《逍遥游》英译——林语堂

A Happy Excursion

In the northern ocean there is a fish, called the kun, I do not know

how

many

thousand

li

in

size.

This

kun

changes

into

a

bird,

called

the

peng. Its back is I do not know how many thousand li in breadth. When it

is

moved,

it

flies,

its

wings

obscuring

the

sky

like

clouds.

When

on

a

voyage, this bird prepares to start for the Southern Ocean, the Celestial

Lake.

And

in

the

Records

of

Marvels we read

that

when

the

peng

flies

southwards, the water is smitten for a space of three thousand li around,

while

the

bird

itself

mounts

upon

a

great

wind

to

a

height

of

ninety

thousand li, for a flight of six months' duration. There mounting aloft, the

bird saw the moving white mists of spring, the dust-clouds, and the living

things blowing their breaths among them. It wondered whether the blue

of the sky was its real color, or only the result of distance without end,

and saw that the things on earth appeared the same to it. If there is not

sufficient

depth,

water

will

not

float

large

ships.

Upset

a

cupful

into

a

hole in the yard, and a mustard-seed will be your boat. Try to float the

cup,

and

it

will

be

grounded,

due

to

the

disproportion

between

water

and

vessel.

So

with

air.

If

there

is

not

sufficient

a

depth,

it

cannot

support

large

wings.

And

for

this

bird,

a

depth

of

ninety

thousand

li

is

necessary to bear it up. Then, gliding upon the wind, with nothing save

the

clear

sky

above,

and

no

obstacles

in

the

way,

it

starts

upon

its

journey to the south. A cicada and a young dove laughed, saying,

when I fly with all my might, 'tis as much as I can do to get from tree to

tree. And sometimes I do not reach, but fall to the ground midway. What

then

can

be

the

use

of

going

up

ninety

thousand

li

to

start

for

the

south?

He

who

goes

to

the

countryside

taking

three

meals

with

him

comes

back

with

his

stomach

as

full

as

when

he

started.

But

he

who

travels a hundred li must take ground rice enough for an overnight stay.

And he who travels a thousand li must supply himself with provisions for

three months. Those two little creatures, what should they know? Small

knowledge

has

not

the

compass

of

great

knowledge

any

more

than

a

short year has the length of a long year. How can we tell that this is so?

The

fungus

plant

of

a

morning

knows

not

the

alternation

of

day

and

night. The cicada knows not the alternation of spring and autumn. Theirs

are short years. But in the south of Chu there is a mingling (tree) whose

spring

and

autumn

are

each

of

five

hundred

years'

duration.

And

in

former days there was a large tree which had a spring and autumn each

of eight thousand years. Yet, Peng Tsu is known for reaching a great age

and is still, alas! an object of envy to all! It was on this very subject that

the

Emperor

Tang

spoke

to

Chi,

as

follows:

the

north

of

Chiungta,

there

is

a

Dark

Sea,

the

Celestial

Lake.

In

it

there

is

a

fish

several

thousand li in breadth, and I know not how many in length. It is called

the kun. There is also a bird, called the peng, with a back like Mount Tai,

and wings like clouds across the sky. It soars up upon a whirlwind to a

height of ninety thousand li, far above the region of the clouds, with only

the clear sky above it. And then it directs its flight towards the Southern

Ocean.

a

lake

sparrow

laughed,

and

said:

Pray,

what

may

that

creature be going to do? I rise but a few yards in the air and settle down

again, after flying around among the reeds. That is as much as any one

would want to fly. Now, wherever can this creature be going to?

indeed, is the difference between small and great.

Take, for instance, a

man who creditably fills some small office, or whose influence spreads

over a village, or whose character pleases a certain prince. His opinion of

himself will be much the same as that lake sparrow's. The philosopher

Yung of Sung would laugh at such a one. If the whole world flattered him,

he

would

not

be

affected

thereby,

nor

if

the

whole

world

blamed

him

would he be dissuaded from what he was doing. For Yung can distinguish

between essence and superficialities, and understand what is true honor

and shame. Such men are rare in their generation. But even he has not

established

himself.

Now

Liehtse

could

ride

upon

the

wind.

Sailing

happily

in

the

cool

breeze,

he

would

go

on

for

fifteen

days

before

his

return.

Among

mortals

who

attain

happiness,

such

a

man

is

rare.

Yet

although

Liehtse

could

dispense

with

walking,

he

would

still

have

to

depend upon something.

As for one who is charioted upon the eternal

fitness of Heaven and Earth, driving before him the changing elements as

his

team

to

roam

through

the

realms

of

the

Infinite,

upon

what,

then,