and Marriott are working together

来探索 TED-Ed 和 万豪合作的有趣内容，

and book your next journey at Marriott Hotels.

预定你在万豪酒店的下一次旅程。