Chinese Classical Literature

Huang Gongshao: Tune: Green Jade Cup ~ 黄公绍·《青玉案》 with English Translations

黄公绍,宋元之际邵武(今属福建)人,字直翁。咸淳进士。入元不仕,隐居樵溪。著《古今韵会》、以《说文》为本,参考宋元以前字书、韵书,集字书训诂之大成,原书已佚,其同时人熊忠所编《古今韵会举要》中,略能见其大概。另有《在轩集》。 黄公绍·《青玉案》 年年社日停针线, 怎忍见、双飞燕? 今日江城春已半, 一身犹在,乱山深处, 寂寞溪桥畔。 春衫著破谁针线, 点点行行泪痕满。 落日解鞍芳草岸, 花无人戴,酒无劝, 醉也无人管。 Tune: Green Jade Cup Huang Gongshao Each year we do no needlework on holiday. How can I bear To see swallows in pair? In riverside town spring’s half gone away. Poor I live still Deep in the hill, Lonely by riverside. Who would […]

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Jin Renrui: Willows ~ 金人瑞·《柳》 with English Translations

金人瑞一般指金圣叹。金圣叹(1608.4.17—1661.8.7)名采,字若采。明亡后改名人瑞,字圣叹,别号鲲鹏散士,自称泐庵法师。明末清初苏州吴县人,著名的文学家、文学批评家。明末诸生出身,为人狂傲有奇气。金圣叹的主要成就在于文学批评,对《水浒传》、《西厢记》、《左传》等书及杜甫诸家唐诗都有评点。 金人瑞·《柳》 陶令门前白酒瓢,亚夫营里血腥刀。 春风不管人间事,一例千条与万条。 Willows Jin Renrui Magistrate Tao took to drink amid five willows; General Zhou’s camp was stored with bloody swords. Spring breeze does not care about worldly affairs; It just turns willow branches green as usual. (王晋熙、文殊 译)

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Liu Changqing: At a Farewell Dinner for Wang the Eleventh Setting Out on Travels to the South ~ 刘长卿·《饯别王十一南游》 with English Translations

《饯别王十一南游》是唐代诗人刘长卿的作品,为《唐诗三百首》所收录。此诗抒发自己对友人的真挚情意,描写了挥手远望直到陷入思念,愁肠百结,写得动人心弦。全诗没有“别离”二字,只写离别后的美景,然而浓浓的离情别绪已完全融入景中,曲折婉转,首尾呼应,手法新颖,别具匠心,离思深情,悠然不尽。诗人借助眼前景物,通过遥望和凝思,来表达离愁别绪。手法新颖,不落俗套。 刘长卿·《饯别王十一南游》 望君烟水阔,挥手泪沾巾。 飞鸟没何处,青山空向人。 长江一帆远,落日五湖春。 谁见汀洲上,相思愁白蘋。 At a Farewell Dinner for Wang the Eleventh Setting Out on Travels to the South Liu Changqing A vast expanse of misty water lying ahead, I find myself in tears, waving farewell to you. Off you to like a flying bird to places remote, While I all alone face

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Chinese Fable Stories – Patience

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·耐性》 一仕官将之官,其厚友送之,嘱曰:“公居官无他难,只要耐烦。”仕者唯唯。 已而再嘱,三嘱,犹唯唯,及于四五,其人忿然怒曰:“君以我为呆子乎?只此二字,奈何言之数四?” 厚友曰:“我才多说两次,尔遂发恼,辄为能耐烦可乎?” ——《雪涛小说》 Patience A man was going to take up an official post. A close friend came to see him off. “One thing you must remember when you become an official,” he said, “Is that you must always be patient.” The man replied that he would. His friend then repeated his

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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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