Fundamental Classical Chinese

[skylee]

Let's share.

賣柑者言, the origin of the chengyu "金玉其外，敗絮其中", is a good start ->

Original ->

《賣柑者言》 劉基

杭有賣果者，善藏柑，涉寒暑不潰，出之燁然，玉質而金色；置于市，賈十倍，人爭鬻之。予貿得其一，剖之，如有煙撲口鼻；視其中，則乾若敗絮。予怪而問之曰：「若所市於人者，將以實籩豆，奉祭祀、供賓客乎？將衒外以惑愚瞽也？甚矣哉，為欺也。」

賣者笑曰：「吾業是有年矣。吾賴是以食吾軀。吾售之，人取之，未聞有言，而獨不足子所乎？世之為欺者，不寡矣，而獨我也乎？吾子未之思也。今夫佩虎符、坐皋比者，洸洸乎干城之具也，果能授孫吳之略耶？峨大冠、拖長紳者，昂昂乎廟堂之器也，果能建伊皋之業耶？盜起而不知御，民困而不知救，吏奸而不知禁，法斁而不知理，坐糜廩粟而不知恥；觀其坐坐高堂、騎大馬、醉醉醴而飫肥鮮者，孰不巍巍乎可畏、赫赫可象也？又何往而不金玉其外、敗絮其中也哉？今子，是之不察，而以察吾柑！」

予默然無以應。退而思其言，類東方生滑稽之流。豈其忿世嫉邪者耶？而託於柑以諷耶？

Translation in modern Chinese ->

杭州有個賣水果的，很會收藏橙柑，經歷嚴寒和酷暑也不會潰爛，拿出來還是光采鮮亮，質地如溫玉而顏色如黃金。放在市場中，要價比平常高十倍，人們卻爭相購買。我也花錢買了一個，打開來，像有一陣煙撲向口鼻，檢視裏面，發現乾得像破舊的棉絮。我覺得我奇怪，就問他：「你所賣給人的橙柑，是要用來盛在祭器裡祭祀上天、招待賓客的呢？還是炫耀外表來愚弄那些傻子、盲人的呢？這樣騙人，太過分了吧！」

賣橙柑的人笑着說：「我做這種買賣很多年了，我靠着這個養活自己。我賣它，別人買它，沒聽到有人說過甚麼話，怎麼只有先生您覺得不滿意呢？世上做欺人之事的，不少啊！難道只有我嗎？先生你沒有仔細想想。現在那些佩掛着兵符，坐在虎皮座褥上的人，威武勇毅得真像是捍衛城池的大將，但是他們真能拿出如孫武、吳起那樣的謀略嗎？那些戴着高大的帽子，垂着大腰帶的人，高傲神氣得也真像朝廷的能臣呀！可是又真能建立如伊尹、皋陶那般的功業嗎？盜賊屢起卻不知去對付，人民困苦卻不知救助，官吏奸邪卻不知禁止，法紀敗壞卻不知整飭，安坐着消耗國家倉庫裏的糧食卻不知羞恥，你看那些坐在高敞的廳堂，騎着壯大的好馬，沈醉在醇粹醲厚的美酒而飽食美鮮味的人，那個不是威嚴得讓人害怕，顯赫得讓人羨慕呢，但是又那裏不是外表像黃金美玉，裏面卻像破舊的棉絮一樣呢！現在先生您不察看這些，卻來察看我的橙柑！」

我默默地，找不出一句話來回應他，回頭想想他的話，很像東方朔那種詼諧滑稽的人，難道他是憤世嫉俗、痛惡奸邪的人，借橙柑來諷諫嗎？ (source)

Translation in English ->

What The Orange Vendor Said - Liu Ji

There was a fruit vendor in Hangzhou. He knew well how to preserve oranges. They did not rot even after a year of storage, and looked fresh and shining when taken out to the market. They were jasper-like, as bright as gold. People would rush to buy them even if the price was ten times higher than the usual one. I also bought one. But when cut up, the orange gave off a kind of smoke and the middle was dried like waste cotton. I felt curious and asked him, “Do you mean to sell them to people who will put them in a tray to offer as the sacrifices to the gods, or to entertain their guests? Or do you want to show off their outward appearance to delude the silly and the blind into buying them? It is too shameful a thing to cheat others!”

