Introduction to Literary Chinese/Lesson I

Lesson I In the first ten lessons all literary (Wen-li — 文理) articles are accompanied by translations into the spoken language. 1. 吉　凶 有些烏鴉聚在院内樹上。伸着脖子呌喚。小孩子喝 他們。他父親說。這有甚麼害處。孩子說。我常聽人說。 喜鵲呌主吉。烏鴉呌主凶。現在是烏鴉呌。所以我喝 他。他父親說。人的智識。比鳥强的多。简且不能先知 吉凶。何况鳥兒呢。吉　凶 有鴉集庭樹。引頸而鳴。兒叱之。父曰。是何害。兒曰。常 聞人言。鵲鳴吉。鴉鳴凶。今鳴者鴉也。故叱之。父曰。人 之智識。遠勝於鳥。尙不能預知吉凶。而況鳥平。 Vocabulary The explanation of words is given only for the Wen-li texts. With each new character there will be indicated the number of the phonetic character (according to Soothill's list of phonetics), if the phonetic more or less coincides with the reading of the character. In case there are several different meanings for a character, the particular meaning used in the text is given in italics. In combinations of two and more characters the character on which the tone is indicated is emphasized. 吉 chi3—fortunate; prosperous; auspicious. 凶 hsiung¹—unfortunate; unlucky; cruel. 有 yu³—to have; to exist; to be. 鴉 ya¹ (165)—a crow; a raven. 集 chi²—to flock together; to collect; to compile. 庭 t'ing² (70)—the audience hall. A court-yard; a room; a house. 樹 shu³—a tree. To set up; to erect. 引 yin³—to draw out; to stretch; to prolong; to lead, to quote. 頸 ching³ (4-7)—the neck; the throat; the isthmus. 而 erh²—a conjunctive particle; an adversative particle. And; yet; but; Like. You; your. 鳴 ming²—the cry of a bird or animal; a sound; To sing; to cry. 兒 erh²—a child; a son; male. 叱 ch'ih⁴—to hoot at. 之 chih¹–a particle having various uses; very often it is used as a pronoun of the third person in the objective case, also as a sign of the possessive case. To go, to proceed. An expletive. 父 fu⁴—a father. 曰 yüeh¹–to speak. 是 shih⁴—to be. Right. This; that. 何 ho²—an interrogative particle. How? Why? What? 害 hai⁴—to injure; harm. 常 ch'ang²—constant; usually; frequent. 聞 wen²—to hear. To smell. Read wen⁴—to make known; to state. 人 jen²—a man. 言 yen²—words; language; To speak; to express. 鵲 ch'iao³—the magpie; the jay. 今 chin¹—now; the present time. 者 che³—a particle of many uses imparting various shades of meaning,— adjectival, participial etc. to words to which it is joined (vid. note d). 也 yeh³—a final particle (vid. note e). 故 ku⁴ (702)—a consequential particle. Cause; reason; therefore; a causal particle. 智 chih¹ (475) — wisdom; knowledge. 識 shih² (93)—to know; to be acquainted with. 智識 chih¹-shih—knowledge and experience. 遠 yüan³ (370)—far off; distant; remote. 勝 sheng⁴—to conquer; to excel. Read sheng¹—to be adequate to; to be worthy of. 於 yü³ — in; at; on; for; among; by. Than (vid. note g). 鳥 niao³—a bird. 尙 shang⁴ — to wish. To esteem. To add. Still. 不 pu¹—not. 能 neng²—to be able; to be competent; ability. 像,預 yü⁴ (II4) — pleased; satisfied. To be ready; beforehand. 知 chih¹—to know; to perceive; to be aware of. 預知 yü-chih¹—to freknow; to foresee. 況 k'uang⁴—moreover; still more; how much more. 而況 erh-k'uang⁴— still more; how much more. 平 hu¹—an interrogative and exclamatory particle. An expletive. Notes a. 