20260322 B
What is the charm of China?
The charm of China could be found in a literature piece more than one thousand years ago.
"How lovely is the lotus flower? "
by Zhou Dunyi
She is from the mud but she is clean
出污泥而不染
She is from the masses but she is pure
濯清漣而不妖
She understands 中通
She is straight 外直
She won't fell in a group 不蔓
She don't join the gang 不枝
Her fragrance reaches far beyond 香遠益清
She is finely standing 亭亭淨植
One admires, but no one can push her into the profane
可逺觀而不可褻玩焉
愛蓮説 周敦頤
水陸草木之花，可愛者甚蕃。晉陶淵明獨愛菊。自李唐來，世人甚愛牡丹。予獨愛蓮之出淤泥而不染，濯清漣而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香遠益清，亭亭淨植，可遠觀而不可褻玩焉。
予謂菊，花之隱逸者也；牡丹，花之富貴者也；蓮，花之君子者也。噫！菊之愛，陶後鮮有聞。蓮之愛，同予者何人？牡丹之愛，宜乎眾矣！
The Language of Flowers
by Zhou Dunyi 1017-1073
(Translated by Herbert A. Giles) 1845-1935
Lovers of flowering plants and shrubs we have had by scores, but Tao Yuan-ming alone devoted himself to the chrysanthemum. Since the opening days of the Tang dynasty, it has been fashionable to admire the peony; but my favourite is the water-lily. How stainless it rises from its slimy bed! How modestly it reposes on the clear pool – an emblem of purity and truth! Symmetrically perfect, its subtle perfume is wafted far and wide, while there it rests in spotless state, something to be regarded reverently from a distance, and not be profaned by familiar approach.
In my opinion, the chrysanthemum is the flower of retirement and culture; the peony, the flower of rank and wealth; the water-lily, the Lady Virtue sans pareille.
Alas; few have loved the chrysanthemum since Tao Yuan-ming; and none now love the water-lily like myself; whereas the peony is a general favourite with all mankind.
沒有留言:
發佈留言