Skill and Craft世説新語 巧蓺第二十一
1The guest bent his head low and brushed the pieces with the corner of his kudzu cap, and was finer than the emperor
彈棊始自魏宮內，用妝奩戲。文帝於此戲特妙，用手巾角拂之，無不中。有客自云能，帝使為之。客箸葛巾角，低頭拂棊，妙踰於帝。
Tanqi began within the palace of Wei, and was played with a dressing case.
Emperor Wen was especially fine at this game, and when he brushed the pieces with the corner of a handkerchief there was nothing he did not hit.
A guest said of himself that he could do it, and the emperor had him do it.
The guest wore a kudzu cap, bent his head low, and brushed the pieces, and was finer than the emperor.
Interlinear notes 2
傅玄《彈棋賦敘》曰：「漢成帝好蹴踘，劉向以謂勞人體，竭人力，非至尊所宜御。乃因其體作彈棋。今觀其道，蹴踘道也。」按玄此言，則彈棋之戲，其來久矣。且《梁冀傳》云：「冀善彈棋，格五。」而此云起魏世，謬矣。
Fu Xuan's Tanqi fu xu says, "Emperor Cheng of the Han was fond of kickball, and Liu Xiang said that it wearied men's bodies and drained men's strength, and was not a thing for the most honored to take up. So he took its form and made tanqi from it. Look at its way now, and it is the way of kickball." By these words of Fu Xuan, then, the game of tanqi came long ago. The Liang Ji zhuan says too, "Ji was good at tanqi and at gewu." Yet here it is said to have arisen in the time of Wei, and that is wrong.
《典論》常自敘曰：「戲弄之事，少所喜，唯彈棋略盡其妙。少時嘗為之賦。昔京師少工有二焉：合鄉侯東方世安、張公子，常恨不得與之對也。」《博物志》曰：「帝善彈棋，能用手巾角。時有一書生，又能低頭以所冠葛巾角撇棋也。」
The Dianlun, in the place where he always sets forth his own case, says, "Among games and pleasures there is little I care for, but in tanqi alone I have all but exhausted its subtlety. When I was young I once made a rhapsody on it. Of old there were two young men of talent in the capital, Dongfang Shi'an, Marquis of Hexiang, and Master Zhang, and I always regretted that I could not sit facing them." The Bowu zhi says, "The emperor was good at tanqi and could use the corner of a handkerchief. At that time there was a student who could also bend his head low and flick the pieces with the corner of the kudzu cap he wore."
2Those who discussed it said it was because the force of light and heavy had gone askew
陵雲臺樓觀精巧，先稱平眾木輕重，然後造構，乃無錙銖相負揭。臺雖高峻，常隨風搖動，而終無傾倒之理。魏明帝登臺，懼其勢危，別以大材扶持之，樓即穨壞。論者謂輕重力偏故也。
The tower and the belvedere of Lingyun Terrace were fine and cunningly made. First the lightness and heaviness of all the timbers were weighed even, and only then was it built and framed, so that not by the least weight did one piece bear down or lift another.
Though the terrace was high and steep and always swayed with the wind, in the end there was no way for it to lean and fall.
When Emperor Ming of the Wei climbed the terrace, he feared that its stance was perilous, and had it propped up with great timbers besides, and the tower fell at once.
Those who discussed it said it was because the force of light and heavy had gone askew.
Interlinear notes 1
《洛陽宮殿簿》曰：「陵雲臺上壁方十三丈，高九尺。樓方四丈，高五丈。棟去地十三丈五尺七寸五分也。」
The Luoyang gongdian bu says, "The wall upon Lingyun Terrace is thirteen zhang square and nine chi high. The tower is four zhang square and five zhang high. Its ridgepole stands thirteen zhang five chi seven cun five fen above the ground."
3Do not learn calligraphy again
韋仲將能書。魏明帝起殿，欲安榜，使仲將登梯題之。既下，頭鬢皓然，因敕兒孫：「勿復學書。」
Wei Zhongjiang was good at writing.
