文言片段

残年湖畔一草堂,金犬伴卧映斜阳。人生不悟徒劳苦,不解小生无事忙。(改网友原诗:残年湖边一草堂,黄狗伴卧晒太阳。人生不悟空费力,何苦青年行匆忙。)

2022年11月


田余庆名言:“大臣之任,不重在操持庶政,而重在执道经邦”。(《东晋门阀政治》2012年版69页)有感四十二年前一月吾国丞相仙逝,举国齐哀,以悼其鞠躬尽瘁,为国为民,事无巨细。操持庶政之勤,无有出其右。虽然,于国难当头、民不聊生之际,大臣之任首要者乃执道以经邦,挽狂澜于既倒。田余庆评东晋重臣郗鉴之言殊可参考:

“苏峻乱平后,江左相对安定,无内战七十年,遂得以拒胡族于淮汉,息斯民于江左,郗鉴所起的积极作用,是巨大的……大臣之任,不重在操持庶政,而重在执道经邦,东晋皇权不振,大臣更应如此。郗鉴南来后,最重要的邦国大计,莫过于协调当权诸门阀士族之间的关系,杜绝觊觎,以稳定一个抗胡政权,使人民得以生存。郗鉴在这方面的作为,与其它门阀士族之居位者相比较,可称述者较多,可指责者较少。”

(
2018年2月)


(宋)范镇《东斋记事》:张邓公(张士逊)尝谓予曰:某举进士时,寇莱公(寇准)同游相国寺,诣一卜肆。卜者曰:“二人皆宰相也。”既出,逢张相齐贤、王相随,复往诣之。卜者大惊曰:“一日之内而有四人宰相!”相顾大笑而退。因是卜者声望日消,卒穷饿以死。四人后皆为宰相,欲为之作传,未能也。

续:因寻卜者所居,得妻子二人,问卜者生前事,俱陈其恶,不曾济与家人,终日如神魂着体,人不知所言。详查卜者所藏,竟得一奇文曰《泰西先知諾斯特拉達姆士》!

(2016年4月3日)


本人乃学究,非学霸也。学究喜穷经皓首,于区区、昏昏屋漏处稽考古人无足轻重之一言一行。据本学究研究,“学霸”源于南宋杨简《慈湖遗书》,有言“故姑为髙论以自表其异于俗学霸术而已”,及清康熙间《画图缘》有“第四回学霸相公受饱老拳之辱”云云。本学究年趋半百,津津乐道雕虫小技,日日进步屠龙之术,终一世不成学霸,无悔无憾,亦无大志,徒为真学霸增笑耳!

(2014年3月6日)


【北美生活】吾友,来美三十余载,见99美元无购物中国游,大喜。人劝三思,不听,曰,“老子红小兵,何所惧?”乃行。数日后返美,问购物否?曰,不购不得行,且怎奈同行亲戚相劝,购物两万余美元。众惊且笑,“非不畏拳脚拒购物耶?”幸以信用卡购物,遂做信用卡申诉,其兄律师,多以咨询相助。终得商家承诺退款。查此商家,中文论坛列其恶迹,屡变其名而不得惩治。

(2017年1月18日)


Probably the earliest weapon control debate in history:
(my translation from Ancient Chinese, 《资治通鉴·卷第十九·世宗孝武皇帝中之上》)

Prime Minister Gongsun Hong (200BC-121BC) to Emperor Wu of Han (156BC-87BC): "Ten thieves with bows at full draw will stop a hundred law enforcement officers. I request for your mandate that people not have bows and arches for the sake of public safety."

Minister Wuqiu Shouwang: "I am told that ancient people made five weapons not to hurt each other but to stop violence and punish evils. The Qin Kingdom (9th century BC–206 BC) annexed the world, destroyed weapons, and broke knives and swords. Afterward, people attacked each other with hoes and sticks. There were increasingly more criminals, and thieves and burglars were no way to be prevented. The Kingdom came to an end as a result of nationwide unrest. Therefore, a wise king ought to cultivate people and lessen restriction and prevention, which he knows is not to rely on... I have heard that a wise king shoots arrows to edify the people but have not heard of ban on bows and arrows. Furthermore, what are banned are what the thieves and burglars use for attack and robbery. The punishment for crimes of attack and robbery is death. But the reason for no less of those crimes committed is that the big thugs do not fear severe punishment. I'm afraid bad people will carry bows and arrows and law enforcement officers cannot stop them, and ordinary people will break the law by self-defense with bows and arrows. This is to promote bad people's prestige and to deprive good people of defense."

Emperor Wu posed Minister Wuqiu's argument to Prime Minister Gongsun, who yielded.

(06/13/2016)


Contact me
To my Miscellaneous Page