Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 20, Text 1
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
聊齋誌異 勞山道士
Strange Stories from the Liao Studio - The Taoist Priest of Lao-shan Mountain.
邑有王生。行七。故家子。少慕道聞山多仙人。負笈往遊。
In (our) village lived a man named Wang, the seventh son of an old family. From youth he had been interested in Taoism. and hearing that on Lao-shan mountain there were many immortals, he shouldered his pack and set out to make the journey (thither).
登一頂有觀宇。甚幽一道十坐蒲團上。素髮垂頸。而神觀爽邁。
He ascended a peak where there was a secluded monastery. (There he found) sitting on a mat, a monk with long white hair reaching to his neck, a man of very vigorous aspect.
叩而與語。理甚元妙。請師之。
Wang bowed low and said, “The principles (of Taoism) are very mystic. I would beg you to teach them to me.”
道士曰。恐嬌惰不能作苦。答言能之。
The priest replied, “I fear you are too delicate and indolent and would not be able to endure the hardships”. Wang assured him that he could.
其門人甚眾。薄暮畢集。王俱與稽首。途留觀中。
The disciples of the monk were very many in number. Near evening they all assembled together. Wang kotowed to them all, and was allowed to remain in the monastery.
凌晨。道士呼王去。授以斧。便隨衆探樵。王講受敎。
Early the next morning the priest called Wang, gave him an axe, and bade him go with the others to gather fuel. Wang obeyed the instructions respectfully.
過月餘。手足重繭。不堪其苦。陰有歸志。
A month passed. His hands and feet were badly calloused, and further hardship became unbearable to lim, so he secretly decided to return home.
一夕歸。見二人與師共酌。日已暮尙無燈燭。
One evening, on his return to the monastery, he saw two people drinking with his master. The sun had already set but no lamp or candles were lighted.
師乃翦紙如鏡。黏壁間。俄頃。月明輝壁。光鑑毫芒。諸門人環聽奔走。
The priest had cut a piece of paper like a mirror and pasted it on the wall, In a moment the moonlight shone on the wall so brightly that one could see every hair. The disciples were around them, bustling about and waiting upon them.
一客曰。良宥勝樂不可不同。乃於案上取壺酒。分賚諸徒。且囑盡醉。
One of the guests said, “The surpassing joy of this lovely night must be shared by all.” Then he took a kettle of wine from the table and presented it to the disciples bidding them drink their fill.
王思七八人。壺酒何能徧給。遂各覓盎盂。競飲先釂。惟恐樽盡。而往復挹注。竟不少減心奇之。
Wang thought to himself, “How can a kettle of wine be enough for seven or eight people?” Thereupon they all sought cups and bowls and raced to drain their goblets for fear the wine-pot should be emptied. But again and again wine was poured out, and to his surprise it never seemed to grow less.
(未完)
(to be continued)