Original text:
Eight days after reaching the Western Mountain, I searched for the northwest path of the mountain pass for 200 steps and found the Cobalt Lake. Twenty-five steps to the west, when the rapids are turbulent and dredged, the weir beam is formed. There are hills above the beams with bamboo trees growing there. There are almost countless people whose rocks suddenly trembled in anger, carried the earth and came out, creating strange shapes. The ones that rush down in a row are like cattle and horses drinking in the stream; the ones that rush up in rows are like bears climbing up the mountain.
A hill is not as small as an acre, it can be contained in a cage. Asked its owner, he said: "The Tang family abandoned the land, but the goods are not for sale." When asked about its price, he said: "Only four hundred." I sold it out of pity. Li Shenyuan and Yuan Keji traveled together at the same time, and they were all overjoyed. It was unexpected. That is to say, he took out more tools, shoveled the filthy grass, cut down the bad trees, and burned them with fierce fire. The trees stand tall, the beautiful bamboos are exposed, and the strange rocks are revealed.
Looking from it, you can see the height of the mountains, the floating clouds, the flowing streams, the flying birds and beasts, and the skilful and skillful movements that are performed in order to imitate those below the hills. Lying down on the pillow, the clear and cold appearance is related to the eye's intention, the gleaming sound is related to the ear's plan, the leisurely and empty one is related to the divine plan, and the profound yet still and quiet thing is related to the heart's plan. Those who arrive in a different place within a few days, even though they were good people in ancient times, may not be able to get there.
Hey! With the victory of Ziqiu, the Feng, Hao, Hu, and Du, the nobles and tourists will compete to buy it, and the number of gold will increase day by day, and it will become more and more unobtainable. Now this state has been abandoned, and the farmers and fishermen have passed over it and lived in shabby conditions. There are four hundred merchants who cannot sell it for consecutive years. But I, Shen Yuan, and Ji Ji are happy to have it, but the consequences will be unfortunate! The writing is on the stone, so what happened to Heziqiu.
Translation:
On the eighth day after I found Xishan, I walked two hundred steps northwest along the mountain pass and discovered Cobalt Lake again. Twenty-five steps to the west of Cobalt Lake, there is a dam in the rapid and deep water flow. There is a hill on the top of the dam, with bamboo and trees growing on it. The rocks on the hillocks are bulging and towering, and there are almost countless rocks protruding out of the ground and competing for strange things.
Those overlapping and downward-facing stones seem to be cattle and horses (leaning over) drinking water in the stream; those towering and protruding stones, like animal horns rushing upward diagonally, seem to be Brown bear climbing on the mountain.
The hillock is very small, less than an acre, and you can put it in a cage and own it. (I) asked who its owner was, (someone) said: "This is a place the Tang family doesn't want. They want to sell it but can't." (I) asked its price, (someone) said: "It only costs four hundred yuan." "I liked (the hill) very much, so I bought it.
Li Shenyuan and Yuan Keji were traveling with me at this time. (They) were very happy and (thought this was) an unexpected gain. (We) then took turns picking up tools, shoveling weeds, cutting down miscellaneous trees, and lighting fires to burn them. Beautiful trees were erected, beautiful bamboos were revealed, and strange and steep stones appeared.
(We) stood in the middle of the hill and looked out, (we saw) high mountains, floating clouds, gurgling streams, and birds and animals playing freely, all happily performing their skills to serve the people. This hillock works.
(We are on a hill) Lying on the ground with our pillows on stones, our eyes are exposed to the clear and clear scenery, our ears are exposed to the sound of gurgling water, and our minds feel the vast and vast atmosphere of the distance. , what the soul feels is a peaceful and deep state. In less than ten days (I) got two scenic spots. Even people who loved landscapes in ancient times may have never been to these places.
Alas! With the beautiful scenery of this hill, (if) it is placed in prosperous places such as Feng, Hao, Hu, and Du (near Kyoto), then the number of people who like to visit and buy will increase by several times every day. Thousands of coins (purchase) will (probably) make you even less able to buy it.
Now (it) is abandoned in (this remote) Yongzhou. Even farmers and fishermen despise it when they pass by. The price is (only) 400 Wen, and it cannot be sold for several years. But only Li Shenyuan, Yuan Keji and I were happy because we got it. Did encountering this hill really depend on luck? (I) wrote this article on the stone tablet to congratulate (me and) the meeting of this hillock.
