玉嬌梨 — Page 1

由廖德明製作。

Produced by Jau-Yu Liou

第一回 小才女代父題詩

Chapter One: The Talented Girl Composes a Poem in Her Father's Place

詩曰：六經原本在人心，笑罵皆文仔細尋。

The poem says: The Six Classics are rooted in the human heart; look carefully and you will find literature even in laughter and curses.

天地戲場觀莫矮，古今聚訟眼須深。

The world is a stage—do not look down upon it; to judge the disputes of past and present, one must look with penetrating eyes.

詩存鄭衛非無意，亂著春秋豈是淫。

The Poems of Zheng and Wei were preserved in the canon not without purpose; the chaotic arrangement of the Spring and Autumn Annals is by no means lascivious.

更有子雲千載後，生生死死謝知音。

And then there is Yang Xiong, a thousand years later, who through life and death expressed his gratitude to those who truly understood him.

話說正統年間，有一科甲太常正卿姓白名玄，表字太玄，乃金陵人氏。

The story begins in the reign of the Zhengtong Emperor, when there lived an Examinate official serving as Chief of the Imperial Sacrifices, surnamed Bai, given name Xuan, courtesy name Taixuan, a native of Jinling.

因王振弄權，挂冠而歸。

Because the eunuch Wang Zhen was wielding power corruptly, he resigned his post and returned home.

這白太常上無兄下無弟，只有一個妹子，又嫁與山東盧副使遠去，止得隻身獨立。

This Master Bai had neither older nor younger brothers, only one younger sister, who had married far away to a Deputy Commissioner Lu in Shandong, leaving him to live alone.

他為人沉靜寡欲，不貪名利，懶於逢迎，但以詩酒自娛。

He was by nature calm and of few desires, not greedy for fame or gain, averse to flattery, and entertained himself with poetry and wine.

因嫌城市中交接煩冗，遂卜居於鄉。

Finding the social obligations of city life too troublesome, he chose to settle in the countryside.

去城約六七十里，地名喚做錦石村。

About sixty or seventy li from the city, the place was called Jinshi Village.

這村裡青山環繞四面，一帶清溪，直從西過東，曲曲回抱，兩堤上桃李芳菲，頗有山水之趣。

The village was surrounded on all sides by green hills; a clear stream ran from west to east in winding curves, and both banks were adorned with blooming peach and plum trees, giving the place a most charming natural beauty.

這村中雖有千餘戶居民，若要數富貴人家，當推白太常為第一。

Although the village had over a thousand households, if one were to count the wealthy and distinguished families, Master Bai would rank first.

這白太常官又高家又富，才學政望，又大有聲名，但只恨年過四十卻無子嗣。

Master Bai held high office, was prosperous, renowned for his talents and political standing, yet to his great sorrow he had passed the age of forty without a male heir.

也曾蓄過幾個姬妾，甚是作怪，留在身邊三五年再沒一毫影響。

He had kept several concubines, which was most peculiar—after three to five years by his side there was not the slightest result.

又移去嫁人，不上年餘便人人生子。

Yet once they left and married elsewhere, within a year each of them bore children.

白公嘆息，以為有命，遂不復買妾。

Master Bai sighed and accepted it as fate, and thereafter bought no more concubines.

夫人吳氏，各處求神拜佛，燒香許願，直到四十四上，方生得一個女兒。

His wife, née Wu, prayed at temples and shrines everywhere, burned incense, and made vows, until finally at the age of forty-four she gave birth to a daughter.

臨生這日，白公夢一神人賜美玉一塊，顏色紅赤如日，因取乳名叫做紅玉。

On the day of the birth, Master Bai dreamed that a divine being presented him with a beautiful piece of jade, red as the sun, and so he gave the child the milk-name Hongyu—Red Jade.

白公夫妻因晚年無子，雖然生個女兒，卻也十分歡喜。

Since the couple had no son in their later years, they were nonetheless overjoyed to have a daughter.

這紅玉生得姿色非常，真似眉如春柳，眼似秋波，更兼性情聰慧，到八九歲，便學得女工針黹，件件過人。

Hongyu grew up exceptionally beautiful, with brows like spring willows and eyes like autumn ripples; moreover she was gifted with intelligence, and by the age of eight or nine had mastered all manner of needlework and feminine crafts, excelling in every one.

不幸十一歲上，母親吳氏先亡過了，就每日隨著白公讀書寫字。

Unhappily, at the age of eleven her mother, née Wu, passed away, after which she spent each day studying books and practising calligraphy alongside Master Bai.

果然是山川秀氣所鍾，天地陰陽不爽，有十分姿色，又十分聰明，到得十四五時，便知書能文，竟已成一個女學士。

The concentrated essence of mountains and rivers, the perfect balance of Heaven and Earth's forces, had endowed her with extraordinary beauty and intelligence; by the time she was fourteen or fifteen she was well-read and could compose with skill, having become in every respect a female scholar.

