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Chinese Fable Stories – Nothing to Do with me

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·与我无关》 又有医者,自称善外科。一裨将阵回,中流矢,深入膜内延使治。 乃持并州剪匕去矢管,跪而请谢。 裨将曰:“簇在膜内者须亟治。” 医曰:“此内科事,不意并责我。” ——《雪涛小说》 Nothing to Do with me A surgeon once boasted about his ability. A soldier, returning from battle with an arrow penetrating his leg, came to him for treatment. The surgeon took a pair of sharp scissors and cut off the stem of the arrow close to the flesh, […]

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Chinese Fable Stories – The Man Who Would Not Admit his Mistake

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·不认输》 楚人有生而不识姜者,曰:“此从树上结成。” 或曰:“从土里生成。” 其人固执已见,曰:“请与予以十人为质,以所乘驴为赌。” 已而遍口十人,皆曰:“土里出也。” 其人哑然失色,曰:“驴则付汝,姜还树生。” ——《雪涛小说》 The Man Who Would Not Admit his Mistake In the state of Chu lived a man who did not know where ginger grew. He thought it grew on trees. Someone told him it grew in the ground. He could not believe this was true, and said, “I

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Chinese Fable Stories – No Dregs for the Swine

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·只是没有糟》 余郡西三十里,有河洑山。山隈有王婆庙,不知何代人。父老相传,此婆酿酒为业。一道士往来其家,每索酒,辄予饮,累数百壶不酬值,婆不与较。一日道士谓婆曰:“予饮若酒,无钱相值,请为若掘井。”井成,泉涌出,皆醇酒。道士曰:“此以偿耳!”遂去。婆不复酿酒,但持井所出泉应酤者,比宿酿更佳,酤者踵至逾三年,得钱几数万,家遂富。前道士忽又至,婆深谢之。道士问曰:“酒好否?”答曰:“好倒好,只猪无糟耳!”道士笑题其壁曰:“天高不算高,人心第一高,井水做酒卖,还道猪无糟。”题讫去,自是井不复出酒矣。 ——《雪涛小说》 No Dregs for the Swine Thirty li west of my prefecture lies Hefu Mountain, in whose shelter nestles a temple dedicated to one Wang Po (Old Dame Wang). Nobody knows when this old woman lived. A story has it that she made a living by selling wine and that there was

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Chinese Fable Stories – The Dream

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·做梦》 尝闻一青衿,生性狡,能以谲计诳人。学博持教甚严重,诸生稍或犯规,必遣人执之,扑无赦。 一日,此生适有犯,学博追执甚急,坐彝伦堂盛怒待之。 已而生至,长跪地下,不言他事,但曰:“弟子偶得千金,方在处置,故未见迟耳。” 博士闻生得金多,辄霁怒,问之曰:“尔金从何处来?” 曰:“得诸地中。” 又问:“尔欲作何处置?” 生答曰:“弟子故贫,无资业,今与妻计:以五百金市田,二百金市宅,百金置器,买童妾,止剩百金,以其半市书,将发愤从事焉,而以其半致馈先生,酬平日教育,完矣。” 博士曰:“有是哉,不佞何以当之!” 遂呼使考治具,甚丰洁,延生坐觞之,谈笑欢洽,皆异平日。饮半酣,博士问生曰:“尔适匆匆来,亦曾收金箧中扃钥耶?” 生起应曰:“弟子布置此金甫定,为荆妻转身触弟子,醒已失金所在,安用箧?” 博士遂然曰:“尔所言金,梦耶?” 生答曰:“固梦耳。” 情士不怿,然业与欢治,不能复怒,徐曰:“尔自雅情,梦中得金,就不忘先生,况实得耶?”更一再觞出之。 ——《雪涛小说》 The Dream There was once a doctor who was very strict with his students. One day, a student committed a breach of discipline. Pulling a long face, the proctor sent for the offender, and sat himself in a chair

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Chinese Fable Stories – Treating Hunchbacks

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·医驼背》 昔有医人,自媒能治背驼,曰:“如弓者、为虾者、如曲环者,延吾治,可朝治而夕如矢。”一人信焉,而使治驼。乃索板二片,以一置地下,卧驼者其上,又以一压焉,而即踩焉,驼者随直,亦复随死。 其子欲鸣诸官,医人曰:“我业治驼,但管人直,那管人死。” ——《雪涛小说》 Treating Hunchbacks There was once a charlatan who claimed he could cure deformities of the spine. “Whether your back is like a bow, a shrimp, a ring, or whatever you please, come to me and I’ll straighten it in no time.” One hunchback was credulous enough to take his words

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《菜根谭》(动中真静、苦中真乐) ~ with English Translations

《菜根谭》是明朝还初道人洪应明收集编著的儒家经典,是一部论述修养、人生、处世、出世的语录集。其文字简炼明隽,兼采雅俗,言辞中流露出山林意趣,渗透着万物一体的世界观。开出的处世之方偏重心态和人事,悟虚妄真实之理,指出贫富、尊卑、穷达因为心念使善恶、祸福相互转换,告诫世人及时转念,戒贪少欲,取中庸之道。著作前后内容和深度有所不同,反映出了不同的阅历和境界。 《菜根谭》(动中真静、苦中真乐) 静中静非真静,动处静得来,才是性天之真境;乐处乐非真乐,苦中乐得来,才是心体之真机。 If you are able to keep quiet in a noiseless place, that kind of quietness does not count for much; only the quietness that is obtained from hard work accords completely with man’s nature. If you are able to keep happy on a joyous occasion, that is not happiness in the real

