陶潛 人生無根蒂，飄如陌上塵 There ain't roots or stalks

《雜詩》(十二首中)其一  晉‧陶潛

人生無根蒂，飄如陌上塵；

分散逐風轉，此已非常身。

落地為兄弟，何必骨肉親？

得歡當作樂，斗酒聚比鄰。

盛年不重來，一日難再晨；

及時當勉勵，歲月不待人。

"Miscellaneous Poems" No. 1 (of 12)

-- by Tao Yuanming (365-427) (Jin Dynasty)

-- Translated by Frank Ｃ Yue

There ain't roots or stalks in one's life way --

Like dusts on the road we drift around.

Dispersed, we go where the winds are bound;

Our body changes each passing day.

Two men may be born as brothers dear --

They shan't be the only family.

Enjoy yourselves while you are happy,

Have a care-free drink with your neighour.

Once the prime of our life's gone, it's gone --

There are no "two mornings" the same day.

On time we'd better be on our way,

For the Sun and Moon keep moving on.

from the net:

注釋：

蒂：瓜當、果鼻、花與枝莖相連處都叫蒂。

陌：東西的路，這里泛指路。這兩句是說人生在世沒有根蒂，飄泊如路上的塵土。

此：指此身。非常身：不是經久不變的身，即不再是盛年壯年之身。

落地：剛生下來。這句和下句是說，何必親生的同胞弟兄才能相親呢？意思是世人都應當視同兄弟。

斗：酒器。比鄰：近鄰。這句和上句是說   盛年：壯年。

及時：趁盛年之時。這句和下句是說應當趁年富力強之時勉勵自己，光陰流逝，并不等待人。

譯文：

人生在世，原本就是無根無蒂；到處漂泊流浪，猶如路上的灰塵。生命隨風飄轉，此身歷盡了艱難，已經不是原來的樣子了。來到這個世界上的人都應該成為兄弟，又何必在乎骨肉之情、血緣之親呢？遇到高興的事就應當作樂，有酒就要邀請近鄰共飲。風華正茂的歲月不會重來，猶如一天里頭不會有兩個早晨。年紀輕的時候，要勉勵自己及時努力；否則，歲月一去不回，它是不會停下來等待人的。 

上醫治未病之病 The supreme healer

【上醫治未病之病】  唐 · 孫思邈

    上醫治未病之病， 

    中醫治欲病之病，

    下醫治已病之病。

"The Supreme Healer Cures the Illness that is Still Obscure"

-- by Sun Simiao (Tang Dynasty)

-- Tｒａｎｓｌａｔｅｄ bｙ　 Ｆｒａｎｋ　C　Ｙｕｅ

The supreme healer cures the illness that is still obscure,

The good healer cures the illness that is about to break out,

Fully manIfested illness the least able tries to cure.

from the net:

上醫治未病的含義：

『上醫』最早見於先秦散文【國語·晉語八】：『文子曰：「醫及國家乎？」對曰：「上醫醫國，其次疾人，固醫官也。」』大概意思是說：真正高明的醫生，首先要精通大的規律，能夠治理國家；其次才能診療人的疾病或者處理更細微的事情，隻有這樣才能成為醫生的管理者亦官亦醫。簡簡單單的一句話，道明了醫國與醫人從根本上是同理同宗的，既要通曉大的規律亦要注重細節。

 其後唐朝名醫孫思邈在【黃帝內經】『聖人不治已病治未病，不治已亂治未亂。』的基礎之上提出：『上工治未病之病、中工治欲病之病、下工治已病之病』。【內經】當中提到是：高明或有遠見的智者，往往是在疾病沒有蔓延或症候的時候及早幹預，防範於未然，提前做好防護，防止疾病的發生或蔓延，倘若『夫病已成而後藥之, 亂已成而後治之,譬猶渴而穿井,鬥而鑄錐,不亦晚乎』。名醫孫思邈將疾病分為『未病』、『欲病』、『已病』三個層次，高明的醫生能夠在疾病未發之時及早發現端兒進行幹預，防微杜漸；中等層次的醫生在疾病發展呈現一定症候的時候，辯證（和或）症論治，將疾病及時的控製治愈；低層次的醫生往往在疾病出現一係列征候或不適症候的時候，才發現疾病的端兒，針藥並施針對疾病進行撲救式治療。