When Emperor Ming of the Wei raised a hall and wished to set up the tablet, he had Zhongjiang climb a ladder and write it.
When he came down his hair and his temples had gone white, and so he warned his sons and grandsons. "Do not learn calligraphy again."
Interlinear notes 1
《文章敘錄》曰：「韋誕字仲將，京兆杜陵人，太僕端子。有文學，善屬辭。以光祿大夫卒。」衛恆四體書勢曰：「誕善楷書，魏宮觀多誕所題。明帝立陵霄觀，誤先釘榜，乃籠盛誕，轆轤長絙引上，使就題之。去地二十五丈，誕甚危懼。乃戒子孫，絕此楷法，箸之家令。」
The Wenzhang xulu says, "Wei Dan's courtesy name was Zhongjiang; he was a man of Duling in Jingzhao, and the son of Wei Duan the Grand Coachman. He had letters and learning and was good at composition. He died as Grandee of the Palace." Wei Heng's Siti shushi says, "Wei Dan was good at the standard script, and much of what is in the palaces and towers of Wei was written by Wei Dan. When Emperor Ming set up the Lingxiao Belvedere, the tablet was nailed up first by mistake, so Wei Dan was put in a bamboo basket and hauled up on a long rope by a pulley to go and write it. It was twenty-five zhang above the ground, and Wei Dan was in great peril and fear. So he warned his sons and grandsons to break off this method of the standard script, and wrote it into the ordinances of his house."
4When the two Zhongs entered the gate they were at once moved to bitter grief, and the house was left empty and abandoned
鍾會是荀濟北從舅，二人情好不協。荀有寶劍，可直百萬，常在母鍾夫人許。會善書，學荀手跡，作書與母取劍，仍竊去不還。荀勖知是鍾而無由得也，思所以報之。後鍾兄弟以千萬起一宅，始成，甚精麗，未得移住。荀極善畫，乃潛往畫鍾門堂，作太傅形象，衣冠狀貌如平生。二鍾入門，便大感慟，宅遂空廢。
Zhong Hui was a cousin of the mother of Xun of Jibei, and the feeling and liking between the two men did not agree.
Xun had a precious sword worth a million, and it was always kept in the rooms of his mother, Lady Zhong.
Zhong Hui was good at writing, and learned Xun's hand, and wrote a letter to the mother to take the sword away; and he stole it and did not give it back.
Xun Xu knew that it was Zhong Hui, but had no way to get it, and thought of how to pay him back.
Later the Zhong brothers raised a house at a cost of ten million. When it was first finished it was very fine and beautiful, but they had not yet moved into it.
Xun Xu was a very good painter, and so he went there secretly and painted on the hall within the Zhongs' gate, making the likeness of the Grand Tutor, with robe and cap and features as in life.
When the two Zhongs entered the gate they were at once moved to bitter grief, and the house was left empty and abandoned.
Interlinear notes 3
《孔氏志怪》曰：「勖以寶劍付妻。」
The Kongshi zhiguai says, "Xun Xu gave the precious sword to his wife."
《世語》曰：「會善學人書，伐蜀之役，於劍閣要鄧艾章表，皆約其言。令詞旨倨傲，多自矜伐。艾由此被收也。」
The Shiyu says, "Zhong Hui was good at learning other men's hands. In the campaign against Shu he intercepted Deng Ai's letters and memorials at Jiange and cut short all his words, making the sense of them arrogant and full of self-praise, and by this Deng Ai was seized."
《孔氏志怪》曰：「于時咸謂勖之報會，過於所失數十倍。彼此書畫，巧妙之極。」
The Kongshi zhiguai says, "At this time everyone said that what Xun Xu paid back to Zhong Hui went some tens of times beyond what he had lost. The writing on the one side and the painting on the other were the utmost of skill and subtlety."
