五柳先生传
先生不知何许人也，亦不详其姓字，宅边有五柳树，因以为号焉。闲静少言，不慕荣利。好读书，不求甚解；每有会意，便欣然忘食。性嗜酒，家贫不能常得。亲旧知其如此，或置酒而招之；造饮辄尽，期在必醉。既醉而退，曾不吝情去留。环堵萧然，不蔽风日；短褐穿结，箪瓢屡空，晏如也。常著文章自娱，颇示己志。忘怀得失，以此自终。
赞曰：黔娄有言：“不戚戚于贫贱，不汲汲于富贵。”其言兹若人之俦乎？衔觞赋诗，以乐其志，无怀氏之民欤？葛天氏之民欤？
译文：
Master Five Willows
Nobody knows where he came from or what his family name was. He is simply known as Master Five Willows after the five willow trees that grow by his house. He is a quiet man who does not talk much.He does not covet fame or wealth, and derives his pleasure from the perusal of books. He reads causally without a need for thorough understanding. Whenever he has learned something from the books, he is so happy that he often forgets his meals. He has a fondness for wine, but being poor, he cannot often afford it.His relatives and friends know about it and will invite him over for a drink.Every time he goes to their home he drinks his fill and is never satisfied until he is drunk, and then leaves without tarrying.The walls in his house are bare, and can shelter him neither from the rain and wind, nor from the scorching sun. His cotton gown is worn to rags and he is always short of food.But he takes all this with equanimity. He often writes essays to amuse himself and to express his aspirations and interests. He spends his life in this way,disregarding personal gain and loss.
The following is my appraisal:
Qianlou said,”Neither be sad for being poor and lowly, nor be eager to seek riches and honor.”Ruminating on his words, one will wonder whether he is referring to Master FiveWillows and his like. Master Five Willows sips wine and composes poems to give full expression to his lofty ideals. Isn’t he a common man of the ancient times of Wuhuai Shi or Getian Shi?
