唐宋小品选读

山shān不bù在zài高gāo，有yǒu仙xiān则zé名míng。水shuǐ不bù在zài深shēn，有yǒu龙lóng则zé灵líng。斯sī是shì陋lòu室shì，惟wéi吾wú德dé馨xīn。

A mountain is famous not for its height but for its immortals; water is numinous not for its depth but for its dragons. This is a humble room, fragrant only with my virtue.

苔tái痕hén上shàng阶jiē绿lǜ，草cǎo色sè入rù帘lián青qīng。谈tán笑xiào有yǒu鸿hóng儒rú，往来wǎng lái无wú白bái丁dīng。

Moss stains the steps green, grass colors the curtains blue. In talk and laughter are great scholars; no unlearned come and go.

释shì读dú：刘liú禹yǔ锡xī的de《陋lòu室shì铭míng》。房子fáng zi虽然suī rán简陋jiǎn lòu，可是kě shì住zhù在zài里面lǐ miàn的de人品rén pǐn德dé高尚gāo shàng。真正zhēn zhèng的de高雅gāo yǎ不bù在zài房子fáng zi，在zài人rén。

Gloss: Liu Yuxi's Inscription for a Humble Room. The room is plain, but its dweller's virtue is lofty. True elegance is not in the house but in the person.

水shuǐ陆lù草cǎo木mù之zhī花huā，可爱kě ài者zhě甚shèn蕃fān。晋jìn陶táo渊yuān明míng独dú爱ài菊jú。自zì李lǐ唐táng来lái，世shì人rén甚shèn爱ài牡丹mǔ dan。

Of the flowers of water and land, many are lovely. Tao Yuanming of Jin loved the chrysanthemum alone; since the Tang, the world has loved the peony.

予yǔ独dú爱ài莲lián之zhī出chū淤yū泥ní而ér不bù染rǎn，濯zhuó清qīng涟lián而ér不bù妖yāo，中zhōng通tōng外wài直zhí，不bù蔓màn不bù枝zhī，香xiāng远yuǎn益yì清qīng，亭tíng亭tíng净jìng植zhí。

I alone love the lotus, which rises from mud unstained, washed by clear ripples yet never seductive, hollow within and straight without, never sprawling, its fragrance purer from afar, standing clean and still.

释shì读dú：周zhōu敦dūn颐yí的de《爱ài莲lián说shuō》。莲lián花huā从cóng污wū泥ní里lǐ长zhǎng出来chū lái却què干gàn干净gān jìng净jìng，是shì君子jūn zǐ的de象征xiàng zhēng：生shēng在zài不bù好hào的de环境huán jìng里lǐ，也yě能néng保持bǎo chí干净gān jìng。

Gloss: Zhou Dunyi's On Loving the Lotus. The lotus grows from mud yet stays clean, the symbol of the gentleman: born into a poor environment and still unsullied.

元yuán丰fēng六lìu年nián十shí月yuè十shí二èr日夜rì yè，解jiě衣yī欲yù睡shuì，月yuè色sè入rù户hù，欣xīn然rán起qǐ行háng。

On the night of the twelfth of the tenth month, the sixth year of Yuanfeng, I had undressed for sleep when moonlight entered my door, and gladly I rose and went out.

念niàn无wú与yǔ为wéi乐lè者zhě，遂suì至zhì承chéng天tiān寺sì寻xún张zhāng怀huái民mín。怀huái民mín亦yì未wèi寝qǐn，相xiāng与yǔ步bù于yú中zhōng庭tíng。

Thinking there was no one to share the joy with, I went to Chengtian Temple to find Zhang Huaimin. He too was awake, and we walked together in the courtyard.

庭tíng下xià如rú积jī水shuǐ空kòng明míng，水shuǐ中zhōng藻zǎo荇xìng交jiāo横hèng，盖gài竹zhú柏bǎi影yǐng也yě。

The courtyard was like pooled water, clear and empty, with waterweed tangling across it, the shadows of bamboo and cypress.

何hé夜yè无wú月yuè？何处hé chù无wú竹zhú柏bǎi？但dàn少shǎo闲xián人rén如rú吾wú两liǎng人rén者zhě耳ěr。

What night has no moon? What place has no bamboo and cypress? It is only rare to have idle people like the two of us.