5The Yangs afterward often knew calligraphy, but in archery and go and the rest of the arts they did not come up to him
羊長和博學工書，能騎射，善圍棊。諸羊後多知書，而射、弈餘蓺莫逮。
Yang Changhe was widely learned and good at writing, able at riding and archery, and good at go.
The Yangs afterward often knew calligraphy, but in archery and go and the rest of the arts they did not come up to him.
Interlinear notes 1
《文字志》曰：「忱性能草書，亦善行隸，有稱於一時。」
The Wenzi zhi says, "Yang Chen was by nature able at the cursive script, and was good at the running and the clerical scripts as well, and had a name in his day."
6Fan Xuan, when he had finished looking, sighed in admiration, held it of great profit, and began to value painting
戴安道就范宣學，視范所為：范讀書亦讀書，范抄書亦抄書。唯獨好畫，范以為無用，不宜勞思於此。戴乃畫南都賦圖；范看畢咨嗟，甚以為有益，始重畫。
Dai Andao went to Fan Xuan to study, and watched what Fan Xuan did. When Fan Xuan read books he read books too; when Fan Xuan copied books he copied books too.
In painting alone he took his own delight, and Fan Xuan held it useless, and said it was not fitting to weary the mind with it.
Dai Andao then painted a picture of the Nandu fu, and Fan Xuan, when he had finished looking, sighed in admiration, held it of great profit, and began to value painting.
Interlinear notes 1
《中興書》曰：「逵不遠千里，往豫章詣范宣，宣見逵，異之，以兄女妻焉。」
The Zhongxing shu says, "Dai Kui did not count a thousand li far, but went to Yuzhang to seek out Fan Xuan, and Fan Xuan, seeing Dai Kui, thought him out of the common and gave him his elder brother's daughter to wife."
7Gu Changkang's painting is such as there has not been since the people came into being
謝太傅云：「顧長康畫，有蒼生來所無。」
Xie, the Grand Tutor, said, "Gu Changkang's painting is such as there has not been since the people came into being."
Interlinear notes 1
《續晉陽秋》曰：「愷之尤好丹青，妙絕於時。曾以一廚畫寄桓玄，皆其絕者，深所珍惜，悉糊題其前。桓乃發廚後取之，好加理。後愷之見封題如初，而畫並不存，直云：『妙畫通靈，變化而去，如人之登仙矣。』」
The Xu Jinyang qiu says, "Gu Kaizhi was uncommonly fond of painting, and was first of his age in subtlety. He once left a chest of paintings with Huan Xuan. They were all his finest work and dearly loved, and he had pasted the front of it over and written upon it. Huan Xuan opened the back of the chest, took them out, and delighting in them made the joining good again. Later Gu Kaizhi saw that the sealing and the writing were as at first but that the paintings were not there with them, and said at once, 'Subtle paintings reach through to the spirits and change and pass away, as men rise to be immortals.'"
8Only Wuguang would escape these words of yours
戴安道中年畫行像甚精妙。庾道季看之，語戴云：「神明太俗，由卿世情未盡。」戴云：「唯務光當免卿此語耳。」
Dai Andao in his middle years painted images that go in procession, very fine and subtle.
Yu Daoji looked at them and said to Dai, "The spirit and the brightness are too common. It comes of your worldly feeling not yet being spent."
Dai said, "Only Wuguang would escape these words of yours."
Interlinear notes 1
《列仙傳》曰：「務光，夏時人也。耳長七寸，好鼓琴，服菖蒲韭根。湯將伐桀，謀於光，光曰：『非吾事也。』湯曰：『伊尹何如？』務光曰：『彊力忍詬，不知其它。』湯克天下，讓於光，光曰：『吾聞無道之世，不踐其土。況讓我乎？』負石自沈於盧水。」
The Liexian zhuan says, "Wuguang was a man of the time of Xia. His ears were seven cun long; he loved to play the zither, and ate the roots of sweet flag and of leek. When King Tang was about to strike Jie, he took counsel with Wuguang, and Wuguang said, 'It is no affair of mine.' Tang said, 'What of Yi Yin?' and Wuguang said, 'He is strong and bears reproach, but beyond that I do not know.' When Tang had won all under heaven and would have yielded it to Wuguang, Wuguang said, 'I have heard that in an age without the Way one does not tread its ground. How much less take it when it is yielded to me?' and he shouldered a stone and sank himself in the Lu River."
