February 2023

Chen Chiju: The Home Garden ~ 《园宅》 陈继儒 with English Translations

陈继儒(1558~1639),明代文学家、书画家。字仲醇,号眉公、麋公。华亭(今上海松江)人。诸生,年二十九,隐居小昆山,后居东佘山,杜门著述,工诗善文,书法苏、米,兼能绘事,屡奉诏征用,皆以疾辞。擅墨梅、山水,画梅多册页小幅,自然随意,意态萧疏。论画倡导文人画,持南北宗论,重视画家的修养,赞同书画同源。有《梅花册》、《云山卷》等传世。著有《陈眉公全集》、《小窗幽记》、《吴葛将军墓碑》、《妮古录》。 《园宅》 陈继儒 门内有径,径欲曲;径转有屏,屏欲小;屏进有阶,阶欲平;阶畔有花,花欲鲜;花外有墙,墙欲低;墙内有松,松欲古;松底有石,石欲怪;石面有亭,亭欲朴;亭后有竹,竹欲疏;竹尽有室,室欲幽;室旁有路,路欲分;路合有桥,桥欲危;桥边有树,树欲高;树阴有草,草欲青;草上有渠,渠欲细;渠引有泉,泉欲瀑;泉去有山,山欲深;山下有屋,屋欲方;屋角有圃,圃欲宽;圃中有鹤,鹤欲舞;鹤报有客,客不俗;客至有酒,酒欲不却;酒行有醉,醉欲不归。 The Home Garden Chen Chiju Inside the gate there is a footpath and the footpath must be winding. At the turn of the footpath there is an outdoor screen and the screen must be small. Behind the screen there is a terrace and the terrace must be level. On the banks […]

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Ku Yen-wu: Ching-wei(1) ~ 《精卫》 顾炎武 with English Translations

《精卫》是明末清初诗人顾炎武创作的一首五言古诗。此诗中作者以精卫自喻,借精卫鸟填海的精神,坚定地表示了自己舍身报国,不向清王朝屈服的决心。全诗采用对话的形式行文运笔,语言简洁明快,质朴自然,尽弃雕饰。细细读来,无论是诗中所弘扬的正义之气,还是诗歌所达到的艺术造诣,都有着强烈的感染力。 《精卫》 顾炎武 万事有不平,尔何空自苦; 长将一寸身,衔木到终古? 我愿平东海,身沉心不改; 大海无平期,我心无绝时。 呜呼!君不见, 西山衔木众鸟多,鹊来燕去自成窠。 Ching-wei(1) Ku Yen-wu The world is full of iniquities, Why do you struggle so in vain, Always urging on that tiny body, Forever carrying sticks and stones? “I will fill up the Eastern Sea. My body may fail; my aim won’t change. Until the great sea’s

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Ku Yen-wu: Po-hsia(1) ~ 《白下》 顾炎武 with English Translations

顾炎武(1613—1682)本名继坤,改名绛,字忠清;南都败后,改炎武,字宁人,号亭林,自署蒋山俑,学者尊称为亭林先生。汉族,南直隶苏州府昆山(今属江苏)人 。明末清初著名的思想家、史学家、语言学家。与黄宗羲、王夫之并称为明末清初三大儒。明季诸生,青年时发愤为经世致用之学,并参加昆山抗清义军,败后漫游南北,曾十谒明陵,晚岁卒于曲沃。康熙间被举鸿博,坚拒不就。其学以博学于文,行己有耻为主,合学与行、治学与经世为一。著作繁多,以毕生心力所著为《日知录》,另有《音学五书》、《亭林诗文集》等。学问渊博,于国家典制、郡邑掌故、天文仪象、河漕、兵农及经史百家、音韵训诂之学,都有研究。晚年治经重考证,开清代朴学风气。其学以博学于文,行己有耻为主,合学与行、治学与经世为一。诗多伤时感事之作。 《白下》 顾炎武 白下西风落叶侵,重来此地一登临。 清笳皓月秋依垒,野烧寒星夜出林。 万古河山应有主,频年戈甲苦相寻。 从教一掬新亭泪,江水平添十丈深。 Po-hsia(1) Ku Yen-wu Fallen leaves, driven by the wind, invade Po-hsia; Again I’ve come to this place, climbed up for a view. A reed pipe clear, the moon bright—autumn lingers on the ramparts; The wilds ablaze, cold stars emerge from the forest at night. These ancient hills

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Wu Wei-yeh: Ancient Sentiments ~ 《古意》 吴伟业 with English Translations

吴伟业(1609~1672)字骏公,号梅村,别署鹿樵生、灌隐主人、大云道人,世居江苏昆山,祖父始迁江苏太仓,汉族,江苏太仓人,崇祯进士。明末清初著名诗人,与钱谦益、龚鼎孳并称“江左三大家”,又为娄东诗派开创者。长于七言歌行,初学“长庆体”,后自成新吟,后人称之为“梅村体”。 《古意》 吴伟业 欢似机中丝,织作相思树。 侬似衣上花,春风吹不去。 Ancient Sentiments Wu Wei-yeh My love is like the silk on the loom, To be woven into a Tree of Longing. I’m like the blossoms on your cloth coat Which no spring wind can deflower.