以上兩者都是重點強調了『治未病』的重要性，在『治未病』的前戳是『聖人』和『上工』，而不是隨隨便便懂得一點醫理就能治未病。就像秦越人——扁鵲自嘲道：『長兄最善，中兄次之，扁鵲最為下。』魏文侯問道：此話怎講？扁鵲曰：『長兄於病視神，未有形而除之，故名不出於家。中兄治病，其在毫毛，故名不出於閭。若扁鵲者，血脈、投毒藥、副肌膚間，而名出聞於諸侯。』像我這樣針藥並施，開刀投『毒"之人反而成了名人。先不說這個故事真否存在，但從其中描述的環節：『扁鵲見蔡桓公，立有間，扁鵲曰：『君有疾在腠理，不治將恐深。』……居十日，扁鵲複見，曰：『君之病在肌膚，不治將益深。』……居十日，扁鵲複見，曰：『君之病在腸胃，不治將益深。』……居十日，扁鵲望桓侯而還走。桓侯故使人問之，扁鵲曰：『疾在腠理，湯熨之所及也；在肌膚，針石之所及也；在腸胃，火齊之所及也；在骨髓，司命之所屬，無奈何也。今在骨髓，臣是以無請也。』居五日，桓侯體痛，使人索扁鵲，已逃秦矣。桓侯遂死。』可見扁鵲在疾病未發之時已經察覺到端兒，征求桓公及早幹預，以及對整個病理的延續發生描述的清清楚楚來看絕對可稱為』上醫『，但卻說『扁鵲最為下』，道出了上醫的最基本要求『謙虛博學』，而不是有些『養生專家』的『最高明的醫生並不是擅長治病的人』的描述。

對於『治未病』一詞醫學養生界認同比較統一：出自【黃帝內經】——【素問·四氣調神大論】中提出到：『是故聖人不治已病治未病,不治已亂治未亂,此之謂也。夫病已成而後藥之, 亂已成而後治之,譬猶渴而穿井,鬥而鑄錐,不亦晚乎』，這塊生動透徹地指出了『治未病』的重要意義。對什麼是"治未病"？另見於【素問·刺熱】篇:『肝熱病者左頰先赤,心熱病者顏先赤,脾熱病者鼻先赤,肺熱病者右頰先赤,腎熱病者頤先赤。病雖未發,見赤色者刺之,名曰治未病。』此『病雖未發』,結合上文是指機體已受邪但尚處於無症狀或症狀尚較少、較輕的階段。這種潛病態可發展成為某種具有明顯症狀和體征的疾病。因而『治未病』應當是指醫技高超或臨床經驗豐富的醫生通過『望聞問切』結合實際經驗總結，歸納出客戶的綜合健康風險評估狀態，並對此通過一定的防治幹預手段以阻斷其發展,從而使這種潛病態向健康方向轉化的整個過程，簡稱為治未病。其應當屬於養生保健和疾病早期預防幹預的範圍。隨著時代的發展，更應延伸至借助於高科技智能儀器及早對身體進行針對性篩查，發現這種潛病態，發揚傳統中醫博大寬容的心態——取長補短，采用中西醫比照的方式，綜合分析，科學合理化製定幹預調理方案，以求將這種潛病態消滅在萌芽狀態，爭得健康最大化。

My Sister: She Means Home to Me.

"My Sister"

-- by JC

(Age 10, Grade 5 student, written in 2013)

-- Transcribed by Frank C Yue

 

I am writing about my sister because she means home to me.

 

Her name is C and she is seven.

 

With my sister, I learn about love, patience and encourageement. I learn about love because one time, I had a really bad stomachahe and she wrote me a "get well soon" card. I felt very happy and loved when I needed it most. I learn to love her by taking care of her, especially when she was small. (79)

 

I learn about patience because when I was three and she was only a few months old, she saw me playing with a toy. All of a sudden she ran up, grabbed it, and ran away. After a while, she came to grab another toy from me. I learned to be patient because I understood that she was still really small. (140)

 

I learned about encouragement when she told me not to be nervous for my (154) first piano exam. She told me I would be all right and do pretty good, and I did! Her words warmed my heart and I got good marks in my first piano exam! 

 

I also really wanted a brother or sister because before she was born, I had no one to play with. That is why I love my sister and she means home to me. 

   

                                     *******          *******          *******

note by grandpa typist:

one late afternoon this week, i was delighted to find a photocopy of three pages of a stapled manuscript, written in pencil, of the above short essay lying on my 14-year old grandson's desk -- as my "cook" and i went to his house, bearing delicious, steaming home-made dishes for their family dinner. this copy was obviously meant for the eyes of the parents. (as there was no one in the house at that hour yet, i smuggled the piece back home and did some typing on my laptop. the manuscript will be returned to its original abode on our next visit.)( -- pardon? as always of course, i'm the designated long-time, faithful, kungfu-trained "chauffeur-and-body guard" for the VIP cook.)

 

to be truthful, the original article was just one long continuous paragraph. and the figures shown within brackets above are presumably word counts. (for school work, a minimum length of the essay is mandatory.)  

【詩經】式微，式微！胡不歸？ E'ening comes around, it's e'ening!

