Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Thirteen

Paragraph 16: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (4/4)

(portrait taken from: http://blog.udn.com/janice720703/20957982."東方朔救乳母的故事." 菡萏香清 季雲的 blog. September 2, 2017.) 

Upon dying of age, Dongfang offered his admonition to Emperor Wu: "It says in Shijing (詩經), the Book of Odes, 'Buzzing flies rest upon the fence, but rumors rest not on the sage ruler. Rumors never end; they spread chaos and invite wars among neighboring states.' I hope that Your Majesty avoid flattering rumormongers as to keep off rumors." The Emperor wondered and said, "I can see you are speaking so gravely today!" Within a few days, Dongfang died. As the proverb goes, "Upon dying, birds crow grievously; upon dying, people speak gravely." This is the case with Dongfang.

*至老，朔且死時，諫曰：「《詩》云『營營青蠅，止于蕃(fan2)。愷悌(kai3di4)君子，無信讒言。讒言罔極，交亂四國』。願陛下遠(yuan4)巧佞，退讒言。」帝曰：「今顧東方朔多善言？」怪之。居無幾何，朔果病死。傳(zhuan4)曰：「鳥之將死，其鳴也哀；人之將死，其言也善。」此之謂也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4961. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4961, 4965, 4967-4968).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Twelve

Paragraph 15: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (3/4)

(portrait taken from: http://www.zgdfs.org/newscont.asp?id=240."智圣东方朔形象的古今演变." 中國東方朔文化研究會. September 2, 2017.) 

A creature, bearing resemblance to an elk, showed itself at the wooden rails around the back door of the west-winged palace, the Jian Zhang Palace. This was reported to Emperor Wu and he went to see it for himself. The Emperor inquired court scholars and well-read officials for the proper name of this creature, but no one knew. The Emperor then sent for Dongfang Shuo, who saw and said, "I know what it is, but not until I feast on good wine and a fine meal shall I give its name." The Emperor granted Dongfang his wine and meal. Upon finishing them, Dongfang made another demand, "I learn that hectares of royal farmlands are available, with fields, fish ponds, and stretching reeds. When Your Majesty grant the lands to me, I shall give its name." Again the Emperor granted Dongfang's demand, and Dongfang gave its name. "Zou-Ya it is called," said Dongfang, "it is a harbinger that shows itself when a faraway state is to make its tribute. Its teeth are neat, front or back, all the same, hence Zou-Ya, or neat-toothed." One year passed, and Hoon-Ye, a chieftain of the Huns, led hundreds of thousands to surrender to Emperor Wu as a vassal state. The Emperor then further rewarded Dongfang with even more valuables.

*建章宮後閤重(chong2)櫟中有物出焉，其狀似麋。以聞，武帝往臨視之。問左右群臣習事通經術者，莫能知。詔東方朔視之。朔曰：「臣知之，願賜美酒粱飯大飱臣，臣乃言。」詔曰：「可。」已又曰：「某所有公田魚池蒲葦數頃，陛下以賜臣，臣朔乃言。」詔曰：「可。」於是朔乃肯言，曰：「所謂騶(zou1)牙者也。遠方當來歸義，而騶牙先見。其齒前后若一，齊等無牙，故謂之騶牙。」其後一歲所，匈奴 混(hun2)邪(ye2)王果將(jiang4)十萬眾來降漢。乃復賜東方生錢財甚多。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4960. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4960, 4965, 4967).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Eleven

Paragraph 14: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (2/4)

(portrait taken from: http://www.chiculture.net/1107/html/c34/pic25399.html."东方朔." 中國文化研究院 (香港). " July 27, 2017.) 

