Regarding the difference between poetry and fu, Lu Ji, a writer of the Jin Dynasty, once said in "Wen Fu": Poetry is related to emotion and is elegant, while the poem is composed of objects and is bright. In other words, poetry is used to express subjective feelings and should be written gorgeously and delicately; Fu is used to describe objective things and should be written heartily and smoothly. Below is the appreciation of Zeng Gong's "The Story of the Mochi" compiled by me. Welcome to browse.
Mo Chi Ji
Song Dynasty: Zeng Gong
To the east of the city of Linchuan, there is land hidden but high, facing the stream, called the new city. On top of the new city, there is a pool that is hollow but becomes longer. It is called Wang Xizhi's Mochi, as Xun Bozi's "Linchuan Ji" says. Xi Zhi admired Zhang Zhi and came to the pond to study calligraphy. The water in the pond was completely black. This is a trace of his past. How can you believe it is evil?
Fang Xizhi could not force himself to become an official, but he traveled to the far east and went out to the sea to amuse his mind among the mountains and rivers. How could he wander around as much as he wanted and yet try to rest on his own? Xizhi's writings were late and good, but what he could do was accomplished by his own energy, which is not natural. There is no one in the next generation who can reach it, so how can it be that his learning is not as good as that of others? How can it be that learning is too little? What’s more, those who want to learn more about morality are evil?
Above the Mochi is now the state school building. Professor Wang Junsheng was afraid that it would be incomplete, so he wrote the six characters "Mochi of the King of Jin Youjun" between the couplets to reveal it. He also told Yu Gong: "I hope there will be a record." How can it be that the king's heart is in love with others' kindness, even though he can not discard it, and his deeds are evil because of it? Does he also want to push his story to encourage his scholars to do evil? The lady's ability has caused future generations to be like this, how can the benevolent Zhuang Shi's legacy be left to the next life?
On September 12, the eighth year of the Qingli calendar, Zeng Gong was recorded.
Translation
To the east of Linchuan County, there is a piece of land that is slightly elevated and close to a stream, called Xincheng. Above the new city, there is a low-lying rectangular pool, which is said to be Wang Xizhi's Mochi. This is mentioned in Xun Bozi's "Linchuan Ji".
Xi Zhi once admired Zhang Zhi’s spirit of “Linside the pond to study calligraphy, the water is completely black”. (Now it is said) this is the ruins of Xizhi’s (Mochi). Is it true? When Xizhi did not want to be an official, he once traveled all over the East and the East China Sea, and he felt happy among the mountains and rivers. Could it be that he had stopped here while he was enjoying his tour? Xizhi's calligraphy became particularly good in his later years. So he was able to reach this stage probably because of his own spirit and perseverance, not because he was born with it. But there is no one in the future who can catch up with him. Does it mean that the efforts of future generations in learning are not as good as his? So can we spend less time studying? What about those who want to further their studies in moral cultivation?
Next to the Mochi is now the school building of Fuzhou Prefecture School. Professor Wang Sheng was worried that Mochi would not be famous, so he wrote the six words "Mochi of the King of Jin Youjun" and hung it between the two pillars in front of the house. He also asked me: "I hope there will be an article about Mo Chi." I wonder if Mr. Wang's intention is to like the merits of others and not let them be buried even if they are skilled in skills, so how can he extend it to Wang Xizhi's legacy? Do you want to promote Wang Xizhi's deeds to encourage those students? A person with a skill can make future generations respect him like this; not to mention those people with noble moral character and dignified behavior who leave behind an admirable and beautiful style, not to mention the impact on future generations!
On September 12, the eighth year of Qingli, Zeng Gong made a note.
Notes
(1) Linchuan: Linchuan County, Fuzhou (now Linchuan City, Jiangxi Province) in the Song Dynasty.
(2) Hidden yet high: slightly raised. Hidden: not visible.
(3) Lin: Looking from high to low, it means "close".
(4) Waran: low and deep.
(5) Square and long: Square and long, it is a rectangle.
