February 2023

Zhou Wenzhi: Ode to the Gnarled Plum To the tune of Plucking Laurel ~ 周文质·《折桂令·咏蟠梅》 with English Translations

《折桂令·咏蟠梅》见《乐府群玉》卷三。蟠梅,一种根干如龙盘蛇曲的梅树。在这首《咏蟠梅》小令中,周文质通过表现蟠梅耐寒的性能及其独特的造型,歌颂了它的高洁品格,从而使本曲成为蟠梅的礼赞。 周文质·《折桂令·咏蟠梅》 梨雪旋绕东风, 谁屈冰梢, 怪压苍松? 绿萼含香, 枯根层结, 春信重封。 清味远嫌蝶妒蜂, 老枝寒舞凤蟠龙。 夜月朦胧, 疏蕊纵横; 瘦影交加, 碎玉玲珑。 Ode to the Gnarled Plum To the tune of Plucking Laurel Zhou Wenzhi Dancing with wind are clouds like pear flowers, Ice of various shapes, Cover the pines green. Sweet is calyx green, Roots twist and turn, No sign shows the […]

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Zhou Wenzhi: Tune: Song of Frontier ~ 周文质·《寨儿令》 with English Translations

《寨儿令》是元朝周文质的散曲,周文质的《寨儿令》共十首,写的都是爱情,有的写女子思念男子,有的写男子思念女子,这首《寨儿令·挑短檠》属于后者,全曲通过人物的动作和心理表达了男子真切的思念之情。 周文质·《寨儿令》 挑短檠, 倚云屏, 伤心伴人清瘦影。 薄酒初醒, 好梦难成, 斜月为谁明? 闷恹恹听彻残更, 意迟迟盼杀多情。 西风穿户冷, 檐马隔帘鸣。 叮, 疑是佩环声。 Tune: Song of Frontier Zhou Wenzhi Turning up candlelight, Standing by cloudy screen, Heart-broken, I’m accompanied by shadow lean. Awakened from thin wine, For vain sweet dreams I pine. Why should the slanting moon be bright? I’m gloomy and depressed all

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Zhou Wenzhi: Untitled to the tune of Plum-Whipping Wind ~ 周文质·《落梅风·无题》 with English Translations

周文质(?-1334),元代文学家。字仲彬,建德(今属浙江)人,后居杭州。与钟嗣成相交二十余年,两人情深意笃,形影不离,故《录鬼簿》对他有详细的记载:“体貌清癯,学问渊博,资性工巧,文笔新奇。家世儒业,俯就路吏。善丹青,能歌舞,明曲调,谐音律。性尚豪侠,好事敬客善绘画,谐音律。所作杂剧今知有四种。现仅《苏武还乡》(或称《苏武还朝》)存有残曲。散曲存有小令四十三首,套数五套,多男女相思之作。 周文质·《落梅风·无题》 新秋夜, 微醉时, 月明中倚阑独自。 吟成几联断肠诗, 说不尽满怀心事。 Untitled to the tune of Plum-Whipping Wind Zhou Wenzhi At a fresh autumn night, With an intoxication slight, I recline against the balustrade alone in the moonlight, Chanting a few lines that heart breakingly blight, Yet they are not enough to vent my spite. (辜正坤 译)

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Shao Yong: A Double-Color Peach ~ 邵雍·《二色桃》 with English Translations

邵雍(1011—1077)北宋哲学家、易学家,有内圣外王之誉。汉族,字尧夫,谥号康节,自号安乐先生、伊川翁,后人称百源先生。其先范阳(今河北涿县)人,幼随父迁共城(今河南辉县)。少有志,读书苏门山百源上。仁宗嘉祐及神宗熙宁中,先后被召授官,皆不赴。创“先天学”,以为万物皆由“太极”演化而成。著有《观物篇》、《先天图》、《伊川击壤集》、《皇极经世》等。 邵雍·《二色桃》 施朱施粉色俱好,倾国倾城艳不同。 疑是蕊宫双姊妹,一时携手嫁春风。 A Double-Color Peach Shao Yong Either white or red, both well colored are they, And each of them is bewitching in her own way. I wonder if they’re twin-sisters in Flower Kingdom, Happy to be married to Spring Wind on the same day. (陈君朴 译)

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《菜根谭》(保已成业、防将来非)with English Translations

