In their studies, many people have come into contact with many classic classical Chinese texts, right? Classical Chinese is the opposite of parallel prose, with odd sentences and single lines, and prose that does not pay attention to antithetical rhythm. What are the widely circulated classics in classical Chinese? Below is the original text and translation of the answers I compiled. I hope it will be helpful to everyone.
, the benefits will be passed down to future generations. Today’s officials practice the skills of the previous kings, admire the righteousness of the saints, and recite the words of hundreds of poems and books, which are incomparable, and they are written on bamboo and silk; You understand very well; you think you are unparalleled in the world, and you can be said to be knowledgeable and wise. However, you have devoted yourself to serving the Holy Emperor for decades, and your official position is no more than a minister, and your position is no more than a halberd. What's the reason for this?"
Mr. Dongfang sighed, looked up and said, "That's why I can't do it at this time. At this time, how can it be the same? During the time of Su Qin and Zhang Yi, the Zhou Dynasty was in great trouble. The princes were not in power, fighting for power, and fighting for power. They formed twelve kingdoms. There were no male and female soldiers who were strong. If you die, you will be able to do it. If you are in an honorable position, you will be filled with treasures inside, and you will have treasures outside, and your descendants will enjoy it forever. This is not the case today. When you think about it outside, you are content with covering the bowl; the world is equal and is one family, moving and doing things is like the palm of luck. How can there be any difference between the virtuous and the unworthy? Follow the way of heaven and follow the laws of the earth, and nothing will be out of place; so Sui. If you use it, you will be safe, if you move it, you will suffer; if you respect it, you will be a general, if you humble it, you will be a prisoner; if you resist, you will be above the blue clouds, if you suppress it, you will be below the abyss; if you use it, you will be a tiger, if you don't use it, you will be a rat; although you will exhaust your desires How can we know what is going on before and after the festival? The world is so vast, and so many scholars and people are trying their best to spread the word, and there are countless people who work hard to achieve it. They are trapped in food and clothing, and may lose their homes. And living in this world, I have never heard of it, how dare I look at the minister! It is said: "There is no harm in the world, although there are saints, they have no talents; if the superiors and inferiors are harmonious, although there are sages, they have no merits." Therefore, it is said. : Times change and things change.
"Although, it’s okay not to cultivate yourself! "Poetry" says: "Drums and bells are heard in the palace, and the sound is heard outside." ’ ‘The crane’s cry is heard in the sky. If you can cultivate yourself, there is no need to be disgraced! Taigong's body is benevolent and righteous, and there are two out of seventy. It is used in civil and military affairs, and it is believed to be true. Feng Yuqi, seven hundred years old. This scholar is prolific day and night, cultivates knowledge and practices quickly, and does not dare to be lazy. It's like a wagtail, flying and singing. It is said: "Heaven does not stop its winter because of man's aversion to cold; the earth does not stop its breadth because of man's danger; a gentleman does not change his course because of the evil of villains." ’ ‘Heaven has its constant state, the earth has its constant shape, and a gentleman has his constant conduct; a gentleman’s way is constant, and a villain’s merit is calculated. "The poem goes: 'If etiquette and justice are not wrong, how can we say anything sympathizing with others?' When the water is clear, there will be no fish, and when people observe it, there will be no disciples; the crown is with a bow in front, so it obscures the light; the hair is deaf, so it blocks the intelligence. It is the righteousness of knowing something but not seeing it, being wise but not hearing it, promoting great virtues, and pardoning small faults. It is the righteousness of one person to be honest in vain, so that he can get it; to be good and gentle, so that he can seek it; to forgive it. , so that you can find it by yourself. The teachings of saints are like this, and if you want to get it by yourself, you will be quick and broad.
