Translation and Appreciation of Ouyang Xiu's The First Book with Yin Shilu

This is a letter between friends. Written in the autumn of three years in Jingxi, Song Renzong (1036). This year, he was demoted to Yunzhou for writing a letter to save the reformist Fan Zhongyan. Later, Ouyang Xiu was found guilty of "correspondence with Gauss" and was banished to Yiling County. This letter was written after I arrived in Yiling County.

The first half (paragraph 1 ~ 4) begins with the fact that I was cheated out when I left Beijing, and describes in detail the scene on my way to the relegation office and my concern for my old friends.

The second half (5 ~ 8 paragraphs) focuses on my thoughts after being demoted. First, I don't regret my "anger and resentment" behavior and become "offending death and not forgetting my relatives"; Secondly, I decided to face up to life and face up to adversity bravely, neither "grief" nor "arrogance", reminding my old friends of my perseverance in sticking to the right path.

Second, refer to the translation.

I bowed my head to show my respect. Secretary of Shi Lu's Twelve Brothers: When we parted in Beijing not long ago, you asked me to send someone to the river to see me off. I accepted your entrustment and sent an old servant out of town to see you off. When he came back, he said he didn't see your boat. That night, I received your handwritten note, only to know that you were waiting by the river and blamed me for not sending someone to see me to the appointment. Only then did I know that the servant was too lazy to see me off and gave me a lie. When I left, the officials of Yushitai used all kinds of harsh means to urge me to leave. It was better to urge you to leave with generosity and courtesy, which made me feel anxious and didn't know what to do. So I didn't leave you a letter in Beijing, so I had to entrust Wang Junyou to write to you again and again and tell you my situation by the way, and then I set off for the west. At first, I wanted to go to Yiling by land, because it was too hot and there were no horses, so I had to go by water. I walked along the Bianhe River, then crossed the Huaihe River and rowed on the Yangtze River. It took me 1 10 to reach Jiangling. There is no place to post letters on the road. I wonder if Junyou has written to you to explain my situation.

When I arrived in Jingnan, I asked the locals. They said that Yunzhou is only two days away, so I'll write to you and say hello. See my brother again and listen to his introduction: someone saw the stone road passing through Xiangzhou, so you have already arrived in Yunzhou. Shilu, are you happy or sad now? I can know without asking. What I am eager to say is, are you safe after parting? And how do the family think about this matter, and no one will complain bitterly? Has Liulang recovered from his illness?

I have been walking on the road for a long time, but these waterways are all the roads I used to take. I was entertained by old friends and relatives everywhere, and I didn't encounter big waves. My old mother believed the fortune teller's words very much, thinking that the peaceful journey must be smooth sailing, and the result was really like this; I also heard that Yiling produces rice, wheat and fresh fish, just like Kaifeng and Luoyang. We also produce pears, chestnuts, oranges, grapefruit, bamboo shoots, tea and so on, all of which are very delicious, so we feel happy and gratified. Yesterday, because I went to see the transferred ambassador, my subordinates paid homage to my superiors, and I felt that I was really demoted to the county magistrate. Everything else is the same as before.

The note you gave me said that you were worried that I had some doubts about my behavior, but nothing else. What you are worried about is whether the criticism of Gauss's advice is too heavy to win a reputation for loyalty and honesty. Now that I have thought it over, I no longer doubt what I have done. However, you said that I don't understand my friend's personality, and you don't seem to understand my heart like this. When I wrote to Gao, I already knew that he was not a moral person. I deeply blamed him from extreme anger and didn't take him as a friend. What he did later did not surprise me. Many people were surprised and comforted by my firm belief along the way. In fact, they don't understand my heart. You said that my behavior can't be called unfilial, which is wrong again. Even if convicted and killed, it is not unfilial. This matter should be made clear in person.

For fifty or sixty years, God created such a group of people, but they were afraid as officials. (These people) are all over the country, imitating each other and forming an atmosphere. I suddenly saw what several of us did, so that even the old woman who cooked was surprised and talked with each other. But I don't know that the ancients do this kind of thing every day. They just pay attention to whether it is right or wrong. Others deeply admire my behavior, but actually they don't have much knowledge. What makes people sigh is that the world has not seen the ancients do that for a long time now. People often use chopping boards, axes, cauldrons and cauldrons to cook and kill outspoken people, but those who dare to tell the truth would rather die than sacrifice morality. They walked calmly to these instruments of torture like going to eat and sleep. People who insist on justice are not very surprised and sigh when they see someone dying generously and know that it is right. Writing their behavior in history books is only to warn those stupid and cowardly people in the future and let people know that these things are what they should bear and they can't escape. It is by no means that their behavior is strange, and it is unexpected to write it down. Fortunately, now the court pays attention to compassion and no longer uses this kind of torture. If there is such a torture device, one person dares to violate it. I don't know how surprised everyone will be. However, we people will never talk about the past again. I live in a quiet and remote place and pay attention to strengthening moral cultivation every day. These things need not be said, but in your letter, you think that I have doubts about my behavior and need to know my attitude towards this demotion, so I will say a little.

