苏轼·《试笔自书》
Testing My Brush ith These Words (1)
Su Shi
吾始至南海，环视天水无际，凄然伤之，曰：“何时得出此岛耶？”已而思之，天地在积水中，九州在大瀛海中，中国在四海中，有生孰不在岛者？覆盆水于地，芥浮于水，蚁附于芥，茫然不知所济。少焉水涸，蚁即径去，见其类，出涕曰：“几不复与子相见。”岂知俯仰之间，有方轨八达之路乎？念此可以一笑。戊寅九月十二日，与客饮薄酒小醉，信笔书此纸。
When I first arrived in the South Sea, I as devastated to see aters 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, hich ere also as it ere in a pool of ater; the Nine Continents (2) in the big Oceans, and China in the four seas. Was there anything living that as not on some kind of island? Then I poured a pot of ater on the ground. A tiny blade of grass floated on its surface, and an ant clung to it for life, not knoing here to turn for help. Soon afterard, the ater dried up, and the ant scampered off. When it met its on kind, it said ith tears in its eyes, “I thought I ould 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 fe drops ith my friends. Feeling tipsy, I rote the above on a piece of paper.
Notes:
(1) This short article as ritten 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; hereas China is surrounded by seas ith nine states.
