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Chinese Fable Stories – The Holy Eel

《古代寓言·神鱼》 会稽石亭埭,有大枫树,其中空朽,每雨水辄满溢。 有估客,载生鳣至此,聊放一头于朽树中,以为狡狯。 村民见之,以鱼鳣非树中之物,咸谓是神。乃依树起屋,宰牲祭祀,未尝虚日,因遂名鳣你庙。人有祈请及秽慢,则祸福立至。 后估客返,见其如此,即取作臛,于是遂绝。 ——《异苑》 The Holy Eel At Stone Pavilion Dam in Kuaji there stands a great maple tree. The trunk has rotted and is hollow; so whenever it rains, a hole in the tree becomes filled with water. A merchant passing here with a load of eels put one eel in the […]

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Ou-yang Chiung: “Song of the River City” (chang-ch’eng tzu) ~ 欧阳炯·《江城子》 with English Translations

《江城子·晚日金陵岸草平》是五代宋初时期词人欧阳炯创作的一首词。这是一首怀古词,慨叹世事沧桑。前三句写眼前景,晚日落霞,岸草江水,景中仿佛透出主人公的某种失落感。接着二句承“水无情”而生发历史的感慨,发思古之幽情。末三句又由眼前之月浮想开来,巧妙的比喻,毫不经意地将人的思绪引向金陵之外、六朝之前的姑苏、西子,把历史的感慨推进一层,构思新巧。全篇写慨叹皆由景而起,写景皆为情而设,情景交融,蕴藉含蓄。 欧阳炯·《江城子》 晚日金陵岸草平。 落霞明, 水无情。 六代繁华, 暗逐逝波声。 空有姑苏台上月, 如西子镜, 照江城。 “Song of the River City” (chang-ch’eng tzu) Ou-yang Chiung Grasses on Chin-ling’s shores lie still in the evening sun. The rosy clouds of sunset are bright. The water moves in a relentless flow. The pomp and splendor of the Six Dynasties, Quietly, inexorably, pass in

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Wei Ch’eng-pan: “The Magnolia Flower” (Mu-lan hua) ~ 魏承班·《木兰花》 with English Translations

《木兰花·小芙蓉》是唐末五代词人魏承班的词作。全词上片二十六字,下片二十八字,描写美女相思的情状。 魏承班·《木兰花》 小芙蓉, 香旖旎, 碧玉堂深清似水。 闭宝匣, 掩金铺, 倚屏拖袖愁如醉。 迟迟好景烟花媚, 曲渚鸳鸯眠锦翅。 凝然愁望静相思, 一双笑靥嚬香蕊。 “The Magnolia Flower” (Mu-lan hua) Wei Ch’eng-pan The hibiscus comes to tiny bloom. Their scent flutters on the air. In the jade hall, her feelings are like the deepest water. She shuts away her make-up case. She closes fast the golden door. By

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Chinese Fable Stories – Ancient Books for Ancient Bronze

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·古书换古铜》 有一士人,尽掊其家所有,约百余千,买书将以入京。至中涂,遇一士人,取其书目阅之,爱其书而贫不能得,家有数古铜器将以货之,而鬻书者雅有好古器之癖,一见喜甚。乃曰:“无庸货也,我将与汝估其直而两易之”。于是尽所随行之书换数十铜器。 亟返其家,其妻方讶夫之回,疾视其行李,但见二三布囊块然,铿铿有声。问得其实,乃詈其夫曰:“你换得他这个,几时近得钣吃?”其人曰:“他换得我那个也,则几时近得饭吃?” ——《道山清话》 Ancient Books for Ancient Bronze A scholar, hard-pressed for money, listed a few hundred of his books, packed them up, and set out for the capital, intending to sell them. On his way he met another scholar who looked at his list and wanted to buy them. But he could

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Chinese Fable Stories – A New Lake for an Old

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·另开一个大池子》 王荆公好言利,有小人诏曰:“决梁山泊八百里水以为田,其利大矣。” 荆公喜甚,徐曰:“决水何地可容?” 刘贡父曰:“自其旁别凿八百里泊,则可容矣。” 荆公笑而止。 ——《邵氏见闻录》 A New Lake for an Old Wang Anshi, prime minister of the Song Dynasty, was fond of public utility projects. A man who wanted to get into his good graces offered a proposition. “Drain Liangshanbo Lake, and you will have eight hundred square li of fertile land,” said

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Chinese Fable Stories – The Wild Goose Sentry