因白公寄情詩酒，日日吟詠，故紅玉小姐於詩詞一道，尤其所長。

Since Master Bai expressed his feelings through poetry and wine, chanting verses every day, Miss Hongyu was especially gifted in the art of poetry and lyric composition.

家居無事，往往白公做了，叫紅玉和韻，紅玉做了，與白公推敲。

When at leisure at home, Master Bai would often compose a poem and ask Hongyu to write a matching verse, or Hongyu would compose one and discuss it with Master Bai.

白公因有了這等一個女兒，便也不思量生子，只要選擇一個有才有貌的佳婿配他，卻是一時沒有，因此耽擱到一十六歲尚未聯婚。

Having such a daughter, Master Bai ceased to think about getting a son; he only wished to find a talented and handsome husband for her, but could not immediately find anyone suitable, and so the matter was delayed until she was sixteen and still not married.

不期朝廷遭土木之難，正統北狩，景泰登極，王振伏辜，起復朝臣。

Unexpectedly, the court suffered the disaster of Tumu; the Zhengtong Emperor was taken captive in the north, the Jingtai Emperor ascended the throne, Wang Zhen was punished for his crimes, and dismissed officials were recalled to court.

白公名係舊臣，吏部會議仍推白公為太常正卿，不日命下，報到金陵。

As Master Bai was a former official, the Board of Civil Appointments voted to reappoint him as Chief of the Imperial Sacrifices; in a matter of days the imperial order came down and news reached Jinling.

白公本意不願做官，只因紅玉姻事未就，因想道：『吾欲選擇佳婿，料此一鄉一邑人才有限，怎如京師，乃天下文人聚處，豈無東床俊彥，何不借此一行？』

Master Bai originally had no wish to serve as an official, but because Hongyu's marriage was not yet settled, he thought: 'I wish to select a fine son-in-law; the talent in one town or county must be limited—how could it compare with the capital, where scholars from all under Heaven gather? Surely there must be outstanding young men there fit to be a husband. Why not make this journey?'

主意定了，遂不推辭，擇個吉日，挈帶紅玉小姐同上京赴任。

Having made up his mind, he did not decline the appointment; he chose an auspicious day and set off for the capital with Miss Hongyu to take up his post.

到了京師，請訓朝廷，到了任，尋一個私宅住下。

Upon arriving at the capital, he presented himself at court to receive his instructions, then took up his post and found a private residence to live in.

這太常寺乃是一個清淡衙門，況白公雖然忠義，卻是個疏懶之人，不願攬事。

The Imperial Sacrifices bureau was a quiet and undemanding office, and although Master Bai was loyal and upright, he was by nature easy-going and averse to taking on responsibilities.

就是國家有大事著九卿會議，也只是兩衙門與該部做主，太常卿不過備名色唯諾而已，那有十分費心力處。

Even when matters of state required a council of the Nine Ministers, it was the two major offices and the relevant board that made the decisions; the Chief of Imperial Sacrifices merely lent his name and added his assent—there was nothing that truly demanded his full attention.

每日公事完了，便只是飲酒賦詩。

Each day, once official business was done, he would simply drink wine and compose poems.

過了數月，便有一班好詩酒的僚友，或花或柳，遞相往還。

After a few months, a group of colleagues who shared his love of poetry and wine gathered around him, visiting one another at places of scenic beauty.

時值九月中旬，白公因一門人送了十二盆菊花，擺在書房階下，也有雞冠紫，也有醉楊妃，也有銀鶴翎，盆盆皆是細種。

It was the middle of the ninth month, and one of Master Bai's disciples had sent twelve pots of chrysanthemums, arranged on the steps outside his study—some were the purple Cockscomb variety, some the Tipsy Imperial Consort, some the Silver Crane Feather, each pot a choice cultivar.

深香疏態，散影滿簾，何減屏列金釵十二。

Their deep fragrance and graceful forms cast scattered shadows across the curtains, in no way inferior to twelve golden hairpins arrayed on a screen.

白公十分喜愛，每日把酒玩賞。

Master Bai was enormously fond of them and spent each day drinking wine and admiring them.

這一日正吟賞間，忽報吳翰林與蘇御史來拜。

One day, while he was in the midst of enjoying them with a poem on his lips, it was suddenly announced that Academician Wu and Censor Su had come to call.

原來這吳翰林就是白公妻舅，叫做吳珪，號瑞庵，與白公同里，為人最重義氣。

This Academician Wu was in fact Master Bai's brother-in-law, named Wu Gui, with the sobriquet Rui'an, from the same hometown as Master Bai and a man who placed great value on honour and loyalty.

這蘇御史名喚蘇淵，字方回，雖是河南籍中的進士，原籍卻也是金陵。

This Censor Su was named Su Yuan, styled Fanghui; although he had passed the examinations registered in Henan, his native place was also Jinling.

又與白公是同年，又因詩酒往來，所以三人極相契厚，每每於政事之暇，不是你尋我，就是我訪你。

He was also a classmate of Master Bai's from the same examination year, and through their shared love of poetry and wine the three had become very close, so that whenever they had free time from official duties, one would seek out another.