【詩經】《國風 • 邶風 • 式微》

 

  式微，式微！胡不歸？

  

  微君之故，胡爲乎中露！ 

  式微，式微！胡不歸？

  微君之躬，胡爲乎泥中！

 

"The Classic of Poems: National Verses: 

Northern Songs: E'ening Comes Around, It's E'ening" 

-- Translated by Frank C Yue

 

E'ening comes around, it's e'ening!

But you ain't returning home, why?

For the sake of our king,

Till it's dark we'll wait by the way-side.

 

E'ening comes around, it's e'ening!

But you ain't returning home, why?

For the sake of our king,

By toiling in the mud we abide.

 

the following culled from the net:

《國風·邶風·式微》是一首先秦時代的詩歌。 採用反問、隱語、互文等多種修辭方式，情感表達宛轉而有情致。 重章換字，押韻和諧。 兼有長短的句式，節奏感強，韻律和諧優美，用詞異常精巧。 式微也成為後世詩歌中常用的意象，對後世古典詩歌有著深遠的影響。

 

周代由文、武奠基，成、康繁盛，史稱刑措不用者四十年，這時可稱為周代的黃金時期。 昭、穆以後，國勢漸衰。 後來，厲王被逐，幽王被殺，平王東遷，進入春秋時期。 春秋時期王室衰微，諸侯兼併，夷狄交侵，社會處於動盪不安之中。 相傳中國周代設有采詩之官，每年春天，搖著木鐸深入民間收集民間歌謠，把能夠反映人民歡樂疾苦的作品，整理後交給太師 （負責音樂之官）譜曲，演唱給天子聽，作為施政的參考。 反映周初至春秋中葉社會生活面貌的《詩經》，就整體而言，正是這五百年間中國社會生活面貌的形象反映，其中有先祖創業的頌歌，祭祀神鬼的樂章；也有貴族之間的宴飲交往，勞逸不均的怨憤；更有反映勞動、打獵以及大量戀愛、婚姻、社會習俗方面的動人篇章。 [《先秦詩鑑賞辭典》: 上海辭書出版社，1998年12月版]   這首《式微》即是深刻的反應了社會現實的詩歌。

 

原文鑑賞

全詩只有短短二章，都以“式微，式微，胡不歸”起調：天黑了，天黑了，為什麼還不回家？ 詩人緊接著便交待了原因：“微君之故，胡為乎中露”；“微君之躬，胡為乎泥”。 意思是說，為了君主的事情，為了養活他們的貴體，才不得不終年累月、晝夜不輟地在露水和泥漿中奔波勞作。 然而，《式微》詩上下二章只變換了兩處文字， 但就在這巧妙的變換中， 體現出了作者用詞的獨具匠心。

"短短二章，寥寥幾句，受奴役者的非人處境以及他們對統治者的滿腔憤懣，給讀者留下極其深刻的印象。" 

 

①式：作語助詞。 微：（日光）衰微，黃昏或天黑。

胡不歸：胡是為甚麼，整句問為何不歸家。

②微君：非君，要不是君主。

③中露：露中。 倒文以協韻。... “露”為“路”的假借字。 

《爾雅·釋名》： “路，露也。言人所踐蹈而露見也。” 方玉潤 《詩經原始》： “'泥中'猶言泥塗也。”按： “中露”也即今俗語所謂心裡沉沉的， 像被什麼東西堵得慌； “泥中”猶今所謂陷入泥中而不能自拔。 因此“中露”、“泥中”是虛寫而非實寫， 上下章可互相補充理解。

龔廷賢 惜氣存精更養神 Treasure Qi and Essence

《攝養詩》明。龔廷賢

    惜氣存精更養神，

    

    少思寡欲勿勞心。

    食惟半飽無兼味，

    酒止三分莫過頻。

    每把戲言多取笑，

    

    常含樂意莫生嗔。

    

    炎涼變詐都休問，

    

    任我逍遙過百春。

 

"Health Cultivation and Maintenance Poem"

-- by Gong Tingxian （1522～1619）

-- Translated by Frank C Yue

 

Treasure Qi and Essence, cultivate Positive Attitude,

Curb deep thoughts, burning desires, and burden your mind less still.

When eating you should only fill up your stomach half-way,

Over you, never let exotic flavours hold sway.

Seventy-percent sober you should remain -- drink mindfully,

Never drink too much and only drink occasionally.

 

Ne'er too seriously take e'erything,

For jokes let hearty laughter take wing.

Go with Joy and Pleasure always,

Don't let Anger ruin your days.

Let Frown'd Brows, Cold Shoulders pass by,

For the Changes and Frauds, don't ask why.

 

I'll continue -- to myself true --

O'er a hundred Springs, treading through.