Notes:
Xun: Tong "Xun", along.
Tao: Walk.
Step: refers to the distance of one step.
Tan: Not included in the original selection, supplemented according to the Zhonghua Book Company edition of "Liu Hedong Collection".
turbulence (tuān): rapids.
Jun (jùn): deep water.
Weirong: A weir made of stone that intercepts water flow and has a gap in the middle to facilitate fishing.
Sudden anger: describes the protruding bulge of a stone.
Yanjian (yǎnjiǎn): describes the towering posture of the stone.
Nearly: almost, almost.
嵚(qīn)ran: The appearance of a steep mountain.
Chòng: upward or forward.
Corner row: Try to get to the front of the queue. In other words, arrange it like an animal's horns.
罴 (pí): brown bear.
Cannot: insufficient, dissatisfied, inadequate.
Long: Baolong, inclusive.
Goods: sell, sell.
Not for sale: cannot be sold.
Pity: Cherish.
Sell: Buy.
Update: Take turns, again and again.
Use: Utensils, tools.
刈(yì): cut.
Among them: among the hills.
Example: all.
Xi Xiran: He looks cheerful.
Hui Qiao: presenting a clever posture,
Ji: refers to the respective characteristics of the scenery posture.
Effectiveness: Efficacy, try your best to contribute.
Qingling (líng): describes the scenery as cool and clear.
Mou: This is the meaning of contact.
瀯瀯 (yíngyíng): onomatopoeia, like the sound of water swirling.
Za (zā) ten days: ten days. Turn, week. Ten days are one ten days.
Although: Even if, even though, that is.
Good (hào) thing: I love landscapes.
Or: maybe, just afraid, maybe.
Yan: expresses the tone of estimation.
Sheng: refers to the beautiful scenery.
Shame: contempt, contempt.
Continuous years: many years, consecutive years.
Qi: Could it be?
Encounter: encounter, luck.
So: used for...
This article comes from the extended information of "The Story of the West Xiaoqiu of the Cobalt Lake" by Liu Zongyuan of the Tang Dynasty
Writing background:
"The Story of the West Hill of the Cobalt Lake" "" is a landscape travel prose essay written by Liu Zongyuan in the Tang Dynasty. It is selected from his representative work "Eight Notes of Yongzhou" and is the third article among them. The language of "The Story of Xiaoqiu West of Cobalt Lake" is simple, concise, clear and natural, and has extremely high artistic appeal.
Using writing techniques such as expressing ambitions through objects and blending emotions into scenes, he cleverly blends Liu Zongyuan's indignation at being demoted to Yongzhou with Ziqiu's experience. There is a sense of life in his quiet depiction. strength.
In 805 AD, Liu Zongyuan failed in the ancient prose movement of the Tang and Song Dynasties that he participated in. He was persecuted by his political opponents and was demoted to Yongzhou as a Sima. Although Liu Zongyuan was a government official in name, he had no power and could not interfere in political affairs. In fact, he was just like a criminal. Yongzhou is a remote ravine, and Liu Zongyuan lived here for ten years.
During this period, Liu Zongyuan reflected on everything he encountered, studied hard, expressed his feelings for the landscape, and created a large number of poems and prose; among them, the famous "Eight Notes of Yongzhou" was written by Liu Zongyuan when he was in Yongzhou. "Eight Notes of Yongzhou" used The "getting inside" scenery description technique makes the scenery description vivid and full of vitality.
The use of "unexpected" scenery description techniques makes the scenery description profound and thought-provoking. "The Notes on the West Hill of the Cobalt Lake" is the third of the Eight Notes, and it is a landscape travel note.
About the author:
Liu Zongyuan (773-819), courtesy name Zihou, was a native of Hedong (now Yuncheng, Shanxi) in the Tang Dynasty. He was an outstanding poet, philosopher, Confucianist, and politician. Jia, one of the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties. Famous works include "Eight Notes of Yongzhou" and more than 600 articles, which were compiled into 30 volumes by later generations, called "Liuhe East Collection". People call it Liuhedong, also known as Liuliuzhou.
Liu Zongyuan and Han Yu were both advocates and founders of the ancient prose movement in the Mid-Tang Dynasty, and were both called "Han Liu". In the history of Chinese culture, Liu Zongyuan's poetry and literary achievements are extremely outstanding.