February 2023

Zeng Rui: Admonition to Common People To the Tune of Four Pieces of Jade ~ 曾瑞·《四块玉·警世》 with English Translations

小令始终以生动的形象组合来代替枯燥的说教,以“果”引出“因”,语重心长。全曲篇幅短小,朗朗上口,令人过目难忘。“狗探汤”、“鱼着网”两则形象极为生动,其负痛急走、心有余悸的情态如在读者目前。章回小说中有“惶惶若丧家之犬,急急若漏网之鱼”、“鲤鱼离却金鳌钩,摆尾摇头更不来”的习语,曲中正是利用了这种为人所熟悉的视觉印象。“痛着伤”既显示了所遭危险的可怕,又有教训沉重、“吃一堑长一智”的意味,从而为引出下文的训诫敲响了警钟。“探汤”、“着网”究竟是在比喻些什么。第四句揭示了答案,原来指的是花街柳巷嫖妓寻乐的险事。为寻花问柳而痛吃苦头固然咎由自取,但妓女设圈套、行“邪魔”的手段也确实狠毒,一个“旺”字,坐实了前文“急”、“痛”的缘起。读者至此掩卷,愈觉起首两句比拟的贴切。妙在作者撇过“邪魔”,回过头来重新渲染“柳腰花貌”在外表上的娇艳,最后以“君莫赏”三字轻轻带住,不啻为当头棒喝。将“柳”、“花”两度紧挨着“邪魔旺”拈出表现,于是警惕春楼以色惑人的主旨便跃然纸上了。 曾瑞·《四块玉·警世》 狗探汤, 鱼着网, 急走沿身痛着伤。 柳腰花貌邪魔旺。 柳弄娇, 花艳妆, 君莫赏。 Admonition to Common People To the Tune of Four Pieces of Jade Zeng Rui It’s a foolish dog, Dipping its tongue into boiling pot, It’s a silly fish, Casting itself into fishnet, Away with brothel, or you’ll be fatally caught. Willow waists and good looks are […]

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Ceng Rui: Lamenting the Times (2) to the tune of Sheep on the Hillside ~ 曾瑞·《山坡羊·叹世(二)》 with English Translations

曾瑞(生卒年不详), 元代散曲作家。字瑞卿,自号褐夫。大兴(今北京市大兴区)人。因喜江浙人才风物而移家南方。《录鬼簿》记他“临终之日,诣门吊者以千数”,可知他当时已有盛名。由于志不屈物,不解趋附奉承,所以终身不仕,优游市井,赖江淮一带熟人馈赠为生。善绘画,能作隐语小曲,散曲集有《诗酒馀音》行于当世,今佚。 曾瑞·《山坡羊·叹世(二)》 荣华休傲, 贫穷休笑, 循环世态多颠倒。 恰春朝, 早秋宵, 花开花谢都知道。 今岁孟春花更早。 花, 依旧好。 人, 空谩老。 Lamenting the Times (2) to the tune of Sheep on the Hillside Ceng Rui Proud of yourself not when you have wealth and rank, Laugh not at those on whom the fate plays a prank. The wheel of fortune keeps rotating,

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Guo Zhen: Spring River ~ 郭震·《春江曲》 with English Translations

郭震一般指郭元振。郭元振(656年-713年),名震,字元振,以字行,魏州贵乡(今河北省邯郸市大名县)人,唐朝名将、宰相。郭元振进士出身,授通泉县尉,后得到武则天的赞赏,被任命为右武卫铠曹参军,又进献离间计,使得吐蕃发生内乱。唐玄宗骊山讲武,郭元振因军容不整之罪,被流放新州,后在赴任饶州司马途中,抑郁病逝。 郭震·《春江曲》 春江水沉沉,上有双竹林。 竹叶坏水色,郎亦坏人心。 Spring River Guo Zhen Dark and deep is the water of spring River; mirrored’s twin bamboo forest. As bamboo leaves spoil the color of Water, you disturb, O, my poor heart.

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Folk Song of the Lower Yangtze Valley (Southern Song Dynasty) ~ 无名氏·《吴歌》 with English Translations

这首歌是南宋以来流行于江南吴地一带的民歌。出自南宋建炎年间(1127—1130年),述民间离乱之苦。这首歌以问话的形式,揭露南宋统治阶级在外族入侵时,对外实行不抵抗主义,对内残酷压迫人民,偏安江南,过着骄奢淫逸的生活,使老百姓饱受离乱之苦。 无名氏·《吴歌》 月子弯弯照几州?几家欢乐几家愁? 几家夫妇同罗帐?几家飘散在他州? Folk Song of the Lower Yangtze Valley (Southern Song Dynasty) Anonymous The crescent moon shines pale On how many countries? How many families are happy, How many families are sad? How many men and women Are happily reunited, And how many, how many, Stay lost in strange, strange lands?