There came a time when the scholars-in-residence gathered in the palace and confronted Dongfang with the question: "When Su Qin (蘇秦) and Zhang Yi (張儀) served their masters, they were soon promoted chancellors of their states and their achievements lasted to benefit their descendants. Now, you sir, who acquire the political art of the ancient rulers and follow the principles of the late saints. The classics you read and the thinkers you quote are countless. Your works are inscribed on bamboo splints or silk; you deem yourself unequaled. You seem nothing short of erudition and eloquence. However, you have been serving the Emperor with all-out efforts, day in, day out, up to decades, and yet you've never served a position higher than Lang, never done anything other than trifling formality. We wonder if we are missing something here? Why has it come to this?" Dongfang replied, "This is of course beyond your understanding. That was then; this is now. How could two different cases come to one same result? When Zhang and Su served, the Zhou Dynasty was nearing its end, and its court, an empty shell. The dukes no longer reported to the emperor; instead, they strengthened their military forces to vie for power and to butcher each other. In the end, 12 dukedoms survived, but none prevailed. In their case then, whoever sought a good strategist won the game; whoever failed to find one lost the game. Therefore, strategies, when offered and proved effective, promised strategists ranks and honor that lasted for generations and benefited their descendants. In my case now, a sage sovereign is in reign and his sagacity prevails. The dukes obey and the neighboring nations respect. Within and without, all territories are bound in one expanse (as a seating mat), secure and stable (as a bowl placed upside down). All are equally cared for and collectively faithful. All are so closely united as one family that a total mobilization for any given purpose is as easy and sure as handling something already in hand. There is no way to tell a good strategist from a bad one. In our far-flung empire, among the multitude of people, countless talents are swarming in painstakingly in all directions to recommend themselves to the court. There are people, studious and righteous, fail to seek positions and struggle on meager means. If Zhang and Su were to be born into our times, they would never even make it to a low-rank position as a Zhang-Gu. Would they ever dare to dream of serving as a Lang, the royal consultant-in-ordinary? As recorded in one of the Classics (specifically Huai Nan Zi 淮南子), 'When the world is free of ills, saints can be of no avail; when the world is in harmony, sages can be of no merit.' Hence, in different times, talents are rewarded differently. Even so, can one stop making efforts to improve oneself? As recorded in Shi Jing (詩經), 'When the bells are sounded within the palace, the sounds are heard without.' 'When the cranes are shrilling in the swamps, the shrills are piercing through the skies.' When self-improving efforts are made, glory surely ensues (All three are causes and corollaries.). Jiang Taigong (姜太公) had been walking the ways of the ancient saints for 72 years before he met King Wen of Zhou. Afterwards were his strategies received and practiced and Qi to him was endowed as a fief of a dukedom which stood for seven hundred years. Likewise, scholars of our times are making efforts, day and night, for academic and moral improvements, without hesitation nor resignation. Hermits like me, though of no avail for the present, dare to stand aloft and alone. We look up to saints like Xu Yo and Jie Yu; we learn from sages like Fan Li and Zi Xu. In times of peace, we live up to the teachings of saints and sages throughout our lives. There are few who understand us; there are few who follow us. And this is the way it is. So why do you cast doubts on me?" At this, all scholars were silenced.

*時會聚宮下博士諸先生與論議，共難(nan4; to question)之曰：「蘇秦、張儀一當(dang1)萬乘(sheng4)之主，而都(du1)卿相之位，澤及後世。今子大(da4)夫修先王之術，慕聖人之義，諷誦詩書百家之言，不可勝數。著(zhu4)於竹帛，自以為海內無雙，即可謂博聞辯智矣。然悉力盡忠以事聖帝，曠日持久，積數十年，官不過侍郎，位不過執戟，意者尚有遺行邪(ye2)？其故何也？」東方生曰：「是固非子所能備也。彼一時也，此一時也，豈可同哉！夫張儀、蘇秦之時，周室大壞，諸侯不朝，力政爭權，相禽以兵，并為十二國，未有雌(ci1)雄，得士者彊(qiang2)，失士者亡，故說(shuo1)聽(ting4)行通，身處尊位，澤及後世，子孫長榮。今非然也。聖帝在上，德流天下，諸侯賓服，威振四夷，連四海之外以為席，安於覆盂，天下平均，合為一家，動發舉事，猶如運之掌中。賢與不肖，何以異哉？方今以天下之大，士民之眾，竭精馳說(shui4)，并進輻湊者，不可勝(sheng1)數(shu3)。悉力慕義，困於衣食，或失門戶。使張儀、蘇秦與僕並生於今之世，曾(zeng1)不能得掌故，安敢望常侍侍郎乎！傳(zhuan4)曰：『天下無害菑(zai1)，雖有聖人，無所施其才；上下和同，雖有賢者，無所立功。』故曰時異則事異。雖然，安可以不務修身乎？《詩》曰：『鼓鐘于宮，聲聞于外。』『鶴鳴九皋(gao1)，聲聞于天。』。茍能修身，何患不榮！太公躬行仁義七十二年，逢文王，得行(xing2)其說(shuo1)，封於齊，七百(bo2)歲而不絕。此士之所以日夜孜孜，修學行道，不敢止也。今世之處(chu3)士，時雖不用，崛然獨立，塊然獨處，上觀許由，下察接輿，策同范蠡，忠合子胥，天下和平，與義相扶，寡偶少(shao3)徒，固其常也。子何疑於余哉！」於是諸先生默然無以應也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4958-4959. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4959-4960, 4962-4964, 4966-4967).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Ten