"In this world, even if you don't use it, you will still have no disciples, and you will live alone." Observe Mount Xu from the top, inspect the public servants from the bottom, follow Fan Li in planning, and be loyal to Zi Xu. Peace in the world means supporting each other with righteousness, and it is appropriate to be widowed and have few disciples. Why do you doubt Yu Zai? If the Yan Dynasty uses Le Yi, the Qin Dynasty can appoint Li Si, and Li Shi will be under his command. He will move like a stream, and follow the wind like a ring. He will get whatever he wants, and his achievements will be like hills and mountains. The sea will be stable, and the country will be safe. This is what happens at the right time. , why should I blame you? As the saying goes: "Use a pipe to peer into the sky, use a lithium to measure the sea, and use a banquet to strike the bell." How can we understand the meaning, examine the literature and science, and pronounce the sound? Just look at it, for example, a shrew attacks a dog, a solitary dolphin attacks a tiger, and when it reaches the end, it is all over the place. What is the merit? Now the following is a fool and not a wise man. Although he wants to avoid being trapped, he has no choice but to do so. This is enough to show that he does not know how to adapt and is finally confused by the great road. "
Translation
Some people questioned Dongfang Shuo: "Once Su Qin and Zhang Yi meet the Lord of Wancheng, they will be able to occupy the position of prime minister and benefit future generations. Now you practice the art of the ancient kings, admire the righteousness of the saints, and recite the "Book of Songs", "Shangshu", and countless classics from hundreds of schools of thought. They even write them on bamboo and silk, so that their lips become rotten and their teeth fall off. They are so familiar that they cannot be forgotten. The effect of being eager to learn and enjoy Taoism is very obvious; thinking that one's intelligence is unparalleled in the world, one can be said to be well-informed and able to argue.
However, he tried his best to serve the wise monarch for a long time, but the result was that he was no longer a minister, and his position was no more than a halberd. , I'm afraid there is still some shortcomings in moral character, right? Even the brothers have no place to live. What's the reason?" Dongfang Shuo sighed, raised his head and responded: "This is not something you can fully understand at this time. , how can we generalize? Think about the era when Su Qin and Zhang Yi lived. The Zhou Dynasty was in decline, the princes were not in power, fighting for power, fighting each other, and merged into twelve kingdoms. It was difficult to distinguish between male and female. Therefore, the trend of lobbying is prevalent in the world. They are in an honorable position, filled with treasures inside, and have granaries outside, which will benefit future generations. This is not the case today: the virtues of the Holy Lord spread, the world is shocked, and the princes are connected to the world. Like a belt, the world is as stable as an upturned spittoon. Every move is under control. How to distinguish the virtuous and the unworthy? Follow the way of heaven and follow the laws of the earth, so comfort him and give him peace. It's painful. If you respect him, you can become a general; if you promote him, you can be like a prisoner; if you suppress him, you can be like a tiger; if you don't use him, you can be like a mouse. Effective, but how do you know whether to advance or retreat appropriately? The world is so vast and the people of scholars are so numerous. People who try their best to lobby are like the spokes of a wheel gathered together on the axle. They are too numerous to count. They are trapped in food and clothing and cannot find a way to advance. Even if Su Qin and Zhang Yi lived together in this world, they would not be able to become a small official like Zhang Gu. How could they dare to become a minister? Why don’t you strengthen your own cultivation? The Book of Songs says: “The sound of bells ringing indoors is heard outside, and the sound of cranes ringing on the high ground is heard in the sky. If you can really cultivate yourself, why not be ashamed! Jiang Ziya practiced benevolence and righteousness. At the age of seventy-two, he met the two kings Yuwen and Wu. Finally, he was able to practice his teachings and was granted the title of Qi. He continued to worship him for seven hundred years. This is why scholars work tirelessly day and night, working hard and not slacking off. Just like the wagtail bird, it sings while flying. "Zuo Zhuan" says: God will not make winter disappear because people are afraid of the cold, and the earth will not stop its vastness because people hate the danger. A gentleman will not change his character because of the noise of villains. Heaven has a constant state, the earth has a constant shape, and a gentleman has a constant behavior. A gentleman takes the right path, while a villain pursues his own interests. The Book of Songs says: If there is no fault in etiquette, why should we care about people's opinions? Therefore, it is said: If the water is clear, there will be no fish, and if people are careful, there will be no disciples. There is a jade hook in front of the crown to block sight, and silk cotton plugs in the ears to weaken hearing. The eyesight is keen but something is not seen, the hearing is keen but something is not heard. Promote great virtues, forgive small faults, and don't seek perfection from others. What is crooked can be straightened again, but let him get it by himself. Comfortable and gentle, but he should be allowed to seek it by himself. He should be allowed to explore by himself. This is probably the teaching of the saints, if you want to get it through hard work; after you get it, you will be smart and broad.
The wise men of today are highly talented, have no friends, and live alone. Looking up at Xu You, looking down at Jie Yu, his strategy is like that of Fan Li and his loyalty is like that of Zixu. When the world is at peace, it is natural to be consistent with righteousness and have few friends but few friends. Why do you have any doubts about me? As for Yan using Leyi as general, Qin appointing Li Si as prime minister, and Li Shiqi saying that he would surrender to the king of Qi, lobbying is like running water, and accepting advice is like turning a ring. He will get whatever he wants, and his achievements are like mountains. The sea will be stable and the country will be peaceful. This is what they encountered. It's a good time. Why should you be surprised? As the saying goes, if you use a tube to peer into the sky, a ladle to measure the sea, and a grass to hit a bell, how can you understand the laws, study the principles, and make sounds? From this point of view, just like a mouse attacking a dog or a piglet attacking a tiger, it will only fail. What effect can it have? It's impossible for a stupid person like you to criticize me now without being embarrassed. This is enough to show that people who don’t know how to change things will never understand the truth.