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·雁奴》 雁奴,雁之最小者,性尤机警。每群雁夜宿,雁奴独不瞑,为之伺察。或微闻人声必先号鸣,群雁则杂然相呼引去。后乡人益巧设诡计,以中雁奴之欲。于是先视陂薮雁所常处者,阴布大网,多穿土穴于其傍。日未入,人各持束缊并匿穴中,须其夜艾;则燎火穴外,雁奴先警,急来其火。群雁惊视无见,复就栖焉。于是三燎三灭,雁奴三叫,众雁三惊;已而无所见,则众雁谓奴之无验也,互唼迭击之,又就栖然。少选,火复举,雁奴畏众击,不敢鸣。乡人闻其无声,乃举网张之,率十获五。 ——《景文集》 The Wild Goose Sentry The smallest and the most alert of a flock of wild geese is often chosen to keep vigil for the others during the night. At the slightest untoward sound it raises the alarm and the flock starts from their sleep and make off. So some wild goose

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Chinese Fable Stories – Old Custom

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·老规矩》 杨叔贤郎中异,眉州人,言顷有太守初视事,人排乐。乐人口号云:“为报吏民段庆贺,灾星移去福星来!”守大喜,问口号谁撰,优人答曰:“本州自来旧例,止此一首。” ——《湘山野录》 Old Custom A newly-appointed prefect was giving a grand banquet for the local gentry with many musicians to entertain the party. In the midst of the revelry, a singer intoned: “Out with the old, in with the new; out with the evil star, in with the lucky star!” The prefect was

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Chinese Fable Stories – A Good Beating

《北史》是二十四史之一。是汇合并删节记载北朝历史的《魏书》、《北齐书》、《周书》、《隋书》而编成的纪传体史书。魏本纪五卷、齐本纪三卷、周本纪二卷、隋本纪二卷、列传八十八卷,共一百卷。记述从北魏登国元年(386(丙戌年))到隋义宁二年(618)的历史。《南史》与《北史》为姊妹篇,是由李大师及其子李延寿两代人编撰完成的。 《北史·李惠传·盐屑见证》 (李惠为雍州刺史——引者)人有负盐负薪者,同释重担息树阴。二人将行,争一羊皮,各言藉背之物。惠遣争者出,顾州纪纲曰:“以此羊皮可拷知主乎?”群下咸无答者。惠令人置羊皮席上,以杖击之,见少盐屑,曰:“得其实矣。”使争者视之,负薪者乃伏而就罪。 《北史》 A Good Beating [During the time when Li Hui was the Prefect of Yongzhou] two men, one bearing a load of salt and the other firewood, set down their burdens and took a rest together in the shade of a tree. When they rose to leave they began to quarrel over

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Chinese Fable Stories – The Silly Fawn

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·糊涂的小鹿》 临江之人,畋得麋麑,畜之。入行,群犬垂涎,扬尾皆来,其人怒怛之。自是日抱就犬习示之使勿动,稍使与之戏。积久,犬皆如人意。麋麑稍大,忘已之麋也,以为犬良我友,抵触偃仆,益狎。犬畏主人,与之俯仰甚善,然时啖其舌。 三年麋出门,见外犬在道甚众,走欲与为戏。外犬见而喜且怒,共杀食之,狼藉道上,麋至死而不悟。 ——《柳河东集》 The Silly Fawn A man in Linjiang captured a fawn. When it was brought home, the dogs came licking their chops and wagging their tails. The man angrily drove them off. Afterwards, he took the fawn among the dogs, warning them to keep their peace, and making them frolic with

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Chinese Fable Stories – The Hunter Who Used Tricks

古代寓言原是民间口头创作,文学体裁的一种。含有讽喻或明显教训意义的故事。它的结构简短。主人公可以是人,可以是动物,也可以是无生物。多借用比喻手法,使富有教训意义的主题或深刻的道理在简单的故事中体现,而还需要自己去理解,思考,这就是和西方寓言的不同之处。 《古代寓言·用骗术的猎人》 鹿畏貙,貙畏虎,虎畏罴。罴之状,被发人立,绝有力而甚害人焉! 楚之南有猎者,能吹竹为百兽之音,寂寂持弓矢罂火而即之山为鹿鸣,以感其类,伺其至,发火而射之。貙闻其鹿也,趋而至,其人恐,因为虎骇之。貙走而虎至,愈恐,则又为罴,虎亦亡去。罴闻而求其类,至则人也,捽搏挽裂而食之。 今夫不善内而恃外者,未有不为罴之食也! ——《柳河东集》 The Hunter Who Used Tricks The deer is afraid of the wolf; the wolf of the tiger; and the tiger of the wild bear, the most ferocious and powerful of all animals, walking erect, with long hair hanging from its head. In southern Chu there was a hunter who

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