Galleries and Translations > Models of Masterpieces > Modelling and English Translation of Sun Guoting's "A Narrative on Calligraphy" 孫過庭 《書譜》之臨習與英譯
Modelling and English Translation of Sun Guoting's "A Narrative on Calligraphy"
(Part IV)
by Kwan Sheung Vincent POON (潘君尚)
Nov. 1, 2017
Published on www.vincentpoon.com, Toronto
A. Modelling (by KS Vincent POON)
A model of Sun Guoting's "A Narrative on Calligraphy" (Part I)
臨孫過庭《書譜》 (第一部份)
35 X 137cm (11)
Click to Enlarge. In reserve, not available in Shop.
B. Historical Information
Please see Part I
Readers are strongly encouraged to read the blue numerical footnotes below to gain a better understanding of the original Chinese text and to review some major errors in the translations made by others.
English Translation
Original Chinese Text
Moreover, the gentries and intellects of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420AD) had influenced and cultivated each other amongst themselves [in the art of calligraphy].
69. 而東晉士人，互相陶淬(染?)。
In regard to the clans of Wang (王) and Xie (謝) as well as the likes of Xi (郗) and Yu (庾) (48), although they had not fully exhibit the wonders of calligraphy, they all nonetheless were able to pick up and attain the distinct artistic flavors cherished in the art.
70. 至於王、謝之族，郗、庾之倫，縱不盡其神奇，咸亦挹其風味。
As time progresses further away from the Eastern Jin, however, the more decline we see in the art of calligraphy.
71.去之滋永，斯道逾微。
FOR LINES 72-93,
PLEASE PURCHASE THE REVISED AND ENHANCED EDITION WITH FOOTNOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY:
PLEASE PURCHASE THE REVISED AND ENHANCED EDITION WITH FOOTNOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY:
72.方復聞疑稱疑，得末行末。
73.古今阻絕，無所質問。
74.設有所會，緘祕已深。
75.遂令學者茫然，莫知領要。
76.徒見成功之美，不悟所致之由；
77.或乃就分布於累年，向規矩而猶遠。
78.圖真不悟，習草將迷。
79.假令薄解草書，粗傳
(隸)法，則好溺偏固，自闕通規。
(隸)法，則好溺偏固，自闕通規。
80.詎知心手會歸，若同源而異派；
81.轉用之術，猶共樹而分條者乎？
82.加以趨變(?)適時，行書為要；
83.題勒方畐，真乃居先。
84.草不兼真，殆於專謹；
85.真不通草，殊非翰札。
86.真以點畫為形質，使轉為情性；
87. 草以點畫為情性，使轉為形質。
88.草乖使轉，不能成字；
89.真虧點畫，猶可記文。
90. 迴互雖殊，大體相涉。
91.故亦傍通二篆，俯貫八分，
92.包括篇章，涵泳飛白。
93.若豪氂不察，則胡、越殊風者焉。
FOR FURTHER TRANSLATION, FOOTNOTES, AND
ELABORATIONS
PLEASE SEE :
A Narrative on Calligraphy by Sun Guoting Revised and Enchanced Edition 英譯書譜 增訂版Translated by KS Vincent POON and Kwok Kin POON (Mar. 2019)
ISBN 978-1-989485-10-1
A Narrative on Calligraphy (Shu Pu, 書譜) was written in 687AD by the renowned Tang dynasty calligrapher Sun Guoting (孫過庭) of the seventh century and is regarded to be one of the most important narratives in examining the traditional art of Chinese calligraphy. Yet, there is currently no satisfactory English translation of it. This book provides readers an accurate, annotated, line-by-line, consistent and comprehensive English translation of A Narrative on Calligraphy. Furthermore, various major and fundamental mistakes found in the two previous English translations by Chang & Frankel and De Laurentis are detailed and discussed.
This book is the revised and enhanced version of the previous book and delivers an even more precise translation with 20 titled thematic paragraphs that is based on Dr. Kwok Kin POON’s The Vernacular Chinese Translation of Sun Guoting’s A Narrative on Calligraphy (孫過庭書譜白話對譯. Toronto: The SenSeis, Feb. 2019).
WorldCat/Library: [WorldCat] [Oxford U] [U of T] [Harvard U] [Columbia U] [HKU] [CUHK] [Kyoto U] [National Taiwan U]
END OF PART IV (Nov. 1, 2017)