释shì读dú：苏sū轼shì的de《记jì承chéng天tiān寺sì夜yè游yóu》。被bèi贬biǎn黄huáng州zhōu的de晚上wǎn shang，一yī片piàn月光yuè guāng、两liǎng个gè闲xián人rén，苦kǔ日子rì zi里lǐ也yě能néng看出kàn chū诗shī意yì，这zhè就是jìu shì苏sū东dōng坡pō。

Gloss: Su Shi's Night Walk at Chengtian Temple. A moonlit night in exile, two idle men, poetry found in hard days: that is Su Dongpo.

先天xiān tiān下xià之zhī忧yōu而ér忧yōu，后天hòu tiān下xià之zhī乐lè而ér乐lè。

To worry before the world worries, and rejoice after the world rejoices.

释shì读dú：范fàn仲zhòng淹yān《岳yuè阳yáng楼lóu记jì》里lǐ最zuì有名yǒu míng的de句子jù zi。一yī个gè真正zhēn zhèng的de读书dú shū人rén，要yào把bǎ天下tiān xià人rén的de苦kǔ放fàng在zài自己zì jǐ前面qián miàn。

Gloss: the most famous line in Fan Zhongyan's Yueyang Tower Record. A true scholar puts the world's troubles before his own.

醉zuì翁wēng之zhī意yì不bù在zài酒jǐu，在乎zài hu山shān水shuǐ之间zhī jiān也yě。山shān水shuǐ之zhī乐lè，得děi之zhī心xīn而ér寓yù之zhī酒jǐu也yě。

The drunken old man's heart is not in the wine but in the mountains and waters. The joy of landscape is held in the heart and lodged in the wine.

释shì读dú：欧ōu阳yáng修xīu《醉zuì翁wēng亭tíng记jì》。喝hē酒jǐu是shì借口jiè kǒu，看kān山shān水shuǐ才cái是shì真zhēn意yì。现在xiàn zài这zhè句jù话huà用来yòng lái形容xíng róng：表面biǎo miàn做zuò的de是shì一yī件jiàn事shì，心里xīn li想xiǎng的de是shì另lìng一yī件jiàn事shì。

Gloss: Ouyang Xiu's Record of the Drunken Old Man's Pavilion. Wine was the excuse; the landscape was the meaning. Now the phrase describes doing one thing while meaning another.

先生xiān sheng不知bù zhī何hé许xǔ人rén也yě，亦yì不bù详xiáng其qí姓xìng字zì，宅zhái边biān有yǒu五wǔ柳树lǐu shù，因yīn以为yǐ wéi号hào焉yān。闲xián静jìng少shǎo言yán，不bù慕mù荣róng利lì。好hào读书dú shū，不bù求qíu甚shèn解jiě；每měi有yǒu会意huì yì，便biàn欣xīn然rán忘wàng食shí。

We do not know where the master came from nor his name; five willows grew by his house, so he took that as his name. Quiet and sparing of words, he sought neither glory nor gain. He loved reading without chasing exact meanings; whenever a passage struck him, he gladly forgot to eat.

释shì读dú：陶táo渊yuān明míng的de《五wǔ柳liǔ先生xiān sheng传zhuàn》。不bù求qíu甚shèn解jiě的de意思yì si不bù是shì不bù认真rèn zhēn，而是ér shì读书dú shū读dú到dào心里xīn li去qù，不bù为难wéi nán自己zì jǐ。

Gloss: Tao Yuanming's Master Five Willows. 'Not seeking exact understanding' is not carelessness; it is reading into the heart, not making yourself miserable.

世shì有yǒu伯bó乐lè，然后rán hòu有yǒu千qiān里lǐ马mǎ。千qiān里lǐ马mǎ常cháng有yǒu，而ér伯bó乐lè不bù常cháng有yǒu。故gù虽suī有名yǒu míng马mǎ，祗zhī辱rǔ于yú奴隶nú lì人rén之zhī手shǒu，骈pián死sǐ于yú槽cáo枥lì之间zhī jiān，不bù以yǐ千qiān里lǐ称chēng也yě。

Only when the world has a Bole do thousand-li horses appear. Such horses are common; Boles are not. So even famous horses suffer in the hands of grooms and die side by side at the trough, never called thousand-li.

释shì读dú：韩hán愈yù的de《马mǎ说shuō》。千qiān里lǐ马mǎ很hěn多duō，能néng认出rèn chū千qiān里lǐ马mǎ的de人rén很hěn少shǎo。好人hǎo rén才cái要yào遇上yù shàng好hào眼睛yǎn jing。

Gloss: Han Yu's On Horses. Thousand-li horses are many; those who can spot them are few. Great talent needs the right eyes to find it.

