Original text of "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion":
In the ninth year of Yonghe, when I was in Guichou, at the beginning of late spring, I met at the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin, Kuaiji, to repair the evil spirits. All the talented people have arrived, and the young and old have gathered together.
Here there are lofty mountains, lush forests and tall bamboos; there are also clear and turbulent streams, reflecting them to the left and right, making them look like flowing water. Although it is not as prosperous as silk and bamboo orchestral music, one drink and one chant are enough to express the secret love.
It is a sunny day, the air is clear, and the wind is gentle and gentle. Looking up at the vastness of the universe and looking down at the prosperity of categories, it is a joy to wander around and enjoy the sight and sound.
The lady's relationship with you has been admiring for a lifetime, or you can take her into your arms and understand her words within a room; Although there are many different interests, calmness and restlessness are different, when you are happy with what you encounter, you get what you have for a while, you are happy and contented, and you don't know that old age is coming.
I am tired of what I am doing, and my emotions change with the situation, so I feel sad about it. The admiration for it, and the admiration of it, have become old traces, and I still cannot help but feel happy about them. The situation will be shortened and changed, and it will eventually end. The ancients said: "Death and life are also big things." Isn't it painful?
Every time I look at the reasons for people's interest in the past, if they are combined into one, I will always feel sad and mournful, and I can't describe it in my heart. I know that death and rebirth are just illusions, and mourning for Qi Peng is an illusion.
The future looks at the present, just as the present looks at the past. Sad husband! Therefore, I listed people from that time and recorded what they said. Although things are different in different times, I am interested in them and they are consistent. Those who view it later will also feel the elegance.
Translation:
In the ninth year of Yonghe, in the year of Guichou, in early March, we gathered at Lanting in Shanyin City, Kuaiji County, to do the evil ceremony. Many wise men and capable people gathered here, both old and young.
Lanting has high peaks, dense woods and bamboo bushes; there are also clear and turbulent water that surround the pavilion.
We brought the water as floating The water in the circular canal where the wine glasses are passed is arranged next to the curved water. Although there is no grand occasion of orchestral music, drinking wine and composing poems is enough to freely express the deep feelings.
On this day, the weather is sunny and the breeze is blowing. Looking up at the vast sky and looking down at the numerous things on the earth can stretch your eyesight and broaden your mind. It is enough to fully enjoy the pleasure of sight and hearing. It is really Very happy.
People interact with each other and spend their lives quickly. Some people talk freely about their ambitions indoors; they focus on the things they like, express their feelings, and live an unfettered and uninhibited life.
Although each has his own hobbies, quietness and restlessness, when they are happy with the things they come into contact with, they feel complacent, happy and satisfied for a moment, without even knowing that aging is coming.
When you feel tired of the things you like, your mood changes with the current situation, and emotion arises. The things you liked in the past have become old relics in a blink of an eye, and you can't help but feel the feelings in your heart because of them.
Moreover, the length of life is left to fate, and ultimately comes down to destruction. The ancients said: "Death and life are a big deal after all." How can we not make people sad?
Whenever I see the reasons why the predecessors were so excited and sighing, it seems to be consistent with what I sigh about. I always sigh and sigh in front of their articles, but I can't clearly understand it in my heart. illustrate.
I originally knew that the statement that equates life and death is untrue, and the statement that equates long life and short life is a fabrication.
Later generations look upon today’s people just as today’s people look upon their predecessors. How sad! So I wrote down the people who were present at the meeting one by one, and recorded the psalms they composed.
Even though times have changed and things are different, the reasons that trigger people's emotions and their thoughts and interests remain the same. Later generations of readers will also be moved by the poetry and prose of this gathering.
Extended information:
Word annotation:
1. Late spring: March of the lunar calendar. Twilight, night.
2. Kuaiji: the name of the county, now Shaoxing, Zhejiang.
3. Wise people: many wise men and capable people. Refers to Xie An and other thirty-two social celebrities.
4. Bi Zhi: all arrived. Complete, complete.
5. Xiuzhu: tall bamboo.
6. Turbulence: water with rapid flow.
7. Reflections on the left and right: The reflections are dotted around the pavilion.
8. Liushangqushui: Use a lacquered wine cup to hold wine, put it into a curved waterway and let it drift. When the cup stops in front of someone, someone will drink from it.
9. Sitting next to the row: sitting next to the curved water.
10. One drink and one chant: Drinking wine and composing poetry.
11. The prosperity of categories: the variety of all things.
12. I don’t know that aging is coming: I don’t know that aging is coming.
13. Feelings change as things change: Feelings change as things change.
"Lanting Preface" is also called "Lanting Banquet Collection Preface", "Lanting Collection Preface", "Linhe Preface", "Ye Preface" and "Ye Tie".
It was created in the ninth year of Yonghe, Emperor Mu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (353 AD). The author Wang Xizhi was a famous calligrapher during the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Wang Xizhi's masterpiece "Lanting Preface" is known as "the best running script in the world". In the history of calligraphy, he and his son Wang Xianzhi are collectively known as the "Two Kings".
In addition to "Lanting Preface", other representative works include: "Le Yi Lun" in regular script, "Huang Ting Jing", "Seventeen Tie" in cursive script, "Auntie Tie" in running script and "Quick Snow Shiqing Tie" , "Sangluan Tie" and so on.