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《菜根谭》(静闲淡薄、观心正道) ~ with English Translations

《菜根谭》是明朝还初道人洪应明收集编著的儒家经典,是一部论述修养、人生、处世、出世的语录集。其文字简炼明隽,兼采雅俗,言辞中流露出山林意趣,渗透着万物一体的世界观。开出的处世之方偏重心态和人事,悟虚妄真实之理,指出贫富、尊卑、穷达因为心念使善恶、祸福相互转换,告诫世人及时转念,戒贪少欲,取中庸之道。著作前后内容和深度有所不同,反映出了不同的阅历和境界。 《菜根谭》(静闲淡薄、观心正道) 静中念虑澄澈,见心之真体;闲中气象从容,识心之真机;淡中意趣冲夷,得心之真味。观心证道,无如此三者。 In stillness, a person’s thoughts are as clear as water, and his true heart can be seen to the bottom. In carefree moments, a person’s mettle an bearing are unhurried, and his real motive can be recognized. In a life devoid of wealth and fame, a person’s attitude is modest and amiable,

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《菜根谭》(念头起处、切莫放过) ~ with English Translations

《菜根谭》是明朝还初道人洪应明收集编著的儒家经典,是一部论述修养、人生、处世、出世的语录集。其文字简炼明隽,兼采雅俗,言辞中流露出山林意趣,渗透着万物一体的世界观。开出的处世之方偏重心态和人事,悟虚妄真实之理,指出贫富、尊卑、穷达因为心念使善恶、祸福相互转换,告诫世人及时转念,戒贪少欲,取中庸之道。著作前后内容和深度有所不同,反映出了不同的阅历和境界。 《菜根谭》(念头起处、切莫放过) 念头起处,才觉向欲路上去,便挽从理路上来。一起便觉,一觉便转,此是转祸为福,起死回生的关头,切莫轻易放过。 As soon as you find your thoughts deflecting to the path of material desires, switch them immediately back to the path of preserving your essential nature. As soon as you become aware of an evil thought flitting through your mind, turn away from it. That way you can turn disaster into a

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Chinese Fable Stories – Will you Flatter me?

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·奉承》 鲁有迂滑二叟,踞石而谈。 迂叟曰:“余有百金,以十之二予若,若趋承予否?” 滑叟曰:“物不均,不得趋承!” “然则平分之?” 曰:“物之均,不得趋承!” “然则全予乎?” 曰:“物全归,不用趋承。” ——《艾子外语》 Will you Flatter me? A rich man and a poor man were talking together. “I have a hundred ounces of gold,” said the rich man. “If I give you twenty, will you flatter me?” “It would not be fairly shared, would you flatter me then?”

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Ancient Chinese fable – The Wolf of the Zhongshan Mountain

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·中山狼》 赵筒子大猎于中山,有狼当道,驱车逐之。时东郭先生,将北适中山以干仕,策蹇驴,囊图书,夙行失道。狼奄至,引首顾曰:“先生岂有志于济物哉?何不使我早处囊中,以苟延残喘乎?异时倘得脱颖而出,先生之恩,生死而肉骨也。”先生及出图书空囊橐,徐徐焉实狼其中。已而简子至,求狼弗得,回车就道。狼度简子之去远,而作声囊中曰:“先生可留意矣,出我囊。”先生举手出狼,狼咆哮谓先生曰:“适为虞人逐,其来甚速,幸先生生我,我饿甚,馁不得食,亦终必亡而已,又何吝一躯啖我,而全微命乎!”遂鼓吻奋爪以向先生。先生仓卒以手搏之,还望老子杖藜而来,先生且喜且愕,舍狼而前,拜跪啼泣,致辞曰:“乞丈人一言而生。”丈人问故,先生曰:“是狼为虞人所窘,求救于我,我实生之,今反欲噬我,敢乞一言而生。”狼曰:“初先生救我时,束缚我足,闭我囊中,压以诗书,我鞠躬不敢息,又蔓词以说简子,其意盖将死我于囊,而独窃其利也,吾安可不噬。”丈人曰:“是皆不足以执信也!试再囊之,吾观其状,果困苦否。”狼欣然从之。丈人附耳谓先生曰:“有匕首否?”先生曰:“有。”于是出匕,丈人目先生使引匕刺狼,先生曰:“不害狼乎!”丈人笑曰:“禽善负恩为是,而犹不忍杀,子固仁者,然愚亦甚矣。”遂举手助先生操刀,共殪狼,弃道上而去。 ——《中山狼传》 The Wolf of the Zhongshan Mountain There once lived a scholar by the name of Dongguo, who was known for his compassion. One day, he was riding along on a donkey on his way to Zhongshan, when he saw a group of hunters. A little while later a wolf came running

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