集庭樹 - - - - "Flocked together (upon a) tree (in a) courtyard". The use of the prepositions "upon" and "in" can easily be deduced from the connection' while in the spoken version of the story the prepositions are clearly indicated: 聚在院內樹上 b. 引頸而鳴 - - - - The characters 引頸 with the aid of 而 (whose literary meaning here is "and") form a complement to the verb 鳴, answering to the question: "how?" "in what way?" In what way did the crows caw? "Stretching their necks," or—"with stretched necks". Similar examples 背理而行 - - - - to act contrary to right. (背 pei4—behind; contrary; 理 li3—right; 行 hsing2—to act; to do) 不思而得 - - - - to get without thinking (of it). (思 ssu1—to think; 得 te2—to get; to receive). 不嚴而治 - - - - to govern without severity. (嚴 yen2—severe; 治 chih4—to govern). c. 兒叱之 - - - - here 之 is a pronoun; "them". d. 鳴者 - - - - in this case 者 gives a participial force to the preceding verb: "singing", or, "those who sing". Similar examples 知者不言.言者不知也 - - - - those wiho know do not speak; those who speak do not know. 知之者.不如好之者 - - - - those who know it（之) (the virtue) are not equal to those who love it. (如 ju2—like; as; 不如 pu-ju2—not equal, worse; 好 hao4—to love; to like). 有德者.必有言.有言者.不必有德 —those who have virtue are certain to be able to speak; those who can speak are not certain to have virtue. (德 te2—virtue; 必 pi4—certainly; must.) e. 鴉也 - - - - (those who sing) are the crows". In this case the final particle 也 marks the end of the sentence as it usually does. Similar examples 不知其仁也 - - - - I do not know that he is benevolent (其 ch'i2—he; it; 仁 jen2—benevolent). 我不信也 - - - - I do not believe (it). 我 wo2—I; me; 信 hsin4—to believe). Sometimes 也 makes a pause in a sentence, and so gives emphasis to the preceding words, like: 學也祿在其中矣 - - - - as to learning, (one's) salary may be found therein. 學 hsüeh2—to learn; 祿 lu4—salary; 在 tsai4—at; in; 中 chung1—middle; within; 矣 i3—a final particle). 耕也餒在其中—as to ploughing, hunger is to be found therein. 耕 keng1—to plough; 餒 nei3—hunger). f. 人之智識 - - - - here 之 is used to express the possessive case: "man's knowledge and experience". g. 遠勝於鳥 - - - - "much lighter than (those of) birds." Similar examples 莫大於天 - - - - there is nothing greater than God. (莫 mo4—not; there is not; 大 ta4—big; great; 天 t'ien1—heaven; God). 水高於岸 - - - - the water is higher than the bank. (水 shui3—water; 高 kao-high; 岸 an4—shore bank). 貴於銀 - - - - more valuable than silver. (貴 kuei4—dear; honorable; 銀 yin2—silver). Translation Lucky and Bad Omens There were (some) crows (who) flocked together (in a) court-yard (upon a) tree and cawed (lit. sang) stretching (their necks. (A) boy hooted at them (之). (His) father asked (lit. said), "What (is) the harm (in) this (是)?" (The) boy said. "(I have often heard people say (that when a) magpie chatters, (it brings) good luck, (and when a) crow caws, (it brings) bad luck. Today the crows have been cawing, therefore (故) I have hooted at them." The father said, "Man's knowledge and experience (are) much higher (遠勝) than (於) (those of) birds, yet (尙) he cannot foresce good luck and ill luck. Still more the birds are not able to do it." 2. 人　影 月亮剛上來。有小孩在廊下走。覺着好 像有一個人。在身後跟着他似的。他不 敢回頭看。急忙進去。告知他姐姐。他姐 姐說。這是你身子的影兒。你在燈前站 養。日下走着。全有影兒。怎麼會忘了。