《菜根谭》是明朝还初道人洪应明收集编著的一部论述修养、人生、处世、出世的语录集。其文字简炼明隽,兼采雅俗。似语录,而有语录所没有的趣味;似随笔,而有随笔所不易及的整饬;似训诫,而有训诫所缺乏的亲切醒豁。 《菜根谭》(保已成业、防将来非) 图未就之功,不如保已成之业;悔既往之失,不如防将来之非。 It is better to safeguard what you have already accomplished than to crave for exploits of the future. It is better to guard against further mistakes than to waste time regretting past ones. (保罗·怀特 译) It is better to preserve the exploits already in hand than to attempt the ones not yet

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《菜根谭》(心不所动、焉受诱惑) with English Translations

《菜根谭》是明朝还初道人洪应明收集编著的一部论述修养、人生、处世、出世的语录集。其文字简炼明隽,兼采雅俗。似语录,而有语录所没有的趣味;似随笔,而有随笔所不易及的整饬;似训诫,而有训诫所缺乏的亲切醒豁。 《菜根谭》(心不所动、焉受诱惑) 耳目见闻为外贼,情欲意识为内贱。只是主人翁惺惺不昧,独坐堂中,贼便化为家人矣! The ears can hear flattering sounds; the eyes can be dazzled by silver and gold. These effects are enemies encroaching from without, whereas carnal desires are robbers hidden within. You must maintain vigilance at all times against these enemies. Seat yourself in the central hall and equip yourself with a sober mind,

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蔡邕·《女训》 with English Translations

在《女训》中,蔡邕告诫女儿,面容的美丽固然很重要,但当修饰面容的时候,千万不要忘记了品德和学识的修养对女人来说更为重要。本句大意:脸一天不修饰,就会让尘垢弄脏;心一天不修善,就会窜入邪恶的念头。 古代名言翻译 面一旦不修饰,则尘垢秽之;心一朝不思善,则邪恶入之。——蔡邕·《女训》 If one doesn’t wash one’s face every day, the dirt cannot be removed from it; if one doesn’t cultivate one’s mind daily, the evil idea will appear suddenly.

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T’ang Yin: Inscribed on a Painting ~ 唐寅·《题画》 with English Translations

唐寅(1470年3月6日-1524年1月7日),字伯虎,小字子畏,号六如居士,南直隶苏州府吴县(今江苏省苏州市)人,祖籍凉州晋昌郡。明朝著名画家、书法家、诗人。 唐寅·《题画》 淡雾滃山腰,清风集树梢。 听泉人习静,伫立面平桥。 Inscribed on a Painting T’ang Yin Light mist girdles the mountain, Cool winds gather round the treetops. Listening to the brook, he practices quietness, Standing upright, his face level with the bridge. (Chiang Yee 译)

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T’ang Yin: Inscribed on a Painting of a Cock ~ 唐寅·《题画雄鸡》 with English Translations

唐寅(1470年3月6日-1524年1月7日),字伯虎,小字子畏,号六如居士,南直隶苏州府吴县(今江苏省苏州市)人,祖籍凉州晋昌郡。明朝著名画家、书法家、诗人。 唐寅·《题画雄鸡》 头上红冠不用栽,满身雪白走将来。 平生不敢轻言语,一叫千门万户开。 Inscribed on a Painting of a Cock T’ang Yin The red comb on its head needs no adorning, It struts, its body covered in snow-white feathers. All its life it dares make few utterances, But when it crows, ten thousand doors burst open. (Chiang Yee 译)

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Collected Better-known Sayings ~ 《名贤集》 with English Translations

《名贤集》为南宋以来流行在民间的一种通俗读物。里面收集了一些格言、诗句、谚语等。其中有些内容属封建说教,有些还渗透了佛、道两教的因果报应等思想。《名贤集》以历代名人贤士的名言善行,讲述了为人处世的基本道理。《名贤集》以四言、五言、六言、七言组成,易诵易记,读之朗朗上口。 《名贤集》 但行好事,莫问前程。与人方便,自己方便。善与人交,久而敬之。人贫志短,马瘦毛长。人心似铁,官法如炉。谏之双美,毁之两伤。赞叹福生,作念祸生。积善之家,必有余庆。积恶之家,必有余殃。休争闲气,日又平西。 Collected Better-known Sayings What you should do only is good deeds, paying no attention to the future. To help others is to help yourself. If you are good at your contacts with other people, you’ll get respected by them some time later. When a man is poor, his ambition is not far-reaching;

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