2018 學語集 46 - 50

Original Script

::: 學語集 :::

46. 虎

虎者百獸之長名曰山君鉤爪鉅齒㗌人攫物見之者莫不恐畏也

• 名曰 N: be called/named

• 莫不 V: there is no one who does not V

47. 鳳

生於丹山之穴非梧桐不棲非琅玕不啄是爲羽蟲之長

• 非 N 不 V: if it is not N, does not V

48. 鶴

胎化者鶴也鳴于九皋聲聞于天仙人驂之道士馴之

49. 雞

朱氏翁之所化故人呼之爲朱朱夜捿于柾司晨而鳴其聲喈喈

• 所 V: place where V, that which V

50. 雁

雁者隨陽之鳥木落南翔氷解北徂彭蠡洞庭之間千百成群

• V 之 N: N that does V

Translation

Sentence 46: Jelena Gledić

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Tiger:

Tiger, the head of all beasts, [by] name is called lord of the mountain. Hooked claws and stong teeth, he bites into men and snatches things. Those who see him cannot be unafraid.

• Discussion Questions:

Sentence 47: Jelena Gledić

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Phoenix:

It is born in the cavern of the red mountain. [If it is] not a Paulownia [tree], it does not perch [on it]. [If it is] not langgan, it does not peck [it]. It is the head of the feathered critters.

• Discussion Questions:

+The often mentioned question of how to translate the name of this bird :) My reason for rendering it as phoenix is that I think the more commonly known animals of Chinese mythology (phoenix, dragon etc.) are widely known by these names.

Sentence 48: Jelena Gledić

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Crane:

Those [birds] that are viviparous are cranes. They cry in the deep waters, their voice is heard in heaven. Immortals harness them, Daoist scholars tame them.

• Discussion Questions:

Sentence 49: (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

Sentence 50: (Write your name)

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• Discussion Questions:

This refers to the Danxue Mountain (丹穴山), literally red cavern mountain, which is mentioned as the birthplace of the phoenix in the Shan hai jing (山海经): “Five hundred li to the east, there is the mountain called Danxue … There is a bird there, its appearance resembles a chicken, it has five colors and patterns, and its name is phoenix.” (又东五百里，曰丹穴之山 …… 有鸟焉，其状如鸡，五采而文，名曰凤皇).

琅玕, this term is interpreted ambiguously in Chinese tradition as either a precious stone or a source of immortality. Its translation depends on the context, but often it can be interpreted as both, meaning something rare and valuable.