於 大才孩纔醒悟。人　影 新月初上。兒行廊下。似有一人隨其後。 不敢回顧。急入告姊。姊曰。此汝身之影 也。汝立燈前。行日下。皆有影。何忘之取。 見乃悟。 Vocabulary 影 ying³—a shadow. 新 hsin¹—new; recent. 月 yüeh⁴—the moon. A lunar month. 初 ch'u¹—to begin; at first ; just. 上 shang⁴—up; top; to go up; summit; high; best. 行 hsing²—to walk; to do; to act; to carry out. 廊 lang² (362)—a veranda; a corridor. 似 ssu⁴—like; similar; to seem. 一 i¹—one; the first. All; throughout. 隨 sui² (180)—to follow; to accompany; together. 其 ch'i²—he; she; it; they. This; that. 後 hou⁴—behind; after; posterity. 不 hsia⁴—down; beneath; inferior. To come down. To take off. 敢 kan³—to dare; to venture. 回 hui²—to come back; to return. 顧 ku⁴ (55)—to look at; to regard; to care for. 回顧 hui-ku⁴— to look back. 急 chi²—haste; impatient; anxious. Urgent. 入 ju⁴—to go in; to put in. 告 kao⁴—to tell; to announce. To lay a plaint. 㛇 tzu³—an elder sister. 此 tz'u³—this. 汝 ju³—you; yours. 身 shen¹—the body; person. 立 li⁴—to stand up; to fix; to establish imediately. 燈 teng¹ (733)—a lamp; a lantern. 前 ch'ien²—before. 日 jih⁴—the sun; a day. 皆 chieh¹—all; every. equalizing particle (vid not b.) 忘 wang² (646) – to forget. 耶 yeh¹—an interrogative particle. 乃 nai³—thereupon; a consequentral particle. Not so. However; but (vid note c). 悟 wu⁴ (763) to awake; to understand. Notes a. 汝身之影 -- here 之 is a sign of the possessive case: "the shadow of your body". b. 皆有影 - - - - here 皆 is used as an equalizing partle (vid. lesson IV) which indicates that a quality, a state or an action relates to two or several objects to the same extent. Similar examples 人人皆知 - - - - all men know that. 老少皆在 - - - - old and young all are there. (lao³—old; 少 shao³—few; little; young; 在 tsai¹—present; alive). 四海之内皆兄弟也 - - - - all within the four seas are brothers. (四 ssu⁴—four; 海 hai³—the sea; 内 nei⁴ inside; within; 兄 hsiung¹—an elder brother; 弟 ti⁴—a younger brother; 兄弟 hsing¹-ti—brothers). c. 兒乃悟 - - - - here 乃 is used as a consequential particle (vid. lesson XVII). Similar examples 乃可 - - - - it will then do (可 k'o³ —can; may). 百事乃遂 - - - - everything then has gone right. (百 pai³, po³—hundred; all; 事 shih⁴—affair; matter; 遂 sui⁴—comply; follow). Translation Man's Shadow The new moon had just (初) risen. A boy was passing under a veranda, (and) it seemed (to him) that somebody (lit. one man) was following him (其). The boy did not dare to look back. Hurriedly (急) he entered (the house), (and) told (his) elder sister. (His) sister said, "It (is) the shadow of your body. (When) you are standing before a lamp, (or) going under the sun, there always (皆) is a shadow. How is it that you forget it (之)?" The boy then (乃) understood. 3. 多 言 無 益 有人問墨子說。言需貴乎多嗎。舉子說。 蝦蟆成天成夜的叫。人却都厭惡他。公 鶏一叫。天下都振動。說話不過得是時。 候。多言有甚麼益處多 言 無 益 或問墨子曰。言以多爲貴平。墨子曰。蝦 蟆日夜鳴。而人厭之。雄鷄一鳴。天下振 動。言在當時而已。多言何益。 Vocabulary 多 to¹—many; much; mostly; often. 無 wu²—not; nothing; without. 益 i²—to increase; to benefit; advantage; still more. 或 huo⁴—some; someone; or; perhaps. 問 wen⁴—to ask; to inquire. To hold responsible. 子 tzu³—a child; a son. A gentleman. You; Sir. A philosopher. 墨 mo⁴- ink; black; obscure. 翟 ti² (chai²)—the tartar pheasant. 