Paragraph 13: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (1/4)

(portrait taken from: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/东方朔."东方朔. 维基百科: " July 23, 2017.) 

In the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, there came a scholar from the Qi (齊) Dukedom. His surname was Dongfang (東方); his given name, Shuo (朔). He was an avid reader of antique works, a devoted savant of classics, and a polymath of all schools of philosophy. In high repute was his erudition. When Dongfang first set foot in the Capital, Chang-An (長安), he paid his visit to the Imperial Post (公車 gong1 jü1) to submit his memorial of political advice. The memorial ran for 3,000 scrolls (奏牘 zou4 du2, scrolls made of wooden splints strung together). The Postmaster had two couriers deliver his memorial; they could barely manage the weight. Emperor Wu started reading Dongfang's memorial in the Palace, and the Emperor marked where he stopped so that he could get back to it. The reading went on for two months. Upon finishing the memorial, the Emperor conferred on Dongfang an office of Lang (郎 lang2), a royal consultant-in-ordinary. Dongfang had often been called upon for his advice, and all meetings delighted the Emperor. Once, he was rewarded with a royal feast to dine with the Emperor. At the end of the feast, he packed home the rest of the meat in his clothes, which were smeared and stained accordingly. Several times, he was rewarded with reels of fine silks, which he never hesitated to carry home, despite the burden of weight. All the time, he spent his rewarded wealth to wive the most attractive women in the Capital. Every year, he divorced one and married another. All his gain of wealth has lost to his whims about women. Among the courtiers, he earned his reputation as the "Madman." When his reputation reached the Emperor, the Emperor said, "If Dongfang had served the court without such a flaw, who among you deserved to work as his peers?" Dongfang recommended his own son for a Lang position. His son assumed the position, went on to serve as a royal messenger, and was often assigned to emissary missions. One day in the palace, a colleague told him, "People call you the Madman." Dongfang replied, "People like me are hermits at the court, unlike the ancient hermits who sought hermitage in the mountains." Still one time at a banquet, drunk under the table, he started singing:

Floating with the flow,

I am a hermit at the Gold Horse Gate.

The Palace is my shelter.

Why in the mountains seek another?

Why a shanty alone should a hermit harbor?

The Gold Horse Gate referred to buildings of high offices. Statues of brass horses were positioned at the gates, hence the synecdoche.

*武帝時，齊人有東方生名朔，以好(hao4)古傳(zhuan4)書，愛經術，多所博觀外家之語。朔初入長安，至公車(jü1)上書，凡用三千奏牘。公車令兩人共持舉其書，僅然能勝(shen1)之。人主從上方讀之，止，輒乙其處，讀之二月乃盡。詔拜以為郎，常在側侍中。數召至前談語，人主未嘗不說(yue4)也。時詔賜之食於前。飯已，盡懷其餘肉持去，衣盡汙。數賜縑(jian1)帛，檐揭(dan4 ye1)而去。徒用所賜錢帛，取少婦於長安中好(hao3)女。率(shuo4)取婦一歲所者即棄去，更(geng1)取婦。所賜錢財盡索之於女子。人主左右諸郎半呼之「狂人」。人主聞之，曰：「令朔在事無為是行(xing2)者，若等安能及之哉！」朔任其子為郎，又為(wei2)侍謁(shi4 ye4)者，常持節出使。朔行殿中，郎謂之曰：「人皆以先生為狂。」朔曰：「如朔等，所謂避世於朝廷間者也。古之人，乃避世於深山中。」時坐席中，酒酣，據地歌曰：「陸沈於俗，避世金馬門。宮殿中可以避世全身，何必深山之中，蒿(hao1)廬之下！」金馬門者，宦者署門也，門傍有銅馬，故謂之曰「金馬門」。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4958-4959. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4958-4959, 4961-4962, 4965-4966).
***All English translation is mine.

