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.