Yu He met in Chuzhou and discussed in detail the blessings and misfortunes of life. Yu also thinks that our behavior this time is right. I will write to you after Yiling so that you can better understand my attitude towards this matter. I once told Yu that whenever I see some celebrities of the previous generation, they discuss political affairs passionately and are not afraid of decapitation. They really look like people who insist on justice, but when they are relegated, they begin to feel sad and regret, and that unbearable frustration and anxiety are expressed in the article. Their inner joys and sorrows are no different from ordinary people, and even a character like Han Yu can't avoid this shortcoming. I use this situation to remind Yu not to write sad articles. If you consider me, you can better understand my attitude towards this matter. In modern times, there were also people who were demoted for their integrity and daring to speak, but after being demoted, some people indulged in debauchery, claiming that they only paid attention to things. So when you say goodbye, tell yourself to be diligent and conscientious, and don't drink too much. In this matter, I also obey your words. I've been cured of my throat since I left Beijing, and I haven't had a drink so far. After I arrived in Yiling County, I worked hard and got rid of my laziness in Luoyang.

There is a road from Yiling to Yunzhou, which is only a few days' journey. Old servants can send letters to each other. The weather turns cold in autumn, so be sure to take care of yourself. Ouyang Xiu, bye.

Third, the essence of reading.

1, the author's lofty spiritual realm.

The first is the attitude towards demotion. In the letter, the author revealed to Yin Shilu his attitude towards being demoted as an official. He believes that "during the journey, quite a few people committed unexpected crimes in order to see the mourners, which is all ignorance of cultivating the mind." When a friend says "don't forget his relatives", he doesn't understand his heart. His heart is "Don't forget your loved ones even if you have offended others". Although he was demoted, he must "live in his secluded place and learn from others" and warn his like-minded people not to imitate those "demoted people" and "be arrogant and extravagant, calling me big and small" He has always been strict with himself. If you really understand the righteousness, you will feel sad and angry when you are relegated, and there will be unbearable poverty in your words, and your heart is no different from mediocrity. He encouraged his friends to "be careful not to become sad articles" and cheer up. "Go to the county logistics officer and punish them for being lazy and slow in Los Angeles." This series of confessions in this article is full of positive spirit, which condenses into a lingering charm between the lines, which is exactly what the author's lofty spiritual realm has reached.

The second is to cherish friendship. In the first few paragraphs of the letter, the author described in detail his concern and yearning for Shi Lu, and regretted not seeing him off as promised. There is no letter in travel itinerary, so I can't communicate with Shilu and worry; After arriving in Jingnan, I can't wait to find out about Yingzhou, where Shi works. He couldn't wait to "greet" Shilu and ask the other party "Do you want to be safe?" How do you get along with your family, especially when you are suffering? Has Liulang recovered from his old illness? "These seemingly daily trifles show the author's concern for his best friend's life, repeated comfort, delicacy and kindness, and full of human feelings.

2, the style is simple and natural, friendly and euphemistic.

In this article, Ouyang Xiu's usual majestic momentum and twists and turns are not seen, but are replaced by cordial comfort, persuasion, delicate confession and encouragement again and again. The author shared the word 12 in the article, which made the writing very natural and relaxed, and the tone was particularly soothing and calm. Moreover, he talked about his family and his heart, and directly expressed his feelings euphemistically. The author also pays great attention to intimacy and simplicity in the use of words, and chooses many words used in daily life, such as white-headed slave, brother, family, old mother, rice, noodles, fish, pears and chestnuts, orange pomelo, big bamboo shoots, oven door maid and so on. These words are plain and popular, so you can imagine how relaxed and natural the author's expression is when writing this letter. In addition, the author often uses loose and free loose sentences, which makes it easy for people to understand and express his ideas smoothly, and also increases the naturalness of writing.