The fruit vendor replied, laughing, “I have been doing this job for many years and have been depending on it for a living. I do the selling and people do the buying. Never have I heard anyone complain. But you alone are not satisfied! How can I be the only one who cheats with so many people doing similar things? Haven't you thought of that? Can those majestic looking city defenders, who are holding tiger-shaped tallies and sitting in the chairs covered with the tiger skin, master the art of war advocated by Sun Wu and Wu Qi? Can those arrogant looking pillars of society, who wear tall hats on their heads and long girdles around their waists, accomplish great deeds like Yi Yin and Gao Yao? They don't know how to resist when bandits rise up, nor do they know how to provide relief when people are poverty-stricken, nor do they know how to suppress the misbehavior of corrupt officials, nor do they know how to rectify the situation when laws and disciplines are in disorder, nor do they know shame when they recklessly squander the national revenue.

Look at them! They are sitting in great halls, riding on big horses, intoxicated with good wine, and stuffed with delicious food. Aren't they so awe-inspiring as to intimidate the common people and so imposing as to call forth people's admiration? Aren't they all having a foul interior beneath a fair exterior? Now you are complaining about the oranges instead of these people!”

I was speechless and unable to reply. But back at home, pondering over his words, I thought he might be a witty and humorous person like Dongfang Shuo. Isn't he a misanthrope who detests social injustices and is making use of the orange to satirize? (source)

[skylee]

If you are not interested in oranges, perhaps we could read something about the lotus flowers? Here is this very famous piece, written in Song Dynasty, which is the origin of famous set phrases such as "出淤泥而不染", "中通外直" and "可遠觀而不可褻玩" ->

Original ->

《愛蓮說》周敦頤

水陸草木之花，可愛者甚蕃。晉陶淵明獨愛菊 ；自李唐來， 世人甚愛牡丹。予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖 。中通外直，不蔓不枝，香遠益清，亭亭靜植，可遠觀而不可褻玩焉。

予謂： 菊，花之隱逸者也；牡丹，花之富貴者也；蓮，花之君子者也。噫！菊之愛，陶後鮮有聞；蓮之愛，同予者何人；牡丹之愛，宜乎眾矣。

Translation in modern Chinese ->

水中、陸地的花兒，可愛的有很多。晉代的陶淵明只愛菊花。唐代以來，世人十分喜愛牡丹。我卻只愛蓮花，因為蓮花從污泥中生出卻沒有被污染，經過清水洗滌卻並不妖豔，中間通透，外形挺直，不牽牽連連，不枝枝節節的（不蔓不枝），香氣在遠處更加清幽，筆直潔淨地立在那裏，只能在遠處觀賞而不能拿在手裏玩弄。

我認為菊花是花中的隱士；牡丹是花中的富貴者；蓮花是花中的君子。唉！愛菊花的人，陶淵明之後很少再聽到。愛蓮花，像我這樣的還有誰呢？愛牡丹的人，該是很多了。 (source)

You can find five versions of English translation here.

[Mark Yong]

Hi, Skylee,

Thanks for sharing your translations! If I am not mistaken, you obtained the 賣柑者言 text from 古文觀止, which I recently purchased, and am currently struggling to read and understand!

Yes, I will be most happy to read your translations, both in 白話文 and also in your lucid English interpretations (much better than the overly-literal translations that I have heard/read!). Keep up your good work!

And if you can suggest any other printed resources for 文言文 text, especially those written closer to our era (late-Qing, or even in the 20th century), I will be happy to hear from you. I am interested to read 文言文 texts outside the 'standard' stuff (e.g. 四書五經, 唐詩, etc.), and want to find more obscure writings.

Cheers,

Mark

[skylee]

Just to clarify that those are not my translations. You can find the sources of the translations in the posts.

Glad to know that someone is interested.

[skylee]

This is a very short, easy and famous piece from Tang Dynasty.