 

this is practical and sound advice. Gong tingxian lived until he was 97, probably more than double than the average life expectancy of his contemporaries!

from the net:

龔廷賢（明代 1522～1619），字子才，號雲林山人，又號悟真子，江西金溪人。父龔信，字西園，一說字瑞芝，任職太醫院，撰有《古今醫鑒》8卷。廷賢幼攻舉業，後隨父學醫。他承家學，又訪賢求師，醫名日隆。曾任太醫院吏目。1593年，治癒魯王張妃臌脹，被贊為「天下醫之魁首」，並贈以「醫林狀元」扁額。

龔廷賢著有：《種杏仙方》4卷（1577）、《萬病回春》8卷（1587）、《復明眼方外科神驗全書》6卷（1591）、《云林神彀》（1591）、《魯府禁方》4卷（1594）、《壽世保元》10卷（1615）、《小兒推拿方脈全書》3卷（1604）。尚有《醫學準繩》4卷、《經世全書》8卷，《痘疹辨疑全幼錄》3卷，《本草炮製藥性賦定衡》13卷等。亦托名為龔氏所撰。 

 

'《內經》：“恬淡虛無，真氣從之，精神內守，病安從來。”意思是放平心態，做事從容不迫，也別總是勞心勞神，就不容易生病。 唐代醫學家孫思邈活了101歲，他在《千金要方·養性序》中也說：“道德日全，不祈壽而有福，不求壽而自延，此養生之大旨也。”'

雲駛月運舟行岸移 Flanked by clouds passing, The Moon

【雲駛月運舟行岸移】

  ~ 宋‧永明禪師 ~  

    雲駛月運舟行岸移，

    境實不遷唯心妄動。

 

"Flanked by clouds passing, The Moon"

-- by Monk Yong Ming (Song Dynasty)

-- Translated by Frank ＣYue

 

Flanked by clouds passing,

The Moon seems to move unceasing.

From a boat sailing,

The coast appears to be rambling.

 

In their truthful state,

The objects do not move at all --

But then more and more,

Our mind is leading us astray.

 

following copied from http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_7e5ae8d90101c48a.html:

"各種事物的存在，無非是由各式不同的因緣、條件所組合，其生滅的歷程也是這些因緣條件的增減異動使然。這種情形就好像我們欣賞卡通影片，看似活靈活現的卡通人物躍然於螢幕裡，事實上只是由一格格的圖像所組成，其中人物的動靜有致，無非假象。又譬如夜空雲影飄移，看起來猶如皎月自身在運行般。卡通人物的栩栩如生、夜空皎月的隱然運行，一部份是來自我們的錯覺；實則，世間看似堅實、不變的物質乃至種種事物，也無非是各式因緣條件的緣起，但由於這些因緣組合的速率及方式超越了一般人所能認知的範圍，讓它們看起來彷彿是固定不變的存有。佛說『緣起性空』，就在破除迷執，把我們從虛幻的花花世界拉回來，安住並體現心性的清淨、無所著。

春似酒味醇厚 歲月悠悠--春靜候別無求 紅塵看透 Spring is just like wine

"中國文化, 真是绝妙 :

                春
              似酒
            味醇厚
          歲月悠悠
        轉身又回首
      再無喜樂哀愁
    往事如煙花依舊
  唯友誼綿長如水流
緣牽一路有你陪著走
晨曦襯彩霞雨中漫遊
待到紅葉濃時再聚首
  品茶論酒賞石敘舊
    落英滿地雲舒袖
      歡聲笑語不休
        夕陽掛枝頭
          紅塵看透
            別無求
              靜候
                春

工作忙的由上而下讀；

  1.  春似酒味醇厚

已退休的由下向上念，

  2.  春靜候別無求

感受不同啊！"

what a fantastic chinese language!

i just rec'd the above thought-provoking chinese poem  很好的一首「鑽石詩」from my wife's group of old classmates of some 50 years (since primary school!). 

an attempted translation follows. 

"Spring is Just Like Wine"

-- A 'Reversible Poem' (2 Moods) by Unknown

-- Translated by Frank C Yue

Spring is just like wine,

So smooth, caressing, fine.

Time is like a river flowing,

I think of the past whilst my back turning.

Happiness, joy, sadness and lament are no more,

Past events gone, still the flowers are like before.

Long lasting is friendship only,

Flowing like the waters endlessly.

Fate brought us together since the old days,

You've been walking by my side all the way.

The morning Sun cradled by coloured clouds,

We loiter in the rain, coming down loud.

Till the red leaves are thick and deep,

Will meet again -- you and I,

We will have tea and wine,

Admire the rocks, and our memories keep.

In fallen petals the ground may be steep'd,

Yet with our sleeves the white clouds we would sweep.

Cheers and laughter non-stopping,

While the red Sun setting

Atop the branch a-sitting...

Detached from the secular world completely,

Desire-less, we all await Spring quietly.