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陈继儒·《隐居祠》 with English Translations

陈继儒(1558年12月14日-1639年10月16日),字仲醇,号眉公、麋公,松江府华亭(今上海市松江区)人。明朝文学家、画家。诸生出身,二十九岁开始,隐居在小昆山,后居东佘山,关门著述,工诗善文,书法学习苏轼和米芾,兼能绘事,屡此皇诏征用,皆以疾辞。擅长墨梅、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》。 陈继儒·《隐居祠》 背山临水, 门在松阴里, 草屋数间而已。 土泥墙, 窗糊纸。 曲床木几, 四壁摊书史。 若问主人谁姓? 灌园者陈眉子。 不衫不履, 短发垂双耳, 携得钓竿筐稆筥。 九寸鲈, 一尺鲤, 羹香酒美, 醉倒芙蓉底。 旁有儿童大笑, 唤先生看月起。 A hut between the hill and lake on the lea; Its gate beneath a pine tree’s canopy; Plain couch, settee, and four walls lined with books— Who owns and waters the garden? Chen Meitse. Discard

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邓青阳·《观物吟》 with English Translations

邓羽:即邓青阳,明广东南海人。初为青阳知县,后为道士。晚隐于武当山。永乐中不知所往。有《观物吟》。 邓青阳·《观物吟》 人生天地常如客,何独乡关定是家。 争似区区随所遇,年年处处看梅花。 We are but passing guests from who knows where. Say not they home is here, thy home is there. It suits me well wherever I may be; The followers bloom here, there, and everywhere.

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Dong Yong Sold Himself to Bury His Father~ 《二十四孝·董永卖身葬父》 with English Translations

卖身葬父是指董永,少年丧母,其后父亲亡故,董永卖身至一富家为奴,换取丧葬费用这个故事。上工路上,于槐荫下遇一女子,自言无家可归,二人结为夫妇。女子以一月时间织成三百匹锦缎,为董永抵债赎身,返家途中,行至槐荫,女子告诉董永:自己是天帝之女,奉命帮助董永还债。言毕凌空而去。因此,槐荫改名为孝感。 《二十四孝·董永卖身葬父》 汉董永,家贫。父死,卖身贷钱而葬。及去偿工,路遇一妇,求为永妻。俱至主家,令织缣三百匹乃回。一月完成,归至槐荫会所,遂辞永而去。 诗曰: 葬父将身卖,仙姬陌上迎。 织缣偿债主,孝感动天庭。 Dong Yong Sold Himself to Bury His Father Dong Yong of the Han Dynasty was very poor. When his father died, he had to borrow money to have his father buried. In return for the debt, he had to work for the creditor. One day on his way to

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Nalanshinde: Roughed Lips Ode to Falcata ~ 纳兰性德·《点绛唇·咏风兰》 with English Translations

《点绛唇·咏风兰》是清代词人纳兰性德所写的一首词。该词上片从香气和姿态两方面对风兰作了精致灵动的描摹,下片则是通过对现实中风兰美好之易逝的惋惜反衬出词人对好友所作的风兰图的赞美。全词运用比喻以及借代的修辞手法,将自己对友人的怀念之情表达地淋漓尽致。 纳兰性德·《点绛唇·咏风兰》 别样幽芬, 更无浓艳催开处。 凌波欲去, 且为东风住。 忒煞萧疏, 怎耐秋如许? 还留取, 冷香半缕, 第一湘江雨。 Roughed Lips Ode to Falcata Nalanshinde With feeble fragrance, the unwonted Orchids, void of urge for splendor, Wave-clip like faerie in gentle odour, Lingered by the easterly wind haunted. Thinned out to the limit, How could they stand such fall of leaf, And hold

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《道德经》(第七十八章) with English Translations

本章内容主要包括两点:一是对水的赞美;二是“正言若反”。本章大意:遍天下再没有什么东西比水更柔弱了,而攻坚克强却没有什么东西可以胜过水。弱胜过强,柔胜过刚,遍天下没有人不知道,但是没有人能实行。所以有道的圣人这样说:“承担全国的屈辱,才能成为国家的君主,承担全国的祸灾,才能成为天下的君王。”正面的话好像在反说一样。 《道德经》(第七十八章) 天下莫柔弱于水, 而攻坚强者莫之能胜, 以其无以易之。 柔之胜刚, 天下莫不知, 而莫能行。 是以圣人云: 爱国之垢, 是谓社稷主; 受国之不祥, 是谓天下王。 正言若反。 Chapter 78 Nothing under heaven is softer or weaker than water, and yet nothing is better for attacking what is hard and strong, because of its immutability. The defeat of the hard by the soft, The defeat of the strong by

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《道德经》(第七十七章) with English Translations

本章大意:自然的规律,不是很像张弓射箭吗?弦拉高了就把它压低一些,低了就把它举高一些,拉得过满了就把它放松一些,拉得不足了就把它补充一些。自然的规律,是减少有余的补给不足的。可是社会的法则却不是这样,要减少不足的,来奉献给有余的人。那么,谁能够减少有余的,以补给天下人的不足呢?只有有道的人才可以做到。因此,有道的圣人这才有所作为而不占有,有所成就而不居功。他是不愿意显示自己的贤能。 《道德经》(第七十七章) 天之道, 其犹张弓与? 高者抑之, 下者举之。 有余者损之, 不足者补之。 天之道, 损有余而补不足。 人之道则不然, 损不足以奉有余。 孰能有余以奉天下? 唯有道者。 是以圣人为而不恃, 功成而不处。 其不欲见贤。 Chapter 77 The Way of heaven is like the bending of a bow – the upper part is pressed down, the lower part is raised up, the part that has too much is reduced, the part that has

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