Original ->

《陋室銘》劉禹錫

山不在高，有仙則名。水不在深，有龍則靈。斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。苔痕上階綠，草色入簾青。談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁。可以調素琴，閱金經。無絲竹之亂耳，無案牘之勞形。南陽諸葛廬，西蜀子雲亭。孔子云：「何陋之有?」

Translation in modern Chinese ->

山並不在於高，只要有神仙居住便會出名。水並不在於深，只要有蛟龍潛藏便顯出神靈。這是一間簡陋的房屋，我的美德使它遠近聞名。蒼綠的青苔爬上石階，青翠的草色映入門簾。在屋裡談笑的都是學問淵博的人，來來住住的沒有不學無術之士。這裡可以彈奏樸素無華的琴，可以閱讀佛經。沒有音樂擾亂聽覺，沒有公文案卷使身體勞累。這裡好像南陽諸葛亮的草蘆，如同西蜀揚雄的茅亭。正如孔子所說︰「何陋之有？」 (source)

Translation in English (some call this essay "Homage to My Humble Hut", others call it "Record of a Crude Dwelling", etc) ->

Mountains are not only about height: they are only famous if immortals live there.

Seas are not only about depth: they only have spirit if a dragon lives in them.

Thus is my simple hut, with only the fragrance of my own virtue.

Green lichen is coming up the steps, the color of grass comes through the neutral window screen.

Talk and laughter have erudition, no ignorant people pass to and fro.

One can play a simple qin, or read the Diamond Sutra.

There is not the jarring sound of common music, no straining over work files.

Nanyang had the cottage of Zhuge Liang, Western Sichuan had the pavilion of Yang Xiong.

Confucius said, (If a gentleman lives there,) how can it be crude? (source)

[shibo77]

My grandparent's has a calligraphy scroll of 《陋室銘》 in their living room, I remember that I scribbled out 靈 and wrote 灵 with a pen when I was younger...

Do we simply paste simple excerpts in Classical Chinese here?

-Shibo

[skylee]

Do we simply paste simple excerpts in Classical Chinese here?

I suppose the "fundamental" in the heading would imply the texts being "simple". The essays I've posted so far are not excerpts as far as I know. And of course you could do more than pasting. I, on the other hand, having very limited knowledge on classical chinese, can do no more than finding and pasting easy pieces and their translations here.

[Mark Yong]

Here's one of my favourites: 孫子吳起列傳 from 史記.

孫子武者，齊人也。Ⅰ以兵法見于吳王闔閭。闔閭曰：“子之十三篇，吾盡觀之矣，可以小試勒兵乎？”對曰：“可。”闔閭曰：“可試以婦人乎？”曰： “可。”于是許之，出宮中美女，得百八十人。孫子分為二隊，以王之寵姬二人各為隊長，皆令持戟。令之曰：“汝知而心與左右手背乎？”婦人曰：“知之。”孫子曰：“前，則視心；左，視左手；右，視右手；後, 即視背。”婦人曰：“諾。”約束既布，乃設鈇鉞，即三令五申之。于是鼓之右，婦人大笑。孫子曰：“約束不明，申令不熟，將之罪也。”復三令五申而鼓之左，婦人復大笑。孫子曰：“約束不明，申令不熟，將之罪也；既已明而不如法者，吏士之罪也。” 乃欲斬左古隊長。吳王從台上觀，見且斬愛姬，大駭。趣使使下令曰：“寡人已知將軍能用兵矣。寡人非此二姬，食不甘味，願勿斬也。”孫子曰：“臣既已受命為將，將在軍，君命有所不受。”遂斬隊長二人以徇。用其次為隊長，于是復鼓之。婦人左右前後起皆中規矩繩墨，無敢出聲。于是孫子使使報王曰：“兵既整齊，王可試下觀之，唯王所欲用之，雖赴水火猶可也。”吳王曰：“將軍罷休就舍，寡人不願下觀。”孫子曰：“王徒好其言，不能用其實。”于是闔閭知孫子能用兵，卒以為將。西破強楚，入郢，北威齊晉，顯名諸侯，孫子與有力焉。

** Translation taken from Samuel B. Griffith "Sun Tzu - The Art of War" (1963), pp 57-59. **

Sun Tzu was a native of Ch'i who by means of his book on the art of war secured an audience with Ho-lu, King of Wu.

