corvée; forced labor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
corvée; statute labor; forced labor imposed on common people by rulers in ancient times
archaicA historical term referring to the compulsory unpaid labor service exacted from commoners by feudal rulers in ancient China, often including military service, construction of palaces, roads, and walls.
Qín秦
cháo朝
de的
yáo徭
yì役
shí十
fēn分
fán繁
zhòng重
，
bǎi百
xìng姓
kǔ苦
bù不
kān堪
yán言
。
The corvée labor during the Qin Dynasty was extremely heavy, causing untold suffering for the common people.
Tǒng统
zhì治
zhě者
yǐ以
yáo徭
yì役
de的
xíng形
shì式
bō剥
xuē削
nóng农
mín民
。
The rulers exploited the peasants in the form of forced labor.
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Fán繁
zhòng重
de的
yáo徭
yì役
zuì最
zhōng终
dǎo导
zhì致
le了
nóng农
mín民
de的
fǎn反
kàng抗
。
The heavy corvée eventually led to peasant uprisings.