陈chén康kāng肃sù公gōng善shàn射shè，当dàng世shì无wú双shuāng，公gōng亦yì以yǐ此cǐ自zì矜jīn。尝cháng射shè于yú家jiā圃pǔ，有yǒu卖mài油yóu翁wēng释shì担dàn而ér立lì，睨nì之zhī久jǐu而ér不bù去qù。

Chen Kangsu was the finest archer of his day and proud of it. Once, shooting in his yard, an old oil-seller set down his load and watched long with narrowed eyes.

见jiàn其qí发fā矢shǐ十shí中zhōng八bā九jǐu，但dàn微wēi颔hàn之zhī。康kāng肃sù问wèn曰yuē：汝rǔ亦yì知zhī射shè乎hū？吾wú射shè不bù亦yì精jīng乎hū？翁wēng曰yuē：无wú他tā，但dàn手shǒu熟shú尔ěr。

Seeing nine of ten arrows hit, the old man only nodded faintly. Chen asked: do you know archery? Is my skill not fine? The old man said: nothing special, just practiced hands.

乃nǎi取qǔ一yī葫hú芦lú置zhì于yú地dì，以yǐ钱qián覆fù其qí口kǒu，徐xú以yǐ杓biāo酌zhuó油yóu沥lì之zhī，自zì钱qián孔kǒng入rù，而ér钱qián不bù湿shī。因yīn曰yuē：我wǒ亦yì无wú他tā，惟wéi手shǒu熟shú尔ěr。

He set a gourd on the ground, put a coin over its mouth, and slowly poured oil through the coin's hole without wetting it. Then he said: I have nothing special either, just practiced hands.

释shì读dú：欧ōu阳yáng修xīu的de《卖mài油yóu翁wēng》。神shén箭jiàn手shǒu有yǒu什么shén me了不起liǎo bu qǐ？倒dào油yóu的de老lǎo头tóu说shuō：没有méi yǒu别的bié de，手shǒu熟shú而已ér yǐ。功夫gōng fu练liàn到dào家jiā，都dōu是shì一回事yī huí shì。

Gloss: Ouyang Xiu's The Oil Peddler. What is so great about a master archer? Just practiced hands, says the old man pouring oil. Every skill, mastered, is the same.

潭tán中zhōng鱼yú可kě百bǎi许xǔ头tóu，皆jiē若ruò空kòng游yóu无wú所suǒ依yī，日rì光guāng下xià澈chè，影yǐng布bù石shí上shàng，佁yǐ然rán不bù动dòng，俶chù尔ěr远yuǎn逝shì，往来wǎng lái翕xī忽hū，似shì与yǔ游yóu者zhě相xiāng乐lè。

A hundred-odd fish in the pool seemed to swim in empty air; sunlight reached the bottom, shadows lay on the stone, the fish stayed still then darted far, back and forth, as if playing with the visitors.

释shì读dú：柳liǔ宗zōng元yuán的de《小xiǎo石shí潭tán记jì》。被bèi贬biǎn永yǒng州zhōu的de柳liǔ宗zōng元yuán在zài山shān水shuǐ里lǐ找zhǎo安慰ān wèi，写xiě鱼yú写xiě水shuǐ，其实qí shí写xiě的de都dōu是shì自己zì jǐ的de心情xīn qíng。

Gloss: Liu Zongyuan's Little Stone Pool. Exiled to Yongzhou, he sought comfort in landscape; writing fish and water, he really wrote his own heart.

不bù以yǐ物wù喜xǐ，不bù以yǐ己jǐ悲bēi；居jū庙miào堂táng之zhī高gāo则zé忧yōu其qí民mín，处chù江jiāng湖hú之zhī远yuǎn则zé忧yōu其qí君jūn。

Not gladdened by things, not saddened by self; high at court, one worries for the people; far by the rivers and lakes, one worries for the sovereign.

释shì读dú：还是hái shi《岳yuè阳yáng楼lóu记jì》。不bù因为yīn wèi好事hǎo shì高兴gāo xìng，也yě不bù因为yīn wèi自己zì jǐ倒霉dǎo méi难过nán guò，心里xīn li装zhuāng着zhuó的de是shì天下tiān xià。

Gloss: still the Yueyang Tower Record. Unmoved by luck, unbowed by loss; the heart holds the world.

山shān不bù在zài高gāo，有yǒu仙xiān则zé名míng；水shuǐ不bù在zài深shēn，有yǒu龙lóng则zé灵líng。斯sī是shì陋lòu室shì，惟wéi吾wú德dé馨xīn。

A mountain need not be high; with an immortal it is famous. Water need not be deep; with a dragon it is numinous. This is a humble room, made fragrant only by my virtue.