墨子 mo-tzu³ (墨翟 mo-ti²)—a philosopher (4th and 5th century B. G.) of the Sung state, who propounded a doctrine of "universal love." He was vigorously opposed by Mencius, who exhibited the unpractical side of that doctrine. 以 i³—to take; to cause; to use. A particle of many uses (vid. note a). 爲 wei²—to do; to make; to cause. Read wei⁴— because of; for; by; on behalf of. 貴 kuei⁴—honorable; esteem-ed; dear; expensive. 蝦 hsia¹ (639)—a shrimp, a prawn. Read ha²—a frog. 蟆 ma² (mo¹) (453)—a frog. 蝦蟆 ha² - ma²—a common toad; a frog. 夜 yeh⁴—night; darkness. 厭 yen⁴—to dislike; to hate; to loathe. 雄 hsiung²—the male of birds. Brave; martial. 鷄,雞 chi¹ (881)—the fowl; the chicken. The cock. 雄鷄 hsiung-chi¹—a cock 天 lien¹—the sky; heaven. God. 天下 t'ien-hsia⁴—under the sky; the empire; the world. China. 振 chen⁴ (355)—to move; to shake; to excite. 動 tung⁴ (27)—to move; to rouse. 振動 chen⁴-tung—to excite to action; to come into motion. 在 tsai⁴—to be; to exist; to be alive. At; in; on (vid. note d) 當 tang¹—ought; suitable; proper. To act as. To happen. 時 shih² (46)—time; season; opportunity. 當時 tang¹-shih—proper time; due time. 已 i³—to cease; to come to an end; finished; already. 而已 erh-i³—a final. particle (vid. note e). Notes a. 以多爲貴 - - - - 以 here indicates an instrument, — "with," "by." In these cases 以 sometimes follows the object. Similar examples 以力服人 - - - - to subdue men by force. (力 li⁴—force; strength; 服 fu²-to submit to; subdue). 惠以待人 - - - - to treat people with kindness. (惠 hui⁴—kindness; grace; 待 tai⁴—to treat). 以德報怨 - - - - to recompense injury with kindness. (報 pao⁴—to reward; 怨 yüan⁴-wrong; injury). b. 爲貴乎 - - - - 乎 is here an interrogative particle. Similar examples 可乎 - - - - can it be (so)? 知乎不知 - - - - do you know or not? 不亦難乎 - - - - is it not also difficult? (亦 i⁴-also； 難 nan²—hard; difficult). c. 而人厭之 - - - - 前 here is an adversative particle (vid. lesson VIII),-"and yet", "but" Similar examples 國大而弱 - - - - the state is big but weak. (國 kuo²— nation; state; 弱-weak). 刃短而利 - - - - the blade is short but sharp. (刃 jen⁴—a blade; 短 tuan³—short; 利 li⁴—sharp; keen). 貧而無諂 富而無驕—poor and yet not flattering; rich and yet not proud. 貧 p'in²— poor; 無 ch'an³ — to flatter; 富 fu⁴ — wealthy; 驕 ch'iao¹—arrogant; proud). d. 在當時 - - - - 在 means here: "it is important"; "it is essential" Similar examples 將在謀而不在勇 - - - - for a general strategy is (more) important than bravery. (將 chiang⁴—leader; general；謀 mou³—to scheme; 勇 yung³—brave). 兵在精而不在多 - - - - for troops proficiency is (more) important than numbers. (兵 ping¹—a soldier; 精 ching¹—essence; spirit; skill). e. 而已 - - - - besides playing the part of the final particle, this expression imparts to the sentence a shade of exclusiveness which can be expressed by: only, nothing more, that is all. TRANSLATION Uselessness of Many Words Someone asked (問) Mo-tzu, "Is it from (以) quantity that words become (爲) precious?" Mo-t zu said, "Frogs croak day and night, yet (而) men loathe them (之). (But when) the cock crows (only) once, every thing (lit. under the sky) comes into motion. It is important to speak at the proper time, and that is all (而已). What is the good of talking much?"