istudy

Ancient Chinese fable – Grinding an Iron Pestle into a Needle

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·铁杵磨针》 李白少读书,未成,弃去。道逢老妪磨杵,白问其故。曰:“欲作针。”白感其言。遂卒业。 ——《潜确类书》 Grinding an Iron Pestle into a Needle A schoolboy was playing truant in the street when he saw an old woman grinding an iron pestle on a stone. Being curious, he asked her what she was doing. “I am going to grind it into a needle to sew cloth with,” answered […]

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Ancient Chinese fable – The Low Stool

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·矮凳》 家有一坐头,绝低矮,迂公每坐,必取瓦片支其四足。后不胜烦,忽思得策,呼侍者,移置楼上坐。 及坐时,低为故,乃曰:“人言楼高,浪得名耳。” ——《雅谑》 The Low Stool Yu Gong had a very low stool. When he wanted to sit on it, he always placed bricks under each leg. Later he found it very troublesome and hit upon an idea. He ordered a servant to take it upstairs. But when he sat on it again,

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Hsieh Ling-yün: In Hsin-An, Setting out from the River’s Mouth at T’ung-Lu ~ 谢灵运·《初往新安至桐庐口》 with English Translations

《初往新安至桐庐口》是南朝宋诗人谢灵运创作的一首五言古诗,写于作者赴永嘉途中永初三年,经过新安桐庐口的时间大概在七八月之交,故诗中多写秋季景色及观感。 谢灵运·《初往新安至桐庐口》 絺綌虽凄其,授衣尚未至。 感节良已深,怀古亦云思。 不有千里棹,孰申百代意。 远协尚子心,遥得许生计。 既及冷风善,又即秋水驶。 江山共开旷,云日相照媚。 景夕群物清,对玩咸可憙。 In Hsin-An, Setting out from the River’s Mouth at T’ung-Lu Hsieh Ling-yün Cold cutting through thin openwork robes and not yet time for gifts of winter clothes: this season always pitches me into depths all grief-clotted thoughts of ancient times. I’ll never sail on thousand-mile oars

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Hsieh Ling-yün: Overnight at Stone-Gate Cliffs ~ 谢灵运·《夜宿石门》 with English Translations

谢灵运于宋景平元年(423年)辞去永嘉太守之职,回到始宁的祖居,又营造了一些新的庄园别墅,其一在石门山上(今浙江嵊县境内)。这首诗写的是诗人夜宿于石门别墅的岩石上的所闻。 谢灵运·《夜宿石门》 朝搴苑中兰,畏彼霜下歇。 暝还云际宿,弄此石上月。 鸟鸣识夜栖,木落知风发。 异音同至听,殊响俱清越。 妙物莫为赏,芳醑谁与伐。 美人竟不来,阳阿徒晞发。 Overnight at Stone-Gate Cliffs Hsieh Ling-yün I spent the morning digging out orchids, afraid frost would soon leave them dead, passed the night among fringes of cloud, savoring a moon up beyond all this rock, chortles telling me birds have settled in, falling leaves giving away fresh

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Ancient Chinese fable – Laugh with Others

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·笑的一定不错》 瞽者与人同坐。人有所见而笑,瞽者亦笑。或问汝何所见而笑?瞽答曰:“诸君所笑,定然不差,难道是骗我的。” ——《笑赞》 Laugh with Others A blind man was in the company of others. When his companions saw something funny, they laughed. The blind man laughed, too. When they asked him why he was laughing, the blind man replied, “Since you laugh, there must be something worth laughing at. Can you be cheating

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Ancient Chinese fable – A Good Man Is Easy to Bully

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·神像和好人》 乡村路口,有一神庙,乃是木雕之像。一人行路,因遇水沟,就将此神放倒,踏着过水。后有一人看见,心内不忍,将神扶在座上。 此神说他不供香火,登时就降他头痛之灾。 判官小鬼都禀道:“踏着大王过水的倒没事,扶起来的倒降灾,何也?” 这神说:“你不知道,只是善人好欺负。” ——《笑赞》 A Good Man Is Easy to Bully In the temple by the roadside of a village there was a wooden image of a deity. A man passing by found a ditch across his path, so he pulled down the image and placed it over the ditch as a

