"Yidu Ji" is selected from the calligraphy of Yang Shoujing, a modern Chinese historical geographer, bibliographer, bibliophile, epigrapher, and calligrapher. This article has compiled the full text and translation of Yidu Ji. Please enjoy it.
Translation of "Yidu Ji"
The river flows eastward from Huangniutan to Xiling boundary and reaches the mouth of the gorge for more than a hundred miles. The mountains and the flow of the water are very twists and turns. The high mountains on both sides of the river heavily block the river. Unless it is noon or midnight, the sun and moon cannot be seen; the trees are tall and dense, and this is true from winter to spring.
The chirping of the apes is very clear and sad, echoing in the valley, the sound is endless. Yuan Shansong said: "I often hear that the water in the gorge is very fast. Book records and oral legends all warn that climbing here is scary, but no one has praised the beauty of the mountains and rivers.
Come and climb here in person. Once I got there, I felt very happy, and I believed that what I heard was better than what I saw with my own eyes. The cascading cliffs and beautiful peaks are indeed difficult to describe in words. Looking up to admire the mountains and distant trees, and leaning down to watch the reflection in the river, I became more and more familiar. The scenery became more and more beautiful.
After staying for two nights, I didn’t realize that I had forgotten to return. I had never seen it with my own eyes. I was so happy to appreciate this unique landscape. It was a spiritual place. , it’s time to be surprised that I have finally met my soulmate after all this time!” The full text of "Yidu Ji"
From Huangniutan to the Xiling boundary in the east, to the mouth of the gorge, the mountains and rivers are winding and winding, and there are high mountains and obstacles on both sides. , it is not the middle of the day and midnight, there is no sun or moon, the cliff may be thousands of feet high, the stone colors are described, and there are many similar types, the trees are tall and luxuriant, just a little bit of winter and spring, the ape calls are clear, the valley is full of sounds, and the tranquility is endless. The so-called Three Gorges is one of them. Shan Song said: I have often heard of water hazards in the gorge, and I have been told by secretaries and oral practitioners to warn them in the face of fear. There has never been a time when the mountains and rivers were said to be beautiful. Later, when I came to this place, I was so happy that I began to believe that what I heard was better than seeing it with my own eyes. Its overlapping peaks and strange structures are difficult to describe. The trees are deserted and the distance is awe-inspiring, just outside the clouds. Looking up and looking down, I become more accustomed to it, lingering in it, never forgetting to return. What I have experienced is unprecedented. Now that you are delighted to see this wonder and see the spirit of the mountains and rivers, you should also be surprised to know that it will last for eternity. Introduction to Yang Shoujing
Yang Shoujing (1839-1915), also known as Xingwu, was born in Yidu, Hubei Province. In the first year of Tongzhi (1862), he was elected. The famous geographer, bibliophile, epigraphist and calligrapher had a great influence on modern Japanese calligraphy. He once taught painting at Lianghu Academy and Cungu and Qincheng schools. In the sixth year of Guangxu's reign (1880), he was sent to Japan from Li Shuchang. At the beginning of the Reform, he abandoned the old learning and returned home with countless ancient books from the Song Dynasty purchased at low prices. Afterwards, the Japanese woke up and felt very regretful. No matter what, the Japanese Shimada Yanzhen purchased the books from Wu Xingbao Songlou's collection for 100,000 yuan, worth hundreds of thousands of gold, and made an investigation of the history of the Baosonglou's books and recounted his past, thinking that this was enough revenge. In his life, he was good at textual research and accurate identification. He had a good reputation in metallurgy and stone studies. He was especially good at four-body calligraphy and was full of metallurgical spirit. The paintings are rich in ancient sketches, which are green and moist.