Ho-Lu (King of Wu) said, "I have read your thirteen chapters, SIr, in their entirety. Can you conduct a minor experiment in control of the movement of troops?"

Sun Tzu replied, "I can".

Ho-lu asked, "Can you conduct this test using women?"

Sun Tzu replied, "Yes."

The King thereupon agreed and sent from the palace one hundred and eighty beautiful women.

Sun Tzu divided them into two companies and put the King's two favorite concubines in command. He instructed them all how to hold halberds. He then said, "Do you know where the heart is, and where the right and left hands and the back are?"

The women said, "We know."

Sun Tzu said, "When I give the order "Front," face in the direction of the heart; when I say "Left," face toward the left hand; when I say "Right" toward the right; when I say "Rear," face in the direction of your backs."

The women said, "We understand."

When these regulations had been announced the executioner's weapons were arranged.

Sun Tzu then gave the orders three times and explained them five times, after which he beat on the drum the signal "Face Right." The women all roared with laughter.

Sun Tzu said, "If instructions are not clear and commands not explicit, it is the commander's fault. But when they have been made clear, and are not carried out in accordance with military law, it is a crime on the part of the officers." Then he ordered that the commanders of the right and left ranks be beheaded.

The King of Wu, who was reviewing the proceedings from his terrace, aw that his two beloved concubines were about to be executed. He was terrified, and hurriedly sent an aide with this message: "I already know that the General is able to employ troops. Without these two concubines my food will not taste sweet. It is my desired that they be not executed."

Sun Tzu replied: "Your servant has already received your appointment

as Commander and when the commander is at the head of the army he need not accept all the sovereign's orders."

Consequently he ordered that the two women who had commanded the ranks be executed as an example. He then used the next seniors as company commanders.

Thereupon he repeated the signals on the drum, and the women faced left, right, to the front, to the rear, knelt and rose all in strict accordance with the prescribed drill. They did not dare to make the slightest noise.

Sun Tzu then sent a messenger to the King and informed him: "The troops are now in good order. The King may descend to review and inspect them. They may be employed as the King desires, even to the extent of going through fire and water."

Sun Tzu then sent a messenger to the King and informed him: "The troops are now in good order. The King may descend to review and inspect them. They may be employed as the King desires, even to the extent of going through fire and water."

The King of Wu said, "The General may go to his hostel and rest. I do not wish to come to inspect them."

Sun Tzu said, "The King likes only empty words. He is not capable of putting them into practice."

Ho-Lu then realized Sun Tzu's capacity as a commander, and eventually made him a general. Sun Tzue defeated the strong State of Ch'u to the west and entered Ying; to the north he intimidated Ch'i and Chin. The the name of Wu was illustrious among the feudal lords was partly due to his achievements.

[skylee]

I think it is 闔閭 (this is how I usually see the name writen), but info on the internet says 闔廬 is also ok. I see two squares - one before "視背", the other before "三令五申之" (yet another chengyu from Shiji). I suppose they are "即", right? BTW the script (simplified vs traditional) does not seem very consistent ...

This is amazingly easy to understand, though it was written over 2000 years ago.

[Mark Yong]

Hi, Skylee,

Thanks for your comments! Please pardon my laziness, I actually copied-and-pasted the text from another webpage! I have made the necessary corrections as follows:

I think it is 闔閭

You are right, I also see it written as 閭 more often.

I see two squares - one before "視背", the other before "三令五申之" (yet another chengyu from Shiji). I suppose they are "即", right?

The first square (before "視背") is 即, as you correctly pointed out. The second square (before "三令五申之") is actually 復. I think they appeared due to difference in encoding between the source page and ours.

BTW the script (simplified vs traditional) does not seem very consistent ...

I think you are referring to the 後/后. I have changed all the 后 to 後.

Have I missed out any other mistakes?

This is amazingly easy to understand, though it was written over 2000 years ago.

