蘭亭集序

Relaxing Nature Sounds by okanokumo (YouTube video)


明 文徵明 《蘭亭修禊圖》


蘭亭集序, literally "Preface to the Poems Collected from the Orchid
Pavilion", is a famous work by 王羲之, composed in the year of 353
(晋穆帝永和九年).

It is among the most well-known and well-copied pieces of calligraphy
in Chinese history.

I also consider it one of the most beautifully written essays, sentimental,
or "暢敘幽情" as he stated in his writing, in ancient Chinese literature.

He wrote "茂林修竹, 清流急湍"，"天朗氣清, 惠風和暢" depicting the
pleasant background scenery and atmosphere;  and "情隨事遷", "修短
隨化", "不知老之將至" preaching the philosophy of life.


蘭亭集序 with English translation (Wikipedia)

永和九年，歲在癸丑，暮春之初，
In the late spring of year 353,

會于會稽山陰之蘭亭，
we have gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in the Shanyin county

修禊事也。
for the purification ritual.

群賢畢至，
All the literati have finally arrived.

少長咸集。
Young and old ones have come together.

此地有崇山峻嶺，
This area has high mountains and steep hills,

茂林修竹；
dense wood and slender bamboos,

又有清流激湍，
as well as a limpid swift stream flowing by

映帶左右。
with reflections all around.

引以為流觴曲水，列坐其次；
We sit by a redirected streamlet that floats the wine goblets to us.

雖無絲竹管絃之盛，
Although without the grandeur of musical accompaniment,

一觴一詠，
the wine and poems

亦足以暢敘幽情。
are sufficient to allow for a free exchange of deep feelings.

是日也，
As for this day,

天朗氣清，
the sky is clear, the air is fresh,

惠風和暢；
and the breeze is mild.

仰觀宇宙之大，
Hanging high is the immense universe.

俯察品類之盛；
Around us is the myriad variety.

所以遊目騁懷，
Stretching our sights and freeing our minds

足以極視聽之娛，
will allow us to fully enjoy the sound and vision.

信可樂也。
This is really delighting.

夫人之相與，
The bond between people

俯仰一世，
will quickly span a lifetime.

或取諸懷抱，晤言一室之內；
Some people might share their ambitions in a closet

或因寄所託，放浪形骸之外。
while others might freely enjoy themselves with their pleasures.

雖趣舍萬殊，
Although interests are widely unique

靜躁不同；
and the vigour is different,

當其欣於所遇，
whatever pleasure one meets,

暫得於己，快然自足，
we can get some temporary satisfaction.

不知老之將至。
But one can hardly realize how fast we will grow old.

及其所之既倦，
When we become tired of our desires

情隨事遷，
and the circumstances changes,

感慨係之矣。
grief will come.

向之所欣，
What we have been interested in

俛仰之間，已為陳跡，
will soon be a relic.

猶不能不以之興懷；
We can’t help but lament.

況修短隨化，
Whether life is long or short is up to destiny,

終期於盡。
but it will all end in nothingness.

古人云：
The ancients said,

「死生亦大矣。」
"Birth and death are big events."

豈不痛哉！
How could it not be agonizing?

每覽昔人興感之由，
Any look at the cause of sentiment of the ancients

若合一契；
shows the same origin.

未嘗不臨文嗟悼，
We can hardly not mourn before their scripts

不能喻之於懷。
although our feelings cannot be verbalized.

固知一死生為虛誕，
We know that equating life and death is ridiculous.

齊彭殤為妄作。
It is equally absurd to think that longevity is the same as short-lived.

後之視今，
The future generations will look upon us

亦由今之視昔，
just like we look upon our past.

悲夫！
How sad!

故列敘時人，
So we record the people here

錄其所述，
and their works.

雖世殊事異，
Even though time and circumstances will change,

所以興懷，
the cause for lament

其致一也。
will remain the same.

後之覽者，
Future readers

亦將有感於斯文。
will have sentiment on this prose.


Yeh Tze