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There are many surprising stories on the stage of world history.
世界歷史舞臺上上演過許多意外。
The invention of the automobile is one.
汽車的發(fā)明就是其中之一。
And, so, our play begins.
我們的故事也是從這里拉開了帷幕。
In the 1670s, Ferdinand Verbiest was a Flemish Missionary and scientist.
十七世紀(jì)七十年代，費迪南德·韋爾比斯特曾是弗拉芒地區(qū)的一名傳教士兼科學(xué)家。
He was sent to visit the court of the Kangxi Emperor in China.
他被派往參觀中國康熙皇帝的皇宮。
The emperor's court was a dangerous place.
而皇宮是個危險的地方。
When Verbiest arrived, he was held prisoner, almost chopped to bits.
到達(dá)中國后韋爾比斯特被囚禁了起來，差點被剁成肉醬。
But instead was forced to compete in a series of math and astronomy contests.
但他沒有被剁成肉醬，而是被迫參加了一系列數(shù)學(xué)和天文學(xué)競賽。
You know, like you do.
就像大家參加競賽時一樣。
Ultimately, Verbiest's performance so impressed the emperor,
最終，韋爾比斯特憑借出色的表現(xiàn)給皇帝留下了深刻的印象，
he banished the current astronomer and gave Verbiest the job.
皇帝趕走了當(dāng)時的天文學(xué)家，將這份工作交給了韋爾比斯特。
Over the years they became friends.
多年后，他們成了朋友。
Verbiest tutored the emperor in geometry, philosophy and music.
韋爾比斯特還成了皇帝的幾何，哲學(xué)和音樂老師。
Around 1672, Verbiest designed, as a toy for his friend the emperor, a steam propelled trolley.
1672年左右，韋爾比斯特設(shè)計了一臺蒸汽驅(qū)動的推車，原本是想作為玩具送給他的皇帝朋友。
It was an automobile in the truest sense.
但那的確是一臺貨真價實的汽車。
No one really knows if it got built. The drawings that Verbiest did are all that remains.
沒有人清楚他的這一設(shè)計最終是否真的落了地，他當(dāng)時繪制的圖紙已經(jīng)成了這一設(shè)計唯一的憑證。
Nonetheless, those designs are most likely the earliest self-moving machine ever conceived.
盡管如此，這些設(shè)計仍然很可能是有史以來最早的自動機(jī)器設(shè)計。
Many automobiles would follow over the years, but few were conceived as a gift to a merciful emperor/BFF.
盡管各種各樣的汽車隨后相繼出現(xiàn)，但很少像韋爾比斯特的設(shè)計一樣被當(dāng)做禮物送給仁慈的皇帝/鐵哥們兒。
