Preface to The Orchid Pavilion

The text that inspired me to major in Chinese.  Enough said.



(Copy of Wang Xizhi's The Orchid Pavilion.  The original doesn't exist because a dumb emperor buried it with him.  A famous example of running script.)

蘭亭集序

“Preface to The Orchid Pavilion"

王羲之

by, Wang Xizhi

Translated by Yoyo

永 和 九 年

The 9th year of Yonghe's reign (353 AD)

歲 在 癸 丑

50th year of the sexgenary cycle

暮 春 之 初

The beginning of the third month

會 于 會 稽 山 陰 之 蘭 亭

There was a gathering at Kuaiji Shanyin orchid pavilion

修 禊 事 也

to administer the events of the "Lustration Festival"

(This is an ancient ritual ceremony to rid bad luck)

 群 賢 畢 至

All in the group were virtuous

 少 長 咸 集

Young and old gathered

此 地 有 崇 山 峻 嶺

This place has high mountains, steep slopes

茂 林 修 竹

Luxuriant forest, tall bamboo

  又 有 清 流 激 湍

Also clear, rapid flowing streams

  映 帶 左 右

Elements of scenery are set off left and right

 引 以 為 流 觴 曲 水

Because of this water leads meandering wine cups.

 列 坐 其 次

They arrange themselves in proper order

 雖 無 絲 竹 管 絃 之 盛

Though there is no pipes and string in [this] spectacular event

 一 觴 一 詠

They drink wine and write poetry

 亦 足 以 暢 敘 幽 情

Fully expressing their innermost thoughts

是 日 也

Today

 天 朗 氣 情

The day is good with energy  and motion

 惠 風 和 暢

A gentle breeze is warm and comfortable

 仰 觀 宇 宙 之 大

We look up and face the vast cosmos

 俯 察 品 類 之 盛

We bow and examine all creation

所 以 游 目 騁 懷

Look as far as we can see and give free reign to our emotions

足 以 極 視 聽 之 娛

Sight and sound satisfied to the fullest extreme

信 可 樂 也

Indeed this is happiness

夫 人 之 相 與

Well now, people mingle with each other

俯 仰 一 世

In one instant, one lifetime passes

或 取 諸 懷 抱

Those who keep their [ambitions] in their hearts

晤 言 一 室 之 內

Have conversation face to face in a room

 或 因 寄 所 託

They entrust everything upon others

放 浪 形 骸 之 外

Outwardly they are unrestrained

雖 趣 舍 萬 殊

Though there are a myriad of things

靜 躁 不 同

Quiet and activity are the not the same

 當 其 欣 於 所 遇

When they encounter someone that makes them happy

 暫 得 於 己

That instant reaches me

快 然 自 足

Quickly they are self content

曾不 知 老 之 將 至

They simply did not know that they will encounter old age in the future

(Reference to bacon lover's Analects)

及 其 所 之 既 倦

When they are tired of the direction they are going

情 隨 事 遷

Thoughts and emotion change with circumstances

感 慨 係 之 矣

One's emotion follows suit

向 之 所 欣

The happy people of the past

俛 仰 之 間

An instant of time

已 為 陳 跡

All became old

猶 不 能 不 以 之 興 懷

And yet one cannot help but feel exhausted at heart

 況 修 短 隨 化

When one conforms to the length of their lifespan

 終 期 於 盡

The life of a person must come to an end

古 人 云

The ancients say

死 生 亦 大 矣

Life and death is grand

豈 不 痛 哉

How could it not hurt?

每 覽 昔 人 興 感 之 由

Everytmie I glance at the people of the past for th reason to have roused another

若 合 一 契

It fits together like a tally.

(A tally is an object used to confirm the identity of the other.  Usually, a tally is split into two pieces that fit together.  So if a guard needed to enter a fort, one solider would fit the tally to another to confirm each other's identity. See bottom.)

未 嘗 不 臨 文 嗟 悼

I sadly sigh because I cannot experience looking over this piece of writing

 不 能 喻 之 於 懷

Unable to understand it in my heart

 固 知 一 死 生 為 虛 誕

And so I consider life and death preposterous

齊 彭 殤 為 妄 作

To put life and death on par is preposterous

後 之 視 今

When later generations look now

 亦 猶 今 之 視 昔

It's also like the people now looking into the past

悲 夫

There is sadness

 故 列 敘 時 人

For this reason when I lay out and express people today

 錄 其 所 述

Record what they said

 雖 世 殊 事 異

Though the age is different and events unusual

 所 以 興 懷

What's confined in the heart

其 致 一 也

Their delight is the same

後 之 覽 者

Those of the future who look

 亦 將 有 感 於 斯 文

Will feel these words.

 (tally)