Translation:
At the beginning of a certain year, Mr. Sun Xin met Ouyang Xiu and took the opportunity to ask him for advice on writing articles.
Ouyang Xiu said: "There is no other way. Only by studying diligently and writing articles frequently will you naturally make progress; but the problem of ordinary people in the world is that they have few opportunities to practice writing and are too lazy to read. After writing, you immediately ask it to surpass others. It is rare to succeed in this way. You don’t need others to point out the shortcomings of the article. You can find them by practicing more. ”
Original text:
A few years ago, Sun Xinlao met Wen Zhonggong and asked him about it in writing. It says: "There is no other way, but to study diligently and do more, and work on your own. People in the world suffer from the problem of having few words, being too lazy to read, and publishing one article after another, hoping to be better than others. Such people rarely succeed. There is no need to wait for others to criticize flaws. You can see it if you write more."
Source: From "Dongpo Zhilin" by Su Shi of the Song Dynasty.
"Dongpo Zhilin", written by Su Shi [Song Dynasty]. This book contains the author's miscellaneous historical discussions during the twenty years from Yuanfeng to Yuanfu. The content is extensive and everything is discussed. His articles are of any length, ranging from a thousand words to a few words, but most of them are short. They are all written with confidence and ease, reflecting the author's literary style of flowing clouds and flowing water.
This book may have been called "Dongpo Shouze" in the Song Dynasty. Chen Zhensun's "Zhizhai Shulu Jieti" records the three volumes of "Dongpo Shouze" one by one, and notes: "Today's custom The so-called "Zhilin" in this "Complete Collection" is considered by "Sikuquanshu General Catalogue" to be "a random note by Gai Shi. This is not a work, and there is no book title." Ze"; but the publisher of Shi's collection did not want to refer to his father's bibliography, so he titled it "Zhilin""
Extended information:
About the author:
Su Shi (January 8, 1037 - August 24, 1101), courtesy name Zizhan and Hezhong, also known as Tieguan Taoist and Dongpo layman, also known as Su Dongpo and Su Xian, Han nationality, Meishan, Meizhou (Sichuan Province) Meishan City), whose ancestral home is Luancheng, Hebei Province, is a famous writer, calligrapher and painter in the Northern Song Dynasty.
In the second year of Jiayou's reign (1057), Su Shi became a Jinshi. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, he served in Fengxiang, Hangzhou, Mizhou, Xuzhou, Huzhou and other places.
In the third year of Yuanfeng (1080), he was demoted to the deputy envoy of Huangzhou Tuanlian due to the "Wutai Poetry Case". After Zhezong of the Song Dynasty came to the throne, he served as a Hanlin bachelor, a bachelor of attendance, and a minister of the Ministry of Rites. He also went to Hangzhou, Yingzhou, Yangzhou, Dingzhou and other places. In his later years, he was demoted to Huizhou and Danzhou because of the new party's rule. Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty was pardoned and returned to the north, but died of illness in Changzhou on the way. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, he was given the posthumous title "Wenzhong" as a posthumous title to the Grand Master.
Su Shi was a leader in the literary world in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty. He made high achievements in poetry, lyrics, prose, calligraphy, and painting. The writing is vertical and unbridled; the subject matter of the poem is broad, fresh and vigorous, good at using exaggerated metaphors, and has a unique style. Together with Huang Tingjian, he is also known as "Su Huang".
Ci Kai belongs to the bold and unrestrained school, and together with Xin Qiji, he is a representative of the bold school, and is also called "Su Xin"; his prose writings are grand and bold, and he is called "Ou Su" together with Ouyang Xiu, and is one of the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties" one. Su Shi was good at calligraphy and one of the "Four Masters of the Song Dynasty"; he was good at literati painting, especially ink bamboo, strange rocks, dead wood, etc.
His works include "Seven Collections of Dongpo", "Dongpo Zhilin", "Dongpo Yuefu", "Xiaoxiang Bamboo and Stone Picture Scroll", "Old Trees and Strange Rocks Picture Scroll", etc.
Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia-Su Shi