蘇軾·《試筆自書》

Testing My Brush with These Words (1)

Su Shi

吾始至南海，環視天水無際，凄然傷之，曰：“何時得出此島耶?”已而思之，天地在積水中，九州在大瀛海中，中國在四海中，有生孰不在島者?覆盆水于地，芥浮于水，蟻附于芥，茫然不知所濟。少焉水涸，蟻即徑去，見其類，出涕曰：“幾不復與子相見。”豈知俯仰之間，有方軌八達之路乎?念此可以一笑。戊寅九月十二日，與客飲薄酒小醉，信筆書此紙。

When I first arrived in the South Sea, I was devastated to see waters and skies all in one. I said to myself, “When could I get out of this island here?” Then I started to ruminate on heaven and earth, which were also as it were in a pool of water; the Nine Continents (2) in the big Oceans, and China in the four seas. Was there anything living that was not on some kind of island? Then I poured a pot of water on the ground. A tiny blade of grass floated on its surface, and an ant clung to it for life, not knowing where to turn for help. Soon afterward, the water dried up, and the ant scampered off. When it met its own kind, it said with tears in its eyes, “I thought I would never see you guys again. Then in a blink of an eye, paved roads leading in all directions appeared before me!” The mere thought of it brought a smile to my face. On the 12th day, in the 9th month of Wu Yin (1098), I had a few drops with my friends. Feeling tipsy, I wrote the above on a piece of paper.

Notes:

(1) This short article was written in the 1st year of the Yuanfu reign (1098), upon arriving in Hainan Island in banishment.

(2) Nine Continents: According to ancient Chinese mythology, there are nine continents in the oceans; whereas China is surrounded by seas with nine states.