Notes
[1] Su Qin, Zhang Yi: Strategists of the Warring States Period. Su Qin is in charge of the vertical alliance, and Zhang Yi is in charge of the horizontal alliance.
[2] Holding a halberd: Refers to an official who holds a halberd and serves as an attendant.
[3] 终 (pronounced in the upper tone): yellow silk floss, hanging on both sides of the crown.
[4] Sage: refers to Confucius. All the words quoted above were spoken by Confucius. See "Book of Rites of Da Dai·Zizhang Wen Entering the Official Service".
[5]Xu You: a hermit in the time of Yao. Yao surrendered the world, but no one accepted it, and he hid on the shore of Yingshui.
[6] Jieyu: Confucius was a hermit. He once sang a song to ridicule Confucius and called Chu Kuang.
[7] Fan Li: The counselor of the King of Yue, who helped Gou Jian to destroy Wu and retired to the Five Lakes.
[8] Zixu: Wu Zixu, a loyal minister of the king of Wu, was killed.
[9] Le Yi: A general of King Yan Zhao who once defeated Qi and dominated the country for a while.
[10] Li Si: He was the prime minister during the reign of Qin Shihuang.
[11] Li Shiqi (pronunciation and meaning: Ji): Advisor to Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty. It was once said that King Tian Guang of Qi returned to the Han Dynasty and went to Qi's seventy-two cities.
[13]Shrew (Yinjingqu): Ground mouse.
[14]. Difficulty: questioning
[15]. Benefit: favor
[16]Du: residence
[17 .
Appreciation
"An Answer to a Guest" is a work written by Dongfang Shuo in his later years. In the nearly forty years since he recommended himself as a minister of the emperor at the age of twenty, although Emperor Wu recruited handsome men and capable weapons, he could not use them as well as he could. At that time, there were foreign affairs with Hu and Yue, internal institutions were rising, and the country was troubled. From Gongsun Hong down to Sima Qian, everyone served as envoys to Fangwai, or served as ministers and ministers to ministers, but they always treated him the same as they treated Mei Gao and Guo Sheren. It was just a joke, but it was of no use. Therefore, it was difficult to balance the inner anger, so I wrote this article to vent my complaints and masturbate to express my ambition.
At the beginning of the work, a fictitious "guest" questions Dongfang Shuo in puzzled words: Su Qin and Zhang Yi are the masters of ten thousand chariots, and their positions as prime ministers will benefit future generations. The great master of today has practiced the art of the forefathers, admired the righteousness of the saints, and satirized and recited countless sayings from hundreds of schools of thought in "Poems" and "Books"... Since his intelligence is unparalleled in the world, he can be said to be knowledgeable and knowledgeable. However, he devoted all his efforts to serve the Holy Emperor, but for a long time, his official position was no more than a minister, and his position was no more than a halberd. It seems that there are still some evil deeds left behind. There is no place for the fellow countrymen to live. What is the reason? The feeling of resentment and injustice has already emerged. Then, Mr. Dongfang sighed for a long time, looked up and answered, and then led to a large article of "Strengthening to express one's ambition,... Yuanyue's heart, Linfeng's talent" ("Wenxindiaolong·Essays"). In this part, the author quotes from many sources and talks about the past and the present. First of all, he uses the so-called changes in time and things in this time. On the surface, it seems to blame the guest for not knowing the changes and finally being confused by the great way. He praises the virtues of today's holy emperors. , the world was shocked, the princes were subdued, and even the four seas were led by them. They were content to cover the bowl, and moved the palms of fortune. How could it be different to be virtuous and unworthy? In fact, he was cleverly speaking the right words, satirizing the stubbornness of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He is dim and does not distinguish between the wise and the foolish, and he is not even as good as the warring states princes who understand the way of employing people: those who win will be strong, and those who lose will perish. Especially after he mocked the so-called prosperous age of obeying the laws of heaven, obeying the principles of the earth, and everything in its proper place, he took advantage of the situation to expose that feudal emperors were only self-respecting, based on personal likes and dislikes, and those who respected talents were regarded as generals, and those who were humble were regarded as captives. If it is used, it is above the blue clouds, and if it is suppressed, it is under the deep spring; if it is used, it will be a tiger, if not used, it will be a rat, so that although the talented man wants to do his best, he knows what is before and after. The excitement of his emotions, the sharpness of his writing, The profundity of the criticism leaves a deep impression on people. As for facing his own predicament later, he expressed that he would seek relief through self-cultivation and moral perfection. In his masturbation, he overflowed with the helplessness and sadness in the hearts of most upright intellectuals under the feudal autocratic system.