I fully agree. I actually found it much easier to understand than the 序 Preface of the 古文觀止, and that was written only 400-odd years ago!

[skylee]

Re 闔閭 vs 闔廬. Looks like Sima Qian used the latter in Shiji. Take a look at this ->http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:JCdQ_vgdFV8J:bbs.pep.com.cn/thread-61515-1-1.html+%E9%97%94%E5%BB%AC+%E9%97%94%E9%96%AD&hl=zh-TW&gl=hk&ct=clnk&cd=27

According to some taiwanese online resources, it is 即 before the first "三令五申". Here is one version ->

孫 子 武 者 ， 齊 人 也 。 以 兵 法 見 於 吳 王 闔 廬 。 闔 廬 曰 ： 「 子 之 十 三 篇 ， 吾 盡 觀 之 矣 ， 可 以 小 試 勒 兵 乎 ？ 」 對 曰 ： 「 可 。 」 闔 廬 曰 ： 「 可 試 以 婦 人 乎 ？ 」 曰 ： 「 可 。 」 於 是 許 之 ， 出 宮 中 美 女 ， 得 百 八 十 人 。 孫 子 分 為 二 隊 ， 以 王 之 寵 姬 二 人 各 為 隊 長 ， 皆 令 持 戟 。 令 之 曰 ： 「 汝 知 而 心 與 左 右 手 背 乎 ？ 」 婦 人 曰 ： 「 知 之 。 」 孫 子 曰 ： 「 前 ， 則 視 心 ； 左 ， 視 左 手 ； 右 ， 視 右 手 ； 後 ， 即 視 背 。 」 婦 人 曰 ： 「 諾 。 」 約 束 既 布 ， 乃 設 鈇 鉞 ， 即 三 令 五 申 之 。 於 是 鼓 之 右 ， 婦 人 大 笑 。 孫 子 曰 ： 「 約 束 不 明 ， 申 令 不 熟 ， 將 之 罪 也 。 」 復 三 令 五 申 而 鼓 之 左 ， 婦 人 復 大 笑 。 孫 子 曰 ： 「 約 束 不 明 ， 申 令 不 熟 ， 將 之 罪 也 ； 既 已 明 而 不 如 法 者 ， 吏 士 之 罪 也 。 」 乃 欲 斬 左 古 隊 長 。 吳 王 從 臺 上 觀 ， 見 且 斬 愛 姬 ， 大 駭 。 趣 使 使 下 令 曰 ： 「 寡 人 已 知 將 軍 能 用 兵 矣 。 寡 人 非 此 二 姬 ， 食 不 甘 味 ， 願 勿 斬 也 。 」 孫 子 曰 ： 「 臣 既 已 受 命 為 將 ， 將 在 軍 ， 君 命 有 所 不 受 。 」 遂 斬 隊 長 二 人 以 徇 。 用 其 次 為 隊 長 ， 於 是 復 鼓 之 。 婦 人 左 右 前 後 跪 起 皆 中 規 矩 繩 墨 ， 無 敢 出 聲 。 於 是 孫 子 使 使 報 王 曰 ： 「 兵 既 整 齊 ， 王 可 試 下 觀 之 ， 唯 王 所 欲 用 之 ， 雖 赴 水 火 猶 可 也 。 」 吳 王 曰 ： 「 將 軍 罷 休 就 舍 ， 寡 人 不 願 下 觀 。 」 孫 子 曰 ： 「 王 徒 好 其 言 ， 不 能 用 其 實 。 」 於 是 闔 廬 知 孫 子 能 用 兵 ， 卒 以 為 將 。 西 破 彊 楚 ， 入 郢 ， 北 威 齊 晉 ， 顯 名 諸 侯 ， 孫 子 與 有 力 焉 。

[Mark Yong]

You are right, the first "三令五申" phrase should have a 即 preceding it; the 復 only occurs in the second one (when he repeated the commands). I have corrected it.

However, I am not sure about the congruence of 閭/盧, though. 吳王's name is normally Romanised (in Wades-Giles) as Ho-lü (i.e. similar ending as 許, 取, etc.). 盧 has the -u ending (i.e. similar ending as 魯, 路). On that basis, I would say your original choice of 閭 is more likely to be correct.