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Wu Wei-yeh: Blocked by Snow ~ 《阻雪》 吴伟业 with English Translations

此诗是清顺治十年(1653年)作者应清廷征召,北上至临清(今属山东)遇大雪时所作。此诗写路途的难行与寒冷,用以表现诗人被迫入京时的悲凉心情。 《阻雪》 吴伟业 关山虽胜路难堪,才上征鞍又解骖。 十丈黄尘千尺雪,可知俱不似江南。 Blocked by Snow Wu Wei-yeh The mountain pass is magnificent, yet the road is arduous. The team of horses harnessed and just as soon unharnessed. Yellow dust fills a hundred feet, snow a thousand, And you know that this is not south of the river.

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Nalan Xingde: Stream Silk-Rinsing ~ 《浣溪沙·酒醒香销愁不胜》 纳兰性德 with English Translations

《浣溪沙·酒醒香销愁不胜》是清代词人纳兰性德的一首词。该词是一首相思之作,描绘了一种多情无奈的阑珊意绪,表达了词人对伴侣的思念。康熙十六年(1678年),词人的结发妻子卢氏猝然离世,她是词人生命中最重要的人,妻子突然离世给词人巨大的打击,使词人长期陷入哀愁之中无法自拔。而该词是词人在妻子去世的第二年,祭奠妻子的时候,有感而发创作的。 《浣溪沙·酒醒香销愁不胜》 纳兰性德 酒醒香销愁不胜, 如何更向落花行。 去年高摘斗轻盈。 夜雨几番销瘦了, 繁华如梦总无凭。 人间何处问多情。 Stream Silk-Rinsing Nalan Xingde Beside myself with sorrow was I sober up with incense burned out, How could I walk out toward the fallen blossoms still more? And we were strung up in the flower-picking the year before. You have grown wan in the patters of

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Nalan Xingde: Stream Silk-Rinsing ~ 《浣溪沙·残雪凝辉冷画屏》 纳兰性德with English Translations

《浣溪沙·残雪凝辉冷画屏》是清朝词人纳兰性德所写的一首词。康熙年间,词人在残雪之夜独自徘徊,联想到自己生活孤独凄苦,饱尝人间离愁别苦,为了表达内心的惆怅,故作下此词。词的上片写景来营造氛围;下片抒发了词人惆怅之情。全词景清情切,令人动容。 《浣溪沙·残雪凝辉冷画屏》 纳兰性德 残雪凝辉冷画屏。 落梅横笛已三更, 更无人处月胧明。 我是人间惆怅客, 知君何事泪纵横, 断肠声里忆平生。 Stream Silk-Rinsing Nalan Xingde The painted screen isn’t shorn of its cold light on the slushed snow, The pipe on the tune of plum-petals is still blown in the dead of night, When the quiet place has been bathed in the dim moonlight. I’m only a

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Nalan Xingde: Stream Silk-Rinsing ~ 《浣溪沙·谁念西风独自凉》 纳兰性德 with English Translations

《浣溪沙·谁念西风独自凉》是清代词人纳兰性德的词作。词中感怀前尘往事。上阕以黄叶、疏窗、残阳之秋景的勾画,描绘丧妻后的孤单凄凉;下阕写沉思中所忆起的寻常往事,借用夫妻和美的生活为喻,描绘与亡妻往日的美满恩爱,更道出了今日的酸苦。全词生动的表达了词人对亡妻的哀思之情。 《浣溪沙·谁念西风独自凉》 纳兰性德 谁念西风独自凉? 萧萧黄叶闭疏窗。 沉思往事立残阳。 被酒莫惊春睡重, 赌书消得泼茶香。 当时只道是寻常。 Stream Silk-Rinsing Nalan Xingde Cold on my own in the west wind, dear knows? Incised windows blind by the fall of the rustled leaves, In the setting sun the past to my mind flows. Let my cup not to jerk awake her thick Spring sleep, A

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Cao Xueqin: Xiren ~ 《金陵判词·袭人》 曹雪芹 with English Translations

金陵十二钗图册出现在《红楼梦》第5回,宝玉在警幻仙姑的指引下梦游太虚幻境,在薄命司中看到有大橱装载着各省薄命女子的生平判词,遂找到自己家乡金陵的柜子取册观看,有金陵十二钗正册,金陵十二钗副册,金陵十二钗又副册3册。图册判词和后面的《红楼梦曲》一样,使我们能从中窥察到作者对人物的态度,以及在安排她们的命运和小说全部情节发展上的完整艺术构思,这在原稿后半已散失的情况下,特别具有重要的研究价值。在我们读的后四十回续书,不少情节的构想就是以此为依据的。 《金陵判词·袭人》 曹雪芹 枉自温柔和顺,空云似桂如兰。 堪羡优伶有福,谁知公子无缘。 Xiren Cao Xueqin Nothing avail her gentleness and compliance, Osmanthus and orchid with her fragrance vie; But this prize is borne off by an actor, And luck passes the young master by.

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《菜根谭·祟俭养廉 守拙全真》 洪应明 with English Translations

奢侈无度的人财富再多也感到不够用,这怎么比得上虽然贫穷却生活节俭而感到满足的人呢;有才干的人假如由于心力交瘁而招致大众怨恨,哪里 比得上笨拙的人由于安闲无事而就能保全纯真本性。 《菜根谭·祟俭养廉 守拙全真》 洪应明 奢者富而不足,何如俭者贫而有余;能者劳而伏怨,何如拙者逸而全真。 Those who indulge in luxury and extravagance always find it hard to make both ends meet. Far better off are the frugal people who, although they have not enough, feel that they have enough and to spare! A person of talent strives hard, and yet he only provokes widespread

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