中国自古以来以农立国，农田水利设施特别受到重视，有许多发明创造。我们看看东西方水利机械上的异同。中国古代水利机械呢，最关键的机构是水轮。在展板和沙盘上，您会发现，几乎每个时期中国的水利机械都会有一个大轮子，这就是水轮。它早在西汉就出现了。水流冲刷到水轮的底部，可以转动水轮，把水筒里的水转到顶上，再通过水渠运送到农田。也可以利用水轮转动的力量来磨磨、舂米、鼓风冶铁等等。
Since ancient times, China had regarded agriculture as its foundation and particularly emphasized water conservancy facilities for farmland, which gave rise to agriculture-related inventions. Let’s delve into the similarities and differences between water conservancy machinery in China and Europe. The linchpin to ancient Chinese water conservancy machinery was the water wheel. From the display panel and sand table here, you can see that China’s water conservancy machinery in almost every stage contained a big wheel, that is, a water wheel. It can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. Water flows at the bottom to propel the water wheel, causing it to rotate, transporting the water in the bamboo tube to the top, where it was then transported to farmlands through irrigation channels. The power the water wheel produced could also be applied to grinding, husking rice, casting iron, and more.
而西方也有类似的水利机械。除此之外还一种非常特殊的水利机械，可以抽水。这就是巴比伦时期的阿基米德抽水机，这种抽水机是目前发现最早的可以让水从低处往高处流的器械，通过沙盘上的自动演示模型您可以看到，这种抽水机里面是连续不断的螺旋形结构，只要有人在上面旋转把手，这些螺旋结构就会旋转，把下面的水抽到上面。因为这种抽水机最开始被认为是阿基米德发明的，所以叫阿基米德抽水机，但实际上，考古学家发现它在更早的巴比伦时期就已经存在了。
Similar water conservancy machinery was found in Europe, too. Beyond that, a unique piece of hydraulic machinery that pumped water is worth mentioning. It’s Archimedes Screw from the Babylonian Period, the earliest device ever found that allowed water to flow upwards. As you can see from the demonstration model on the sand table, this pump, with its unbroken spiral structure, operates by rotating the handle to bring the water at the bottom to a higher position. This pump was originally thought to be invented by Archimedes, but in fact, archaeologists confirmed that it existed even earlier in the Babylonian Period.
好，看完了水利机械，我们马可波罗在中国的旅程就要结束了。接下来，他要坐船离开中国，沿海上丝绸之路前往欧洲了。
Now, after learning about ancient water conservancy machinery, we, the Marco Polos, conclude our journey in China. Next, Marco Polo is going to leave China by ship and head back to Europe via the Maritime Silk Road.
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