The artistic achievements of "Answering a Guest" are also outstanding. It inherits Song Yu's "Asking the King of Chu" and has important developments and innovations. As far as the Fu style literature of the Han Dynasty is concerned, it is different from the San style Fu represented by Sima Xiangru's "Zixu Fu" that expresses admonitions to the rulers, and also different from the Sao style Fu that expresses the misfortune of the world in a positive way. The prose style uses irony, contrast and reflection to create intriguing vents and ridicules in the paradoxical world. It is said to embarrass oneself, but in fact it is an ingenious way to embarrass the emperor. Compared with the Sao Ti Shi Bu Yu Fu since Jia Yi's "Diao Qu Yuan Fu", the former is melancholy and sad, while the latter is pungent and acrimonious, which further enriches the artistic expression of Han Fu and has a great influence on later generations, so much so that Yang Xiong, Ban Gu, Zhang Heng, and Cai Yong all wrote ancestral narratives one after another; "Jie Mo", "Da Bin Xi", "Ying Jian", and "Shi Jie" came out at the right time and became a great spectacle.
"Answering a Guest" uses a question-and-answer format, saying that during the unification era of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was no difference between "virtuous and unworthy". Even if you have talents, you can't put them to use. "If you use them, you will be a tiger, if you don't use them, you will be a tiger." "As a Rat" reveals that the rulers suppress talents at will and complain about themselves. The language of this article is clear and clear, and the discussion is lively. Liu Xie called it "relying on the ancients to comfort our aspirations, and it is sparse but discerning" ("Wen Xin Diao Long·Miscellaneous Essays"). Yang Xiong's "Jie Moo", Ban Gu's "Answering the Guest", Zhang Heng's "Ying Jian", etc. are all works that imitate it.
About the author
Dongfang Shuo (161 or 162 BC - 93 BC), courtesy name Manqian, was born in Yanci County, Pingyuan (now Qinfeng Street, Hefang Township, Huimin County, Shandong Province). He is said to be from Shentou Town, Ling County, Shandong Province. A writer of Ci and Fu in the Western Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty came to the throne and conquered scholars from all over the world. Dongfang Shuo wrote a letter recommending himself and worshiping him as Lang. Later he served as Chang Shilang, Taizhong doctor and other positions. He was witty, quick-tongued, funny and wise, and often laughed and had fun in front of Emperor Wu. He "observed the colors at all times and spoke frankly to give advice" ("Han Shu·Dongfang Shuo Zhuan"). Emperor Wu was fond of extravagance, so he went to Shanglin Garden. Dongfang Shuo bluntly remonstrated, thinking that "taking the land blessed by the people will not be of use to the country, and seizing the farming and mulberry industry below. If you abandon success, you will fail" ("Han Shu·Dongfang Shuo") 》). He once talked about political gains and losses, and Chen Nong's plan to strengthen the country through war, but Emperor Wu always treated him as a actor and was not allowed to reuse him, so he wrote "Answering Guests" and "On Mr. Feiyou" to express his ambitions and dissatisfaction.
Dongfang Shuo wrote a lot in his life, including "Answering Guests", "On Fei You", "Feng Taishan", "Responsibility and Clan's Wall", "Shizi Poems", etc., which are collected by later generations. It is "Dongfang Taizhong Collection" and included in "Collection of One Hundred and Three Masters of Han, Wei and Six Dynasties". Sima Qian called him the "Funny Hero" in "Historical Records". Xia Houzhan, a native of Jin Dynasty, wrote "Ode to Dongfang Shuo's Paintings", praising Dongfang Shuo's noble integrity and his wisdom and humor. Yan Zhenqing, a great calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, wrote this article Engraved monument. This stele is still preserved in Lingxian County and is named "Yan Zi Stele". During the Japanese invasion of China, this monument was used by the local Japanese garrison as a stone slab on the ditch in front of the military camp. Horses and bicycles ran it over it, causing part of the writing to be damaged. Both the original and imitation copies of "Yan Zi Stele" are stored in the "Yan Stele Pavilion" in Lingxian People's Park.