This non-fiction article dives into the terrifying story of the bubonic plague – how it wiped out up to half of Europe’s population and, surprisingly, ended up giving the survivors a better deal in life.
Key vocab
瘟疫 – wēnyì – plague/epidemic
细菌 – xìjūn – bacteria
跳蚤 – tiàozao5 – flea
肿块 – zhǒngkuài – swelling/lump
蔓延 – mànyán – to spread/to extend
惩罚 – chéngfá – punishment
感染 – gǎnrǎn – to infect/infection
变革 – biàngé – transformation/reform
抗生素 – kàngshēngsù – antibiotics
黑死病：改变欧洲历史的大瘟疫
黑死病是人类历史上最可怕的传染病之一。十四世纪中期，这场瘟疫席卷了整个欧洲，夺走了数千万人的生命。有历史学家估计，当时欧洲三分之一到一半的人口因此死亡。
黑死病是由一种叫做鼠疫杆菌的细菌引起的。这种细菌主要通过老鼠身上的跳蚤传播给人类。十四世纪的欧洲城市非常脏乱，老鼠到处都是，所以疾病传播得非常快。病人首先会发烧，然后身上出现又黑又大的肿块，非常痛苦。大多数病人在几天之内就会死去。因为这些黑色的肿块，人们把这场瘟疫叫做”黑死病”。
黑死病最早出现在中亚，然后沿着商路传到了欧洲。1347年，几艘来自黑海的船到达了意大利的西西里岛。船上的水手不是已经死了，就是病得快死了。人们虽然把船赶走了，但是已经太晚了。瘟疫很快在整个欧洲蔓延开来。
那个时候，人们不知道疾病是怎么传播的。很多人认为这是上帝对人类的惩罚。医生们也不知道怎么治疗，只能眼睁睁地看着病人死去。有些人逃到乡下，希望远离城市就可以逃过瘟疫。但是很多人无论逃到哪里，还是被感染了。
黑死病对欧洲社会产生了巨大的影响。因为死了太多人，农村没有足够的工人种田，城市也没有足够的工人做工。这反而让活下来的普通人有了更多的力量——他们可以要求更高的工资，更好的生活条件。一些历史学家认为，黑死病间接推动了欧洲社会的变革，甚至影响了后来文艺复兴的到来。
今天，鼠疫依然存在，但是现代医学已经可以用抗生素治疗它。黑死病这样的大规模传播已经不太可能再发生了。但是这段历史提醒我们，传染病的力量是非常可怕的，人类永远不应该忽视公共卫生的重要性。
The Black Death: The Plague That Changed European History
The Black Death was one of the most terrifying infectious diseases in human history. In the mid-14th century, this plague swept across all of Europe, claiming the lives of tens of millions of people. Some historians estimate that between one-third and one-half of Europe’s population died as a result.
The Black Death was caused by a type of bacteria called Yersinia pestis (the plague bacillus). This bacteria was mainly transmitted to humans through fleas on rats. European cities in the 14th century were extremely dirty and chaotic, with rats everywhere, so the disease spread very quickly. Patients would first develop a fever, then large black swellings would appear on their bodies, causing extreme suffering. Most patients would die within a few days. Because of these black swellings, people called this plague the “Black Death.”
The Black Death first appeared in Central Asia, then spread to Europe along trade routes. In 1347, several ships from the Black Sea arrived at the island of Sicily in Italy. The sailors on board were either already dead or dying from illness. Although people drove the ships away, it was already too late. The plague quickly spread throughout all of Europe.
At that time, people did not know how diseases spread. Many believed this was God’s punishment on humanity. Doctors also did not know how to treat it and could only watch helplessly as patients died. Some people fled to the countryside, hoping that staying away from cities would help them escape the plague. But many people, no matter where they fled, still became infected.
The Black Death had an enormous impact on European society. Because so many people died, there were not enough workers in rural areas to farm the land, and cities also lacked enough workers. This actually gave the surviving common people more power – they could demand higher wages and better living conditions. Some historians believe that the Black Death indirectly promoted social change in Europe and even influenced the later arrival of the Renaissance.
Today, the plague still exists, but modern medicine can now treat it with antibiotics. A large-scale outbreak like the Black Death is unlikely to happen again. However, this piece of history reminds us that the power of infectious diseases is extremely terrifying, and humanity should never ignore the importance of public health.