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Ancient Chinese fable – Issuing an Order to the Tigers

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·对考虑发命令》 杨叔贤为荆州幕时,虎伤人。杨就穴磨崖刻戒虎文,其略曰:“咄乎尔彪,出境潜游。” 后知郁林,致书知事赵定基,托拓戒虎文数本。云:“岭南俗庸犷,欲以此化之。”赵遣人打碑。次日耆申:“磨岩下大虫咬杀打碑匠二人。”赵乃以状寄答。 ——《宋稗类抄》 Issuing an Order to the Tigers When Yang Shuxian was in office in Jingzhou, the tigers there were a scourge to the people. So Yang had an edict engraved on a big rock on a nearby mountain, ordering the tigers to leave the place. Later, when he was transferred to

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Ancient Chinese fable – Sour wine

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·过手便酸》 昔苏秦父母诞辰,伯子捧觞称寿!叹曰:“好佳酿。”及季子亦捧觞称寿,骂曰:“酿酒”。 季子妻乃从伯姆借酒一觞,复骂曰:“酿酒。” 季子妻曰:“这是伯姆家借来的。” 翁叱之曰:“你这不行时的人,过手便酸。” ——《雪涛小书》 Sour wine Su Qin had not been successful in his quest for an official post. One day a feast was held to celebrate his father’s birthday. When Su Qin’s elder brother presented a cup of wine to the old man, he exclaimed on its excellence. But when Su

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Ancient Chinese fable – Sour wine

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·过手便酸》 昔苏秦父母诞辰,伯子捧觞称寿!叹曰:“好佳酿。”及季子亦捧觞称寿,骂曰:“酿酒”。 季子妻乃从伯姆借酒一觞,复骂曰:“酿酒。” 季子妻曰:“这是伯姆家借来的。” 翁叱之曰:“你这不行时的人,过手便酸。” ——《雪涛小书》 Sour wine Su Qin had not been successful in his quest for an official post. One day a feast was held to celebrate his father’s birthday. When Su Qin’s elder brother presented a cup of wine to the old man, he exclaimed on its excellence. But when Su

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Gu Taiqing: Zhuying yao hong: Hearing Eunuch Chen Jinchao of the Pear Garden [the Imperial Troupe] Play the Qin ~ 顾太清·《烛影摇红·听梨园太监陈进朝弹琴》 with English Translations

《烛影摇红·听梨园太监陈进朝弹琴》是清代女词人顾太清创作的一首词。此词上片开头两句点明听琴的时令,为琴师陈进朝的出场设置背景;三、四句写陈进朝的到来,表现他内心的凄怨苦楚;五、六句写陈进朝的弹奏,言其琴韵有风水之声;歇拍两句以对比的手法为陈进朝的遭际鸣哀。下片过拍四句间用白描,写陈进朝在乾隆时期“享尽神仙福”的情景;接着两句隐约表现他心中的凄凉悲思及郁勃不平之气;结拍三句归结到眼前,对陈进朝寄以无限的悲悯和同情。全词语言自然流畅,情感悲凄沉痛,把人世沧桑表现得淋漓尽致。 顾太清·《烛影摇红·听梨园太监陈进朝弹琴》 雪意沈沈, 北风冷触庭前竹。 白头阿监抱琴来, 未语眉先蹙。 弹遍瑶池旧曲, 韵泠泠, 水流云瀑。 人间天上, 四十年来, 伤心惨目。 尚记当初, 梨园无数名花簇。 笙歌缥缈碧云间, 享尽神仙福。 叹息而今老仆。 受君恩, 沾些微禄。 不堪回首, 暮景萧条, 穷途哀哭。 Zhuying yao hong: Hearing Eunuch Chen Jinchao of the Pear Garden [the Imperial Troupe] Play the Qin Gu Taiqing A sense of snow hangs heavy, North winds coldly cuff a courtyard bamboo-clump1 A

Gu Taiqing: Zhuying yao hong: Hearing Eunuch Chen Jinchao of the Pear Garden [the Imperial Troupe] Play the Qin ~ 顾太清·《烛影摇红·听梨园太监陈进朝弹琴》 with English Translations Read More »