[zhwj]

Pronunciation doesn't really help here - 廬 apparently has born several pronunciations; see citations in Kangxi (it's page 797, but I can't link there directly); other current dictionaries list it with a pronunciation lǘ when used as a place name.

There's this discussion of variant attestations that says:

春秋末期的吴王阖庐，《左传》《战国策·秦三》《史记·吴世家》都作阖庐，《史记·十二诸侯年表》作阖闾。庐闾古音同。

So even 史记 doesn't have it straight....

[Mark Yong]

To digress from the original thread topic of Classical Chinese to character etymology for a moment...

Although the two words 閭 and 盧 may apparently share the same pronunciation now (or even in the recent past), this may not have been so in the distant past. Anyway, both words have totally different etymologies - to begin with, they have different 部首() radicals (門 vs. 虍).

Not to berate 司馬遷, but since the 春秋 pre-dates the 史記, would it be fair to say that 春秋 would be a more accurate reference, therefore 盧 is more likely to be correct?

[Mark Yong]

Here's an interesting one: The Hunmin Jeongeum (訓民正音), King Sejong (世宗王) of Korea's declaration of the invention of the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) in the 15th century. I have attached both the original letter written by King Sejong, and also an audio clip of the text read in Korean. Just something different, an example of 文言文 written outside of China.

Just in case you are unable to open the attachments, the text reads:

訓民正音

國之語音 異乎中國 與文字不相流通 故愚民有所欲言而終不得伸其情者多矣 予為此憫然 新制二十八字 欲使人人易習 便於日用矣

[skylee]

We've talked about Tao Qian's 桃花源記 before.

The original text and the translation in modern Chinese can be found here. (on second thought, since it is a .tw website, I might as well paste them here.)

Original ->

晉太原中，武陵人，捕魚為業，緣溪行，忘路之遠近。忽逢桃花林，夾岸數百步，中無雜樹，芳草鮮美，落英繽紛，漁人甚異之﹔復前行，欲窮其林。林盡水源，便得一山。山有小口，彷彿若有光，便舍船，從口入。

初極狹，纔通人；復行數十步，豁然開朗。土地平曠，屋舍儼然。有良田美池桑竹之屬，阡陌交通，雞犬相聞。其中往來種作，男女衣著，悉如外人﹔黃髮垂髫，并怡然自樂。見漁人，乃大驚，問所從來，具答之，便要還家，設洒殺雞作食，村中聞有此人，咸來問訊。自云先世避秦時亂，率妻子邑人，來此絕境，不復出焉﹔遂與外人間隔。問今是何世，乃不知有漢，無論魏、晉。此人一一為具言所聞，皆嘆惋。餘人各復延至其家，皆出酒食。停數日辭去，此中人語云：「不足為外人道也。」

既出，得其船，便扶向路，處處志之。及郡下，詣太守說此。太守即遣人隨其往，尋向所志，遂迷不復得路。南陽劉子驥，高士也，聞之，欣然規往，未果，尋病終。后遂無問津者。

Translation in modern Chinese ->

東晉孝武帝太元年間，有一個武陵人，以捕魚為生。有一天，他順著溪流前行，忘記路程走了多遠。忽然遇見一片桃花樹林。兩岸幾百步以內，當中沒有雜生別種樹木，芳香的綠草長得鮮嫩美麗，落花飄灑滿地；漁夫覺得很奇怪。又繼續前進，想要走完這片樹林。來到樹林盡頭有個水源地，就看到一座山。這山有個小小的洞口，隱隱約約好像有亮光。他就下了船，從洞口進入。