Biographies of Jesters (滑稽列傳 Guji Liezhuan) Part Nine

Paragraph 12: Guo Sheren (郭舍人)

When Emperor Wu of Han reigned, he favored a court entertainer Guo Sheren, whose words deviated from those of saints and sages but often delighted his master. Emperor Wu, in his infancy, was placed in the nursery care of Marquess Dongwu (the mother of Marquis Dongwu); in his adulthood, Emperor Wu rewarded her with the title of the Imperial Fosterer (or Darumu, lit. the Grand Nursing Mother). Now, this wet nurse of Emperor Wu's usually visited him twice a month. At her visit in the morning, Emperor Wu would have his well-trusted official Ma You-qing give her fifty reels of silk and serve her food and drink. One day, the nurse met with Emperor Wu and said, "I am aware of some royal farmland available; I'd like to loan it." Emperor Wu replied, "Would my nurse like to own it?" And so she had it. Every request of the nurse's was met by the Emperor's goodwill. And the edict had it that the nurse was entitled to traveling the Imperial Highway in her carriage. At that time, all the court honored her. Some time later, the servants and attendants of the nurse's household began to act like villains and their villainy plagued the capital Chang-An. They stopped people, horses, and carriages in broad daylight and robbed people of their personal belongings. Word spread and reached the Emperor, who could not bear to hold his nurse's household punishable by law. Officials in charge suggested the nurse's household be relocated onto the borders as a punishment of exile. The Emperor authorized the punishment. On the day of exile, the nurse was to ask the Emperor for her leave before departure. Before that, she went to Guo Sheren in tears. Guo said to her, "When you see the Emperor, you ask for your leave adn you leave quickly. But stop and look back between your hurried steps." The nurse followed Guo's instruction and did accordingly at court. Guo then, in the presence of the Emperor, responded abruptly to her act by saying, "Tush! Hag! Hurry away! His Majesty is now fully grown. Would he ever need you around to suckle him? Don't bother looking back!" At Guo's words, the Emperor felt sad and sorry for his nurse. The Emperor gave his order to annul the exile and whoever spoke ill of it was to be punished.

*武帝時有所幸倡郭舍人(she4ren2; an honorific similar to Mister or Master)者，發言陳辭雖不合大道，然令人主和說(yue4; pleased)。武帝少時，東武侯母常養帝，帝壯時，號之曰「大乳母」。率(shuo4; generally)一月再朝。朝奏入，有詔使幸臣馬游卿以帛五十匹賜乳母，又奉飲(yin3)糒(bei4; cooked rice)飱(sun1; prepared food)養(yang4; to feed)乳母。乳母上書曰：「某所有公田，願得假倩(jia3qian4; to borrow)之。」帝曰：「乳母欲得之乎？」以賜乳母。乳母所言，未嘗不聽。有詔得令乳母乘車(jü1)行馳道中。當此之時，公卿大臣皆敬重乳母。乳母家子孫奴從者(nü2zong4zhe3; servants and attendants)橫(heng4)暴長安中，當道掣頓(che4dun4; to rob or to detain)人車馬，奪人衣服。聞於中(zhong1; the court)，不忍致之法。有司請徙乳母家室，處之於邊。奏可。乳母當入至前，面見辭。乳母先見郭舍人，為(wei2)下泣。舍人曰：「即入見辭去，疾步數(shuo4)還(huan2)顧。」乳母如其言，謝去，疾步數還顧。郭舍人疾言罵之曰：「咄(duo4; Zut!; Blast!)！老女子！何不疾行！陛下已壯矣，寧尚須汝乳而活邪(ye2)？尚何還顧！」於是人主憐焉悲之，乃下詔止無徙乳母，罰謫譖(zen4; to malign)之者。

**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4955-4956. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4955-4958頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text and annotations thereof (4955-4958), with the exception of the ending line where the San-Min translation reads: "The Emperor punished instead the officials who suggested exile for his nurse." My understanding of the last line in the original somehow differs in a way that allows a more reasonable possibility to me as a reader and a translator.
***All translation is mine.