"Cai Gen Tan" by Ming Hong Yingming

(Classics of Sinology, full translation)

Part I: Self-cultivation

Don't be ashamed of more than that, worry if you don't have faults

The horse that drives the horse can be driven by the horse; the gold of the leap is finally the model. If you don't travel well, you won't make any progress for life. Bai Sha said: "It is not shameful for people to be sick, and it is my worry to be sick all my life." "Truth theory ❸ also.

【Notes】

(1) Pan-driving: refers to a car that is not easy to control. Pan, floating, this refers to poor control.

(2) Galloping: galloping. Gallop, run, drive, whip the horse galloping

(3) Confirmation: Refers to accurate speech.

【Translation】

A galloping horse that is not easy to control can drive thousands of miles; the hot molten iron is eventually cast into an artifact. If you only covet comfort and pleasure, you will be depressed and can never do great things. Chen Xianzhang, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, said: "Being a person is not afraid of shortcomings and mistakes, and living a life without fault is my greatest worry." This sentence is indeed a precise statement.

Out of the sludge without staining, near wisdom and ingenuity without being affected

Snobbish ❶ is full of splendor, and those who are not near are pure; those who are close but not stained are especially clean. Smart and mechanical❸, those who do not know are high; those who know and do not use are especially high.

(1) Snobbery: The interest of power.

(2) Cleanliness: Cleaning. Here is the noble meaning.

(3) Smart machinery: refers to the use of mental calculation and power.

Those who do not pursue the interests of power can be said to be noble; those who are easily available but are not proud of it can be said to be extremely noble. Not to understand the art of mind-scheming can be said to be noble; those who know that the use of them will bring benefits and do not use them can be said to be extremely noble.

The sweetness is moderate, and the rigidity is gentle

Qing can be tolerant, benevolent can be good at judging, clear is not hurtful, straight but not correct. It is said that candied fruit❶ is not sweet, seafood is not salty, is Yi De (2).

(1) Preserves: fruits impregnated with honey or concentrated syrup

(2) Yide: Virtue. Yikes, beautiful.

A person who is honest and tolerant, loving and decisive, intelligent without forgetting self-reflection, straightforward and reasonable. It is like saying that although the preserves are sweet but not greasy, the seafood is salty and moderate, which is a beautiful virtue.

Conspiracies and incitements disrupt the world

Conspiracy and strange habits, strange deeds, all are the evil tires of the world, and the sharp weapon of killing. Only one mediocre deed can complete chaos and summon peace.

(1) World-related: refers to the experience of personnel. Involved, experienced, involved.

(2) Evil fetus: refers to the root cause of the disaster.

(3) Mediocrity: Mediocrity.

(4) Chaos: Heaven and earth are one. In this context it means that the nature of man can be preserved.

For those who play intrigue and trickery, behave abnormally and have a strange personality, their practices may become the source of the evil in the world, and the weapon that invites the disaster of killing. In fact, as long as you are a mediocre person, you can ensure that your nature is simple and safe.

Things open with the heart, things open with the heart (yi)

Furious rain and wind, birds and birds, light and wind (ji) day, grass and trees Are Happy ❷. Or see that the heavens and the earth cannot be harmonious for a day, and the human heart cannot be without joy and god for a day.

(1) Relatives: sadness, sorrow.

(2) Xinxin: Describe the appearance of lush grass and trees.

(3) Joy God: Happy, happy mood.

Birds become restless when faced with a violent storm, and when the wind and sun are beautiful, the grass and trees are also lush. It can be seen that a day between heaven and earth cannot be without a gentle atmosphere, and people's hearts cannot lose their happy mood for a day.

Don't hold the body lightly, and the intention is not heavy

Gentlemen cannot hold their bodies lightly, and light things can scratch me, and there is no leisurely and calm ❸ fun; the intention is not heavy, and the heavy is that I am a thing of mud, and there is no opportunity to be dashing and lively.

(1) Holding the body: standing up, self-cultivation, to describe the attitude of being a person

(2) Scratch: Obstruct, block.

(3) Leisurely and calm: leisurely and self-satisfied. Calm, calm and stable, do not panic in case of emergency.

(4) Mud: rigidity, bondage.

When a gentleman is in the world, he cannot have frivolous behavior, and if he is frivolous, he will be disturbed by the external environment, thus losing his leisurely interest; he cannot pay too much attention to everything, otherwise he will be bound and physically and mentally exhausted, thus losing his dashing and lively nature.

Lightness is true ignorance, and often is the master

The true taste is not true, the true taste is only light; the magic is not to the human ❸, to the human is only constant.

(1) Phthalide: Strong wine.

(2) Fat: fat, fat.

(3) Zhiren: Generally refers to people with extremely high ideological conduct.

Strong wine, fat meat, spicy, sweet, are not the real taste, the innocent taste is light; those who have the skills of the world are not perfect, the perfect people are those who hide deeply.

Retreat is the advance, flexion is the extension

Hidden in clumsiness, with obscurity and clarity; clarity in turbidity, bending into stretching. One of the real worldly pots❷, hiding in the three caves also.

(1) Clumsy: clumsy, clumsy.

(2) A pot: The pot is a gourd, which here refers to the means of treating people in the world.

Conceal mechanical skill with clumsiness, hide cleverness with stupidity, cover up clarity with turbidity, and cover up stretching with tolerance. These are three effective methods of refuge in a treacherous world.

There is nothing to do, there is something to worry about

When there is nothing to do, the heart is easy to be dim, and it is advisable to be lonely and illuminate it; when there is something, the heart is easy to gallop❸, and it is advisable to be sad and the Lord is lonely.

(1) Silence: Refers to the appearance of silence without sound. Silence, silence, silence.

(2) Sympathy: sober, alert.

(3) Mercedes-Benz: running fast, which here means distraction.

When you are idle and comfortable, your energy is easy to disperse, so you should keep a clear mind in a comfortable situation; when you are busy, your mind is easy to be distracted, and you should maintain your composure in a state of concentration.

Don't be short, don't be afraid of people

Do not be deceived by adultery and adultery, and do not let yourself be deceived by anger. Do not take one's own length and form the shortness of man, and do not envy the power of man because of one's clumsiness.

(1) Partial belief: only believe in one aspect.

(2) Adultery: Treachery, bad people.

(3) Self-appointment: self-centered, self-conscious.

(4) Short: shortcomings, disadvantages.

Don't trust anyone easily to prevent being deceived by bad people; don't be self-centered so as not to be swayed by personal feelings; don't compare your strengths with others' weaknesses, and don't envy other people's talents because of your shortcomings.

The spirit endures for eternity, and the integrity remains unchanged for thousands of years

Career articles, destroyed with the body, and the spirit is as new as ever; merit and wealth are transferred from generation to generation, and integrity is passed on day by day. Gentleman's faith ❷ should not be easy to do this also.

(1) A thousand years a day: a thousand years is like a day, without any change.

(2) Faith: Believe, trust, indeed.

Careers and articles will be destroyed with the departure of man, but man's noble spirit can be immortalized; fame and wealth will change with time, while noble discipline will never disappear. Therefore, a gentleman should not abandon his career article and pursue fame and fortune.