白公聽見二人來拜，慌忙出來迎接。

Hearing that the two had come to call, Master Bai hurried out to welcome them.

三人因平日往來慣了，情意浹洽，全無一點客套。

Since the three were in the habit of meeting regularly and were on easy terms, there was not a trace of formality between them.

一見了，白公便笑說道：『這兩日菊花開得十分爛熳，二兄何不來一賞？』

The moment they met, Master Bai laughed and said: 'The chrysanthemums have been blooming gloriously these past two days—why have my two elder brothers not come to admire them sooner?'

吳翰林道：『前日因李念臺點了南直隸學院，與他餞行，不得工夫。』

Academician Wu said: 'Two days ago I was occupied with a farewell banquet for Director Li Niantai, who has been appointed to the Nanzhili Academate, and had no opportunity to come.'

『昨晚正要來賞，不期剛出門，遇見老楊厭物拿一篇壽文，立等要做了，與石都督夫人上壽，又誤了一日工夫。』

'Last evening I was just about to come and enjoy the flowers when, the moment I stepped out, I ran into that tiresome Yang fellow, who thrust a congratulatory birthday essay at me and demanded I compose it on the spot as a birthday tribute to the wife of Commander-in-Chief Shi—so I lost another day.'

『今早見風和日麗，恐怕錯過花期，所以約了蘇老仙不速而至。』

'This morning, seeing the fine weather, I was afraid the flowering season would be missed, so I invited old Immortal Su here and we came uninvited.'

蘇御史道：『小弟連日也要來，只因衙門中多事，未免辜負芳辰。』

Censor Su said: 'I too have wanted to come these past few days, but official affairs have kept me occupied, and I have unavoidably let these lovely hours go to waste.'

三人說著話，走到堂上相見，更了衣，待了茶，遂邀入書房中看菊。

Chatting as they went, the three proceeded to the main hall, exchanged formal greetings, changed their clothes, were served tea, and were then invited into the study to view the chrysanthemums.

果然黃深紫淺，擺好兩隅，不異兩行紅粉。

Indeed, deep yellows and pale purples were arranged elegantly in both corners, no different from two rows of beautiful ladies in rouge and powder.

吳翰林與蘇御史俱誇獎好花不絕。

Academician Wu and Censor Su praised the fine flowers without ceasing.

三人賞玩了一會，白公即令家人擺上酒來同飲。

After admiring them for a while, Master Bai had the servants bring wine for them all to drink together.

飲了數杯，吳翰林因說道：『此花秀而不艷，美而不妖。』

After several cups, Academician Wu remarked: 'These flowers are elegant without being gaudy, beautiful without being bewitching.'

『雖紅黃紫白，顏色種種鮮妍，卻終帶幾分疏野瀟洒氣味，使人愛而敬之。』

'Though they come in red, yellow, purple, and white—all manner of vivid colours—they always retain a quality of wild, free-spirited ease that makes one love and respect them at the same time.'

『就如二兄與小弟一般，雖然在此做官，而日日陶情詩酒，與林下無異。』

'Just like my two elder brothers and myself—though we are here serving as officials, we seek pleasure in poetry and wine every day, no different from recluses living in the forest.'

『終不似老楊這班俗吏，每日趨迎權貴，只指望進身做官，未免為花所笑。』

'We are nothing like that vulgar fellow Yang and his ilk, who daily fawn upon the powerful and influential, with eyes only on advancing their careers—they would surely be laughed at by these flowers.'

白公笑道：『雖然如此說，只怕他們又笑你我不會做官，終日只好在此冷曹，與草木為伍。』

Master Bai laughed: 'Though what you say is true, I am afraid they in turn laugh at you and me for not knowing how to be proper officials, spending our days in this quiet office among plants and trees.'

蘇御史道：『他們笑我們，殊覺有理；我們笑他便笑錯了。』

Censor Su said: 'When they laugh at us, they are quite right to do so; but when we laugh at them, we are the ones who are wrong.'

吳翰林道：『怎麼我們到笑差了？』

Academician Wu said: 'How can it be that we are the ones who are wrong to laugh?'

蘇御史道：『這京師原是個名利場，他們爭名奪利，正其宜也。你我既不貪富，又不圖貴，況白年兄與小弟又無子嗣，何必溷跡於此，以博旁人之笑。』

Censor Su replied: 'This capital is, after all, a marketplace of fame and profit; their scrambling for reputation and gain is perfectly natural. But you and I are neither greedy for wealth nor seeking rank, and brother Bai here has no male heir, just as I do not—why should we mire ourselves here, only to invite the ridicule of others?'

白公嘆口氣道：『年兄之言最是，小弟豈不曉得？只是各有所圖，故苟戀如此，斷非捨不得這頂烏紗帽耳。』

Master Bai sighed: 'Elder brother, what you say is most apt; how could I not know it? But each of us has his own motives for clinging on as we do—it is certainly not that any of us cannot bear to part with this black official's cap.'