入口處起先很狹窄，只容一個人通過；又走了幾十步，忽然寬敞明亮了起來。土地平坦遼闊，房屋排列得很整齊。有肥沃的農田、美觀的池塘、以及桑樹、竹子這一類的植物，道路交錯通達，雞鳴狗吠的聲音到處可以聽見。在那裡來來往往從事耕堹的人，無論男的、女的衣服穿著，都如同外界的人；不分年長、年幼都很愉快地自得其樂。他們看到這個漁夫，就很驚訝，問他從那裡來。漁夫詳盡地回答。他們就邀請他回家，備酒、殺雞、作飯來招待他。村裡面聽說有這號人物，大家都來探問。他們自己說：我們祖先為了躲避秦朝時候的戰亂，帶著妻子兒女及同鄉的人來到這個無人所到的地方，不再出來，於是就和外界的人斷離、隔絕了。他們問漁夫現在是什麼朝代？竟然不知道有漢朝，更不用說魏朝和晉朝了！這個漁夫一一地為他們詳述所知道的事情，大家都很感慨。其他的人又分別邀請他到他們家去，都拿出酒菜來招待他。停留幾天之後，他才告辭離去。這裡的人告訴他說：「不可跟外面的人講哦！」

他出來以後，登上自己的船，就沿著先前來的路線回去，所經過的每個地方都記了下來。到了郡城裡，就去拜見太守，報告這一樁事情。於是太守派人跟他前往，找尋先前所記的路線，結果迷失了再也找不到所要走的路。南陽郡的劉子驥，是個清高脫俗的士人，他聽到這件事，很高興地計畫前往，卻沒有達成，不久就病死了。從此以後就沒人過問桃花源了。

Translation in English ->

During the Taiyuan era of the Jin Dynasty there was a man of Wuling who made his living as a fisherman. Once while following a stream he forgot how far he had gone. He suddenly came to a grove of blossoming peach trees. It lined both banks for several hundred paces and included not a single other kind of tree. Petals of the dazzling and fragrant blossoms were falling everywhere in profusion. Thinking this place highly unusual, the fisherman advanced once again in wanting to see how far it went.

The peach trees stopped at the stream's source, where the fisherman came to a mountain with a small opening through which it seemed he could see light. Leaving his boat, he entered the opening. At first it was so narrow that he could barely pass, but after advancing a short distance it suddenly opened up to reveal a broad, flat area with imposing houses, good fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, bamboo, and the like. The fisherman saw paths extending among the fields in all directions, and could hear the sounds of chickens and dogs. Men and women working in the fields all wore clothing that looked like that of foreign lands. The elderly and children all seemed to be happy and enjoying themselves.

The people were amazed to see the fisherman, and they asked him from where he had come. He told them in detail, then the people invited him to their home, set out wine, butchered a chicken, and prepared a meal. Other villagers heard about the fisherman, and they all came to ask him questions. Then the villagers told him, "To avoid the chaos of war during the Qin Dynasty, our ancestors brought their families and villagers to this isolated place and never left it, so we've had no contact with the outside world." They asked the fisherman what the present reign was. They were not even aware of the Han Dynasty, let alone the Wei and Jin. The fisherman told them everything he knew in great detail, and the villagers were amazed and heaved sighs. Then other villagers also invited the fisherman to their homes, where they gave him food and drink. After several days there, the fisherman bid farewell, at which time some villagers told him, "It's not worth telling people on the outside about us."

The fisherman exited through the opening, found his boat, and retraced his route while leaving markers to find this place again. Upon his arrival at the prefecture town he went to the prefect and told him what had happened. The prefect immediately sent a person to follow the fisherman and look for the trail markers, but they got lost and never found the way.

Liu Ziji of Nanyang was a person of noble character. When he heard this story he was happy and planned to visit the Shangri-la, but he died of illness before he could accomplish it. After that no one else ever looked for the place. (source)

[skylee]

I went to the Taipei City Hall yesterday and this piece was displayed at its lobby. I learnt it before I was 15 and it is so basic (just like 愛蓮說 and 木蘭辭) that I think everyone who learns the Chinese language should also learn it.

大道之行也，天下為公。選賢與能，講信脩睦，故人不獨親其親，不獨子其子，使老有所終，壯有所用，幼有所長，矜寡孤獨廢疾者，皆有所養。男有分，女有歸。貨，惡其棄於地也，不必藏於己；力，惡其不出於身也，不必為己。是故，謀閉而不興，盜竊亂賊而不作，故外戶而不閉，是謂大同。

Here is a translation in modern Chinese. And here is a translation in English.

