百度罕见的桃花源记译本 整理自李明翻译批评与赏析

The Peach-Blossom Fountain.

Herbert A. Giles

During the reign of T’ai Yuan of Tsin Dynasty, a certain fisherman of Wuling, who had followed up one of the river branches without taking note whither he was going, came suddenly upon a grove of peach-trees in full bloom, extending some distance on each bank, with not a tree of any other kind in sight. The beauty of the scene and the exquisite perfume of the flowers filled the heart of the fisherman with surprise, as he proceeded onwards, anxious to reach the limit of this lovely grove. He found that the peach trees ended where the water began, at the foot of a hill; and there he espied what seemed to be a cave with light issuing from it. So he made fast his boat, and crept in through a narrow entrance, which shortly ushered him into a new world of level country, of fine houses, of rich fields, of fine pools, and of luxuriance of mulberry and bamboo. Highways of traffic ran north and south; sounds of crowing cocks and barking dogs were heard around; the dress of the people who passed along or were at work in the fields was of a strange cut; while young and old alike appeared to be contented and happy.

One of the inhabitants, catching sight of the fisherman, was greatly astonished; but, after learning whence he came, insisted on carrying him home, and killed a chicken and placed some wine before him. Before long, all the people of the place had turned out to see the visitor, and they informed him that their ancestors had sought refuge here, with their wives and families, from the troublous times of the house of Chin, adding that they had thus become finally cut off from the rest of the human race. They then enquired about the politics of the day, ignorant of the establishment of Han dynasty, and of course of the later dynasties which had succeeded it. And when the fisherman told them the story, they grieved over the vicissitudes of human affairs. Each in turn invited the fisherman to his home and entertained him hospitably, until at length the latter prepared to take his leave. It will not be worth while to talk about what you have seen to the outside world,” said the people of the place to the fisherman, as he bade them farewell and returned to his boat, making mental notes of his route as he proceeded on his homeward voyage.

When he reached home, he at once went and reported what he had seen to the Governor of the district, and the Governor sent off men with him to seek, by the aid of the fisherman's notes, to discover this unknown region. But he was never able to find it again. Subsequently, another attempt to pierce the mystery was planned by a famous scholar named Liu Tse-kee, but the plan was not carried out. Liu soon died, and from that time on no further attempts to locate the place were made.

Tao Ch'ien: Peach Blossom Spring

Cyril Birch

During the reign-period T’ai Yuan of the Chin dynasty there lived in Wu-ling a certain fisherman. One day, as he followed the course of a stream, he became unconscious of the distance he had traveled. All at once he came upon a grove of blossoming peach trees which lined either bank for hundreds of paces. No tree of any other kind stood amongst them, but there were fragrant flowers, delicate and lovely to the eye, and the air was filled with drifting peachbloom.

The fisheman, marvelling, passed on to discover where the grove would end. It ended at a spring; and then there came a hill. In the side of the hill was a small opening which seemed to promise a gleam of light. The fisherman left his boat and entered the opening. It was almost too cramped at first to afford him passage; but when he had taken a few dozen steps he emerged into the open light of day. He faced a spread of level land. Imposing buildings stood among rich fields and pleasant ponds all set with mulberry and willow. Linking paths led everywhere, and the fowls and dogs of one farm could be heard from the next. People were coming and going and working in the fields. Both the men and the women dressed in exactly the same manner as people outside; white-haired elders and tufted children alike were cheerful and contented.

Some, noticing the fisherman, started in great surprise and asked him where he had come from. He told them his story. They then invited him to their home, where they set out wine and killed chickens for a feast. When news of his coming spread through the village everyone came in to question him. For their part they told how their forefathers, fleeing from the troubles of the age of Ch’in, had come with their wives and neighbours to this isolated place, never to leave it. From that time on they had been cut off from the outside world. They asked what age was this: they had never even heard of the Han, let alone its successors the Wei and the Chin. The fisherman answered each of their questions in full, and they sighed and wondered at what he had to tell. The rest all invited him to their homes in turn, and in each house food and wine were set before him. It was only after a stay of several days that he took his leave.

“Do not speak of us to the people outside,” they said. But when he had regained his boat and was retracing his original route, he marked it at point after point; and on reaching the prefecture he sought audience of the prefect and told him of all these things. The prefect immediately dispatched officers to go back with the fisherman. He hunted for the marks he had made, but grew confused and never found the way again.

The learned and virtuous hermit Liu Tzu-chi heard the story and went off elated to find the place. But he had no success, and died at length of a sickness. Since that time there have been no further “seekers of the ford. "

陈受颐

In the reign of T’ai Yüan of the Tsin Dynasty, there was a professional fisherman of Wuling who walked along a creek and had forgotten the distance he had covered. All of a sudden he was confronted with a forest of plum blossom trees. On both sides of the stream for a distance of several hundred paces there was no other tree. The grass underneath was beautiful and fresh and the fallen petals were profuse and beautiful. Wondering at this, the fisherman again resumed his walk, wanting to get to the limit of this forest. Outside of the fringe of the forest there was the fountain of the creek by which there was a mountain. In the mountainside there was a little opening through which light seemed to be seen. He then left his boat and went through the opening which was so narrow that it would admit only a single person. After walking several tens of paces the vista began to open up brightly. The land was expansive and flat and the houses and huts neatly arranged. There were good farms, beautiful ponds, bamboos and mulberry trees. Communication was facilitated by pathways of different widths and the crowing of roosters and the barking of dogs were easily heard between communities. The style of clothing worn by men and women going about and doing farm work were all like people outside. Old people and youngsters felt naturally happy and satisfied. As they saw the fisherman they were greatly surprised and asked him where he was from and when he had answered their questions in full he

was invited to go home where wine was prepared and chickens were cooked and served.

Other people in the village having heard of this man all came to visit with their questions. These people said that their progenitors, fleeing from the confusion of the Ch’in Dynasty, had come with their wives, children and fellow townsmen to this exclusive place and had never left it again. That’s why they had been isolated from the outside world. Asking what dynasty was reigning they knew nothing of the Han, leave alone the Wei and the Tsin. The fisherman told them one item after another and they responded with sighs to what they heard. Other people also invited him to visit their homes by turns and they all treated him to wine and dinner. After a stay of several days he took his leave whereupon the people urged him not to tell outsiders about his visit. After coming out he found his boat and retraced his directions, leaving marks here and there. When he arrived at the county seat he reported thus and so to the prefect. The prefect immediately dispatched people to follow him in search of the marks he had left, but in the search they were confused and unable to retrace the course. Liu Tzu-chi was a scholar of extremely high quality who, having heard of this, happily decided to go himself in search. Before he left he died of an illness. Thereafter, there was none who asked about the place.

陈受颐