9This is just the stuff of his discernment
顧長康畫裴叔則，頰上益三毛。人問其故？顧曰：「裴楷儁朗有識具，正此是其識具。」看畫者尋之，定覺益三毛如有神明，殊勝未安時。
Gu Changkang painted Pei Shuze, and added three hairs upon his cheek.
People asked the reason for it, and Gu said, "Pei Kai is outstanding and clear and has the stuff of discernment, and this is just the stuff of his discernment."
Those who looked at the painting sought it out, and found that with the three hairs added there was indeed something like a divine brightness, far better than before they were set on.
Interlinear notes 1
愷之歷畫古賢，皆為之贊也。
Gu Kaizhi painted the worthies of old one after another, and made an encomium for each of them.
10Go is sitting in seclusion, and go is conversation by hand
王中郎以圍棊是坐隱，支公以圍棊為手談。
Wang, the Gentleman of the Household, held go to be sitting in seclusion, and Lord Zhi held go to be conversation by hand.
Interlinear notes 1
《博物志》曰：「堯作圍棋，以教丹朱。」語林曰：「王以圍棋為手談，故其在哀制中，祥後客來，方幅會戲。」
The Bowu zhi says, "Yao made go and taught it to Danzhu." The Yulin says, "Wang held go to be conversation by hand, and so, when he was in mourning, after the first anniversary sacrifice, if a guest came he would meet him squarely and play."
11Only mark the pupils clearly and brush a flying white stroke over them, and it will be as light cloud veiling the sun
顧長康好寫起人形。欲圖殷荊州，殷曰：「我形惡，不煩耳。」顧曰：「明府正為眼爾。但明點童子，飛白拂其上，使如輕雲之蔽日。」
Gu Changkang loved to draw the forms of men from life.
He wished to paint Yin of Jingzhou, and Yin said, "My form is ill favored. Do not trouble yourself with it."
Gu said, "Your Honor says this only because of the eye. Only mark the pupils clearly and brush a flying white stroke over them, and it will be as light cloud veiling the sun."
Interlinear notes 3
《續晉陽秋》曰：「愷之圖寫特妙。」
The Xu Jinyang qiu says, "Gu Kaizhi was uncommonly subtle in drawing from life."
仲堪耳少目故也。
It was because Yin Zhongkan was wanting in one eye.
日，一作月。
For sun (日) one text has moon (月).
12This man should be set among hills and gullies
顧長康畫謝幼輿在巖石裏。人問其所以？顧曰：「謝云：『一丘一壑，自謂過之。』此子宜置丘壑中。」
Gu Changkang painted Xie Youyu among crags and stones.
People asked the reason for it, and Gu said, "Xie said, 'In one hill and one gully I count myself beyond him.' So this man should be set among hills and gullies."
13The passing on of the spirit and the drawing of the likeness lie just in these
顧長康畫人，或數年不點目精。人問其故？顧曰：「四體妍蚩，本無關於妙處；傳神寫照，正在阿堵中。」
When Gu Changkang painted a man, he would sometimes go for several years without dotting in the pupils of the eyes.
People asked the reason for it, and Gu said, "Whether the four limbs are fair or ugly has nothing to do with what is subtle. The passing on of the spirit and the drawing of the likeness lie just in these."
14To sweep the five strings with the hand is easy; to send the eye after the homing goose is hard
顧長康道畫：「手揮五絃易，目送歸鴻難。」
Gu Changkang spoke of painting. "To sweep the five strings with the hand is easy; to send the eye after the homing goose is hard."