Author: Yoon-Ngan CHUNG
Date: 03-02-02 02:51
Chinese idomatic story (24)
They were all drunk except me
眾 醉 獨 醒 (Zhong4 Zui4 Du2 Xing3)
眾 (Zhong4) means: numerous
醉 (Zui4) means: to be drunk
獨 (Du2) means: alone
醒 (Xing3) means: awake
Qu Yuan (屈原) was born in 343BC into an aristocratic family in the State of Chu
(楚國 present day Jiang Ling county 江陵縣 in Hubei province 湖北省) during the period of Warring State (戰國時代453BC to 221BC) of the Zhou Dynasty (周朝 1134BC to 256BC).
Qu Yuan was the first man to be officially recorded in Chinese history as a poet scholar. In Chinese classical history other than the Shi Jing (詩經 the Book of
Odes) the only important poetic work during the Zhou Dynasty was Chu Ci (楚辭 Elegies of Chu) which made up to a large extent of poems by Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan was appointed the Minister of Law and Ordinance by Xiong Huai (熊槐),
the 36th ruler of the State Chu. Xiong Huan ruled the State of Chu from 328BC to 298BC. Qu Yuan drafted all the laws in the State of Chu and was very influential in the Chu Court. However, he offended the powerful chief eunuch, Jin Shang (靳尚), with whom he also disagreed over foreign affairs policy. There were also personal and official animosity between him and the chief eunuch.
The chief eunuch lied when he told the ruler, Xiong Huai, that:
"Qu Yuan is too proud and is disrespectful to you. He is bragging that nothing can be done in the country without him. Every one in the country knows about it except you, your Highness."
Xiong Huai was furious and he sacked Qu Yuan as a Minister and put him to work as an ordinary clerk in the Ministry.
In 299BC, Ying Ji (嬴稷), the 34th ruler of the State of Qin (秦國 present day
Feng Xiang county 鳳翔縣 in Shaanxi province 陜西省) invited Xiong Huai for a conference at Wu Guan (武關 present day Wu Guan city in Shaanxi province). Qu Yuan advised Xiong Huai not to go. However, the ruler's youngest son, Xiong Lan
(熊蘭), argued that his father should attend because Qin was a very powerful State and his staying away from the coference could infuriate the ruler of Qin causing
him to attack Chu.
Xiong Huai followed his son's advice and attended the conference. Xiong Huai
was incarcerated by the ruler of Qin at the end of the conference. Xiong Huai was treated like a prisoner of war and brought to the Qin capital of Xian Yang (咸陽
present day near Xi An city 西安市 in Shaanxi province). Xiong Huai died in the hands of the Qin in the following year of 298BC. Xiong Heng (熊橫), the eldest son of Xiong Huai, became the new ruler of Chu.
Qu Yuan criticised Xiong Lan for advising his father to attend the conference.
Xiong Lan was ashamed of himself but he could not accept Qu Yuan's criticism.
Xiong Lan banished Qu Yuan to the remote wilderness south of the capital of
Jiang Ling (江陵 present day Jiang Ling city in Hubei province).
While on exile, Qu Yuan arrived at the river called Mi Luo (汨羅 present day near Xiang Yin county 湘陰縣 in Hunan province 湖南省) He spent sometime in the area near the river of Mi Luo. It was during this time that he composed the Li Sao (離騷) which was an allegory of himself searching for an understanding ruler whom he could serve. More than half of Li Sao was about the shaman's journey in search of divinity. The shaman rode the wind and clouds, straddled the sun and the moon and voyaged outside the universe.
Qu Yuan continued to wander around the banks of Mi Luo River, pouring forth his soul in verses. As time went by, he grew thinner and thinner.
One day he met a fisherman at the river bank. The fisherman recognised Qu Yuan and said to him:
"Are you not the famous Minister of Law in the Court? What brings
about your rambling around here?"
Qu Yuan replied:
眾人皆濁﹐我獨清﹐
All the people are dirty and I am the only one who is clean.
眾人皆醉﹐我獨醒﹐
All the people are drunk and I am the only one who is awake.
是以見放﹐
Due to this reason I was dismissed".
The fisherman said:
聖人不凝滯於物﹐而能與世推移﹐
A wise true sage does not quarrel with the social and cultural conditions
of the day but try to live with it.
世人皆濁﹐ 何不淈其泥﹐而揚其波。
You have said that all the people are unclean, why can't you go with
them and make them clean.
眾人皆醉﹐ 何不 餔其糟, 而歠其醨, 何故深思高舉﹐自令放為。
You have said that all the people are drunk why can't you drink with them
and teach them not to drink too much".
Qu Yuan replied:
吾聞之新沐者﹐ 必彈冠新浴者﹐
必振衣安能以身之察﹐ 察受物之汶汶者乎,
寧赴湘流﹐葬於江魚之腹中。
又安能以皓皓之白而蒙世之塵埃乎。
If one has just have taken a bath and one's body is clean, one will not wear
the dirty clothes. One should not allow one's clean body to be dirtied by dirty clothes. I rather die and have a grave in the bellies of the fish swimming
in the river than being buried among the filth and corruption of this world.
The fisherman went away laughing and singing:
滄浪之水清兮﹐可以濯我纓。
If the water is clean, I will wash my tassels.
滄浪之水濁兮﹐可以濯我足。
If the water is dirty, I will wash my feet.
Qu Yuan hated the corrupt government of his country. He felt that he should not
be punished for being too loyal to the ruler of his country. Despair and sadness
had overwhelmed him. On the fifth day of the fifth moon in 278BC he tied a big
rock to his body and jumped into the river. Qu Yuan, immediately, disappeared under the water.
Chapter 84 屈原列傳 (Qu Yuan2 Lie4 Chuan2)
from the book Shi Ji (史記) by Si-Ma Qian (司-馬遷)
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
All rights reserved 2002
Yoon-Ngan CHUNG
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