Classical Chinese/Lesson 5

Text: 宋人有耕者。田中有株。兔走触株，折颈而死。因释其耒而守株，冀复得兔。兔不可复得，而身为宋国笑。 Pinyin: Sòng rén yǒu gēng zhě. Tián zhōng yǒu zhū. Tù zǒu chù zhū, zhé jǐng ér sǐ. Yīn shì qí lěi ér shǒu zhū, jì fù dé tù. Tù bù kě fù dé, ér shēn wéi Sòng guó xiào. Gloss: 宋 (Sòng): [State of] Song / 人 (rén): person / 有 (yǒu): there was / 耕者 (gēng zhě): farmer (one who plows). 田 (tián): field / 中 (zhōng): middle / 有 (yǒu): there was / 株 (zhū): stump. 兔 (tù): rabbit / 走 (zǒu): ran (in Classical Chinese, zǒu means run, not walk) / 触 (chù): hit (collided with) / 株 (zhū): stump. 折 (zhé): snapped / 颈 (jǐng): neck / 而 (ér): and then / 死 (sǐ): died. 因 (yīn): then (consequently) / 释 (shì): put down (released) / 其 (qí): his / 耒 (lěi): plow / 而 (ér): and / 守 (shǒu): guarded / 株 (zhū): stump. 冀 (jì): hoped / 复 (fù): again / 得 (dé): get / 兔 (tù): rabbit. 兔 (tù): rabbit / 不 (bù): not / 可 (kě): can / 复 (fù): again / 得 (dé): get. 而 (ér): but / 身 (shēn): [he] himself / 为 (wéi): by (passive marker) / 宋国 (Sòng guó): State of Song / 笑 (xiào): laughed at. Translation: There was a farmer in the State of Song. In his field, there was a tree stump. A rabbit ran by, hit the stump, snapped its neck, and died. Consequently, the farmer put down his plow and guarded the stump, hoping to get another rabbit. Another rabbit was not to be found, and he himself became the laughingstock of the State of Song. 出处 (Source): This is the famous fable 《守株待兔》 (Watching the Stump to Wait for a Rabbit) from 《韩非子·五蠹》 Against Traditionalism: Han Fei was a Legalist (法家) philosopher. He used this story to criticize those who tried to govern modern society by strictly following the "Ways of the Ancient Kings." To Han Fei, the ancient ways were like the "dead rabbit"—a lucky, one-time occurrence that won't happen again in a changing world. The story mocks people who refuse to adapt. If the circumstances of the world change (the rabbit is gone), but your methods remain the same (waiting at the stump), you will fail. The "Song Person" Trope: In ancient Chinese literature, people from the State of Song were often the "butt of the joke," portrayed as stubborn or slow-witted (similar to "a man from Gotham" in English folklore) 为 (wéi) - The Passive Voice: 身为宋国笑 ([He] was laughed at by the State of Song). Function: Unlike the previous text where "破" pò was active, here 为 acts as a passive marker. Structure: A + 为 + B + Verb (A is [verbed] by B). Translation: "A be... by B." 而 (ér) - Sequence and Contrast: 折颈而死 (Snapped neck and then died): Conjunction of sequence (顺接).[see first article] 而身为宋国笑 (But he himself was laughed at): Conjunction of contrast (转接). [see second article] Note how the same particle changes meaning based on the logic of the sentence.