释shì读dú：刘liú禹yǔ锡xī的de《陋lòu室shì铭míng》。他tā住zhù的de屋子wū zi又yòu小xiǎo又yòu破pò，可kě他tā说shuō：山shān不bù在于zài yú高gāo，有yǒu神仙shén xiān就jìu有名yǒu míng；水shuǐ不bù在于zài yú深shēn，有yǒu龙lóng就jìu灵líng。屋子wū zi简陋jiǎn lòu没关系méi guān xi，住zhù在zài里面lǐ miàn的de人rén有yǒu德dé行háng就jìu好hào。

Gloss: Liu Yuxi's Inscription for a Humble Room. His house was small and plain, yet he said the room is made noble by the virtue of who lives in it.

黔qián无wú驴lǘ，有yǒu好事hǎo shì者zhě船chuán载zài以yǐ入rù。至zhì则zé无wú可kě用yòng，放fàng之zhī山shān下xià。虎hǔ见jiàn之zhī，庞páng然rán大dà物wù也yě，以为yǐ wéi神shén。

Qian had no donkeys, until a meddler shipped one in. Finding no use for it, he set it loose below the mountain. A tiger saw it, a huge creature, and took it for a god.

他tā日rì，驴lǘ一yī鸣míng，虎hǔ大dà骇hài，远yuǎn遁dùn，以为yǐ wéi且qiě噬shì己jǐ也yě，甚shèn恐kǒng。然rán往来wǎng lái视shì之zhī，觉jiào无wú异yì能néng者zhě。

One day the donkey brayed; the tiger fled in terror, sure it was about to be eaten. But watching it back and forth, the tiger sensed no special power.

虎hǔ因yīn喜xǐ，计jì之zhī曰yuē：技jì止zhǐ此cǐ耳ěr！因yīn跳tiào踉liáng大dà吼hǒu，断duàn其qí喉hóu，尽jǐn其qí肉ròu，乃nǎi去qù。

The tiger was glad, reckoning: is that all it can do? Then it leaped roaring, tore out the donkey's throat, ate its fill, and left.

释shì读dú：柳liǔ宗zōng元yuán的de《黔qián之zhī驴lǘ》。贵guì州zhōu的de老lǎo虎hǔ第dì一yī次cì见到jiàn dào驴lǘ，被bèi这zhè个gè大dà个子gè zi吓xià住zhù了liǎo。后来hòu lái发现fā xiàn驴lǘ只zhī会huì叫jiào、只zhī会huì踢tī，就jìu把bǎ驴lǘ吃chī了liǎo。黔qián驴lǘ技jì穷qióng说shuō的de就是jìu shì这zhè个gè故事gù shi：看kān着zhuó吓人xià rén，其实qí shí没什么méi shén me真zhēn本事běn shi。

Gloss: Liu Zongyuan's The Donkey of Qian. The tiger, first frightened by the huge stranger, discovered it could only bray and kick, and ate it. 'The Qian donkey's tricks are spent' means: looks scary, no real skill.

余yú忆yì童tóng稚zhì时shí，能néng张zhāng目mù对duì日rì，明míng察chá秋qiū毫háo，见jiàn藐miǎo小xiǎo之zhī物wù必bì细xì察chá其qí纹wén理lǐ，故gù时shí有yǒu物wù外wài之zhī趣qù。

I remember in childhood I could stare open-eyed at the sun and see the finest hairs; meeting any tiny thing I always studied its texture, so I often found joy beyond the things themselves.

释shì读dú：沈shěn复fù的de《童tóng趣qù》，初中chū zhōng的de课文kè wén。小时候xiǎo shí hou蹲dūn在zài地上dì shang看kān蚂蚁mǎ yǐ搬家bān jiā，一yī看kān就是jìu shì半天bàn tiān，这样zhè yàng的de快乐kuài lè，大人dà ren们men早就zǎo jìu忘wàng了liǎo。

Gloss: Shen Fu's Childhood Joys, a middle-school text. The delight of crouching to watch ants for half a day; adults long forgot it.

这些zhè xiē小xiǎo文章wén zhāng都dōu不bù长zhǎng，可kě每měi一yī篇piān都dōu藏cáng着zhuó一yī个gè大大dà dà的de道理dào li，一yī千qiān年nián来lái被bèi中国zhōng guó人rén读dú了liǎo又yòu读dú，背bèi了liǎo又yòu背bèi。

These little essays are all short, yet each hides a large idea, read and memorized by the Chinese for a thousand years.