Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 1, Text 1

Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Transcribed with help from 武克富強/Võ Khắc Phú Cường (main text, Vietnamese readings) and R.K. Christenson (Cantonese readings).
Lucky and Bad Omens
[a]
。
[b]
。
There were some crows who flocked together in a courtyard upon a tree and cawed stretching their necks.
[c]
。
A boy hooted at them.
。。
His father asked, "What is the harm in this?"
。。。。
The boy said, "I have often heard people say that when a magpie chatters, it is good luck, and when a crow caws, it is bad luck.
[d]
[e]
。。
Today it is the crows that are singing, therefore I have hooted at them."
。
[f]
。
[g]
。
The father said, "Man's knowledge and experience are much higher than those of birds.
。
Yet he cannot foresee good luck and ill luck.
。
Still more the birds are not able to do it!"

Notes

[a] 集庭樹

"Flocked together (upon a) tree (in a) courtyard".

The use of the prepositions "upon" and "in" can be easily deduced from the connection; while in the spoken version of the story the prepositions are clearly indicated:

This simple example demonstrates to what extent the written style differs from the spoken language. The latter created for hearing and having comparatively poor phonetic reserve, must inevitably have recourse to more complicated combinations. The written style, which takes into account the eyesight of the reader, can express any conception in a much shorter and laconical way leaving, the reader to deduce the meaning from the connection or by the aid of various particles which play a very important part in the written language.

[b] 引頸而鳴

The characters 引頸 with the aid of 而 (whose literary meaning here is "and") form a complement to the verb 鳴, answering to the question: "how?" "in what way?"

In what way did the crows caw? "Stretching their necks," or — "with stretched necks".

Similar examples.

  • to act contrary to right.
  • to get without thinking (of it).
  • to govern without severity.

[c] 兒叱之

Here 之 is a pronoun; "them".

[d] 鳴者

In this case 者 gives a participial force to the preceding verb: "singing", or, "those who sing".

Similar examples.

  • 。。 Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know.
  • 。。 Those who know it (之) (the virtue) are not equal to those who love it.
  • 。。。。 Those who have virtue are certain to be able to speak; those who can speak are not certain to have virtue.

[e] 鴉也

"(Those who sing) are the crows."

In this case the final particle 也 marks the end of the sentence as it usually does.

Similar examples.

  • I do not know that he is benevolent
  • I do not believe (it).

Sometimes 也 makes a pause in a sentence, and so gives emphasis to the preceding words, like:

  • As to learning, (one's) salary may be found therein.
  • As to ploughing, hunger is to be found therein.

[f] 人之智識

Here 之 is used to express the possessive case: "man's knowledge and experience".

[g] 遠勝於鳥

"much higher than (those of) birds."

Similar examples.

  • there is nothing greater than God.
  • the water is higher than the bank.
  • more valuable than silver.
gloss source