(6) Wang Xizhi (321-379): courtesy name Yishao, a native of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, an official to the general of the Youjun Army, an internal historian of Kuaiji, and known as Wang Youjun in the world. He is a famous calligrapher in ancient times and is known as the "Sage of Calligraphy" in the world. Gou Bozi: A native of the Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, he served as the internal historian of Linchuan. He wrote six volumes of "Linchuan Ji", which mentioned: "Wang Xizhi was the internal history of Linchuan. He built a house on a high slope in the southeast of the county town, which was named Xincheng. It is next to Hui River and specially occupied Laifu. The land is Shuanggai ( kǎi, the terrain is high and dry, and the mountains and rivers are picturesque. The old wells and ink pools still exist."
(7) Zhang Zhi: A calligrapher in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, he was good at cursive calligraphy and was known as the "Cao Sage".
Wang Xizhi "once wrote to someone: 'Zhang Zhi came to the pond to study calligraphy, and the water in the pond was completely black, which made people indulge (dān, love), and if he did, he might not follow.'" ("Book of Jin·Biography of Wang Xizhi")
(8) Xinran: It’s true.
(9) Xie: Yes, the same as "ye".
(10) Fang: When...
(11) Forced to be an official: Reluctantly asking (him) to become an official. Wang Xizhiyuan was as famous as Wang Shu, but he despised Wang Shu, and the relationship between them was not good. When Hou Xizhi was appointed internal historian of Kuaiji, the imperial court appointed Wang Shu as the governor of Yangzhou, with jurisdiction over Kuaiji County. Xizhi felt ashamed, resigned from his post due to illness, and swore not to be an official anymore. From then on, he "traveled all over the counties in the middle of the east, to the famous mountains, and to the vast seas."
(12) Extreme East: Travel throughout the East. Extremely, exhaustively.
(13) Going out to the sea: traveling to the East China Sea. Canghai refers to the East China Sea.
(14) To entertain him: to make him happy.
(15) How could it be: Could it be.
(16) Wander around and enjoy the sightseeing. Wander, wander, roam. Wanton, arbitrarily, as much as you want.
(17) Hugh: stay.
(18) Book: calligraphy.
(19) Late is good: It is especially good in old age. "Book of Jin·Biography of Wang Xizhi": "Xizhi Shu was not as good as Yu Yi and Qie Min (xìyìn) at the beginning, and it was wonderful in his later years. He tried to answer Yu Liang with Zhang Cao, but (Yu Yi) sighed deeply." : Able to achieve this step.
(20) Cover: probably, adverb. Those who achieve it through energy: achieved by their own spirit and perseverance.
(21) Acquire, obtain. Tiancheng: naturally generated.
(22) and: catch up.
(23) Why are they not as good at studying as Wang Xizhi? Is it because their study efforts are not as good as Wang Xizhi's? Qi, is it not?, expresses speculation, adverb. Study means to study hard and practice hard.
(24) How can learning be less? How can learning be less? Then, then, conjunction. Solid, original, original. Qi, could it be, expresses rhetorical question, adverb.
(25) Further study in morality: Further study in moral cultivation refers to high achievements in moral cultivation.
(26) Prefecture School Building: refers to the school building of Fuzhou Prefecture School.
(27) Professor: official name. In the Song Dynasty, professors were set up in Luxue, Fuxue, and Zhouxue to be in charge of academic administration and education-related students.
(28) It: refers to Mochi.
Chapter (29): Tong "Zhang", significant.
(30) Yingjian: refers to the place above between two pillars where plaques are usually hung. Ying, the pillar in front of the house.
(31) Reveal: hang up, mark out.
(32) Push: speculation.
(33) Yi Neng: One skill, referring to Wang Xizhi’s calligraphy.
(34) Don’t waste it: don’t let it be buried.
(35) Because it is similar to his traces: therefore it is extended to Wang Xizhi’s remains.
(36) Push: Promotion.
(37) Scholar: a person who studies.
(38) Husband: A modal particle placed at the beginning of a sentence to indicate that a discussion will be made.
(39) Even so: respect him like this. Shang, respect, admire.
(40) Renren Zhuangshi: refers to a person with high moral character and dignified behavior.
(41) Remaining thoughts: The beautiful style left behind that makes people yearn for it. Yusi refers to the nostalgia of future generations. Yu also means "legacy".
(42) Being sent to the next life: the impact on future generations. Be affected by.
(43) He Ruzai: What will happen? Here it means "not to mention".