[skylee]

I was searching for some songs on the internet and came across this letter, which was written in 1911, a few days before the writer, Lin Juemin, was killed after an uprising in Guangzhou. The beginning of the letter, 意映卿卿如晤, caught my eye. I like the use of 卿卿 so much ... I think it is very touching and very easy to understand. And perhaps some members are interested in translating it into English?

〈與妻訣別書〉林覺民　

意映卿卿如晤：

吾今以此書與汝永別矣！吾作此書，淚珠和筆墨齊下，不能竟書而欲擱筆！又恐汝不察吾衷，謂吾忍舍汝而死，謂吾不知汝之不欲吾死也，故遂忍悲為汝言之。

吾至愛汝，即此愛汝一念，使吾勇於就死也。吾自遇汝以來，常願天下有情人都成眷屬；然遍地腥羶，滿街狼犬，稱心快意，幾家能夠？語云：「仁者老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。」吾充吾愛汝之心，助天下人愛其所愛，所以敢先汝而死，不顧汝也。汝體吾此心，於啼泣之餘，亦以天下人為念，當亦樂犧牲吾身與汝身之福利，為天下人謀永福也。汝其勿悲！

汝憶否？四、五年前某夕，吾嘗語曰：「與其使我先死也，無寧汝先吾而死。」汝初聞言而怒；後經吾婉解，雖不謂吾言為是，而亦無辭相答。吾之意，蓋謂以汝之弱，必不能禁失吾之悲。吾先死，留苦與汝，吾心不忍，故寧請汝先死，吾擔悲也。嗟夫！誰知吾卒先汝而死乎！

吾真真不能忘汝也。回憶後街之屋，入門穿廊，過前後廳，又三、四折，有小廳，廳旁一室，為吾與汝雙棲之所。初婚三、四個月，適冬之望日前後，窗外疏梅篩月影，依稀掩映。吾與汝並肩攜手，低低切切，何事不語？何情不訴？及今思之，空餘淚痕。又回憶六、七年前，吾之逃家復歸也，汝泣告我：「望今後有遠行，必以見告，我願隨君行。」吾亦既許汝矣。前十餘日回家，即欲乘便以此行之事語汝；及與汝對，又不能啟口。且以汝之有身也，更恐不勝悲，故惟日日呼酒買醉。嗟夫！當時余心之悲，蓋不能以寸管形容之。

吾誠願與汝相守以死。第以今日時勢觀之，天災可以死，盜賊可以死，瓜分之日可以死，奸官汙吏虐民可以死，吾輩處今日之中國，無時無地不可以死，到那時使吾眼睜睜看汝死，或使汝眼睜睜看我死，吾能之乎？抑汝能之乎？即可不死，而離散不相見，徒使兩地眼成穿而骨化石；試問古來幾曾見破鏡重圓？則較死為尤苦也。將奈之何！今日吾與汝幸雙健，天下之人，不當死而死，與不願離而離者，不可數計；鍾情如我輩者，能忍之乎？此吾所以敢率性就死，不顧汝也。

吾今死無餘憾，國事成不成，自有同志者在。依新已五歲，轉眼成人，汝其善撫之，使之肖我。汝腹中之物，吾疑其女也；女必像汝，吾心甚慰。或又是男，則亦教其以父志為志，則我死後，尚有二意洞在也。甚幸！甚幸！

吾家日後當甚貧；貧無所苦，清靜過日而已。吾今與汝無言矣！吾居九泉之下，遙聞汝哭聲，當哭相和也。吾平日不信有鬼，今則又望其真有；今人又言心電感應有道，吾亦望其言是實。則吾之死，吾靈尚依依汝旁也，汝不必以無侶悲！

吾愛汝至。汝幸而偶我，又何不幸而生今日之中國！吾幸而得汝，又何不幸而生今日之中國，卒不忍獨善其身！嗟夫！紙短情長，所未盡者尚有萬千，汝可以模擬得之。吾今不能見汝矣！汝不能舍我，其時時於夢中得我乎！一慟！

辛亥三月二十六夜四鼓　意洞手書 (source)