The translation and annotation of the classical Chinese text "North and South" comes from "Warring States Policy·Wei Ce IV". The original text is: "The king of Wei wanted to attack Handan. Ji Liang heard about it and rebelled in the middle way. , his clothes were not scorched, and the dust on his head was not gone, he went to see the king and said, "Now I am here. I saw someone in Daxing. I turned to the north and held his chariot. I said to the king, "I want Chu. The minister said: "Your Majesty Chu, will Xi face the north?" Said: "My Ma Liang." "
The minister said: "Although the horse is good, this is not the way of Chu. Said: "I use a lot." The minister said: "Although there are many uses, this is not the way of Chu." Said: "My charioteer is good." "The better these people are, the farther away they are from Chu. Now the king wants to become the overlord, and wants to trust the world. Relying on the greatness of the kingdom and the elite soldiers, he attacks Handan to spread his reputation.
< p>The more the king moves, the farther away he is from the king. This is like heading north to Chu. "Translation: The king of Wei wants to attack Zhao. After Ji Liang heard about this, he returned halfway, his clothes were wrinkled and uneven, and the dust on his head was not washed away, so he went to see the King of Wei and said: "When I came today, I met a man on the road. Driving toward the north, he told me: "I am going to the Chu State." I asked him: "Why are you going to the Chu State?"
He said: "My horse is good." ’ I said, ‘Although your horse is good, this is not the way to the Chu State!’ He added, ‘My travel expenses are high. Road!' He added: 'My driving skills are very good.'
The better these conditions are, the farther away you will be from Chu. Now the king is always trying to achieve dominance and do things. You must be trustworthy! You use a strong and elite army like Wei to attack Zhao to expand your reputation. The more you move, the farther away you will be from achieving hegemony! ." This is what is called "the train headed south but headed north."
Knowledge expansion
Classical Chinese is the written language of ancient China, which is relative to modern vernacular. It originated in the pre-Qin period, experienced a long historical evolution and changes, and was still used until the end of the Qing Dynasty.
The main difference between classical Chinese and vernacular Chinese is vocabulary, grammar and expression. The vocabulary of classical Chinese is relatively ancient, the grammatical structure is also very different from modern Chinese, and the expressions are more complicated. Therefore, for modern people, reading classical Chinese requires a certain foundation and background knowledge of ancient Chinese.
The writing form of classical Chinese is mainly divided into two categories: prose and verse. Prose includes argumentation, narrative, explanation and other styles, while verse includes poetry, poetry and other styles. In ancient times, classical Chinese was the main tool for literati to communicate in writing, and it was also an important carrier of cultural inheritance.
The rhythmic division of classical Chinese writing is also one of its characteristics. Because the expression method of classical Chinese is relatively complicated, the rhythm of the sentences is also relatively slow. When reading classical Chinese, you need to pay attention to pauses and stress in order to better understand the meaning of the text.
Generally speaking, there should be a pause between the subject and predicate, between the verb and object, between the center word and the complement, and there should also be a pause after conjunctions or summary words that express assumptions, transitions, etc.
Learning classical Chinese is of great significance to understanding traditional Chinese culture and history. By studying classical Chinese, we can better understand ancient literature and explore in-depth the essence and historical origins of Chinese culture. At the same time, classical Chinese is also an important carrier of Chinese cultural heritage and plays an irreplaceable role in promoting national culture and enhancing cultural confidence.
However, because the expression and grammatical structure of classical Chinese are very different from modern Chinese, it is difficult for modern people to learn classical Chinese. Therefore, in the process of learning classical Chinese, you need to master certain basic knowledge, such as vocabulary, grammar, etc., and read more and practice more in order to better master this ancient written language.
In short, classical Chinese is an important part of traditional Chinese culture and history and the main tool for written communication by ancient literati. By studying classical Chinese, we can better understand the historical origins and cultural connotation of Chinese culture, and make our own contributions to promoting national culture and inheriting excellent traditions.