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 X)
by Kwan Sheung Vincent POON (潘君尚)
Mar. 1, 2018
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
The Book of Changes states, “We look at the ornamental figures of the sky, and thereby ascertain the changes of the seasons. We look at the ornamental observances of society, and understand how the processes of transformation are accomplished all under heaven.” (272)
242. 《易》曰:｢觀乎天文, 以察時變; 觀乎人文, 以化成天下。｣
Even more, the art of calligraphy is regarded as a marvel because it is drawn on one’s self and sensory faculties (近取諸身,273).
243. 况書之為妙, 近取諸身。
Suppose one has not completely grasp the techniques of moving the brush and still has not become adept in the subtle aspects of the art,(274)
244. 假令運用未周, 尚虧工於祕奧;
FOR LINES 245-261,
PLEASE PURCHASE THE REVISED AND ENHANCED EDITION WITH FOOTNOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY:
245. 而波瀾之際, 已濬發於靈臺 。
246. 必能傍通點畫之情, 博究始終之理, 鎔鑄蟲篆, 陶均草
(隸)。
(隸)。
247. 體五材之並用, 儀形不極;
248. 象八音之迭起, 感會無方。
249. 至若數畫並施, 其形各異;
250. 眾點齊列, 為體互乖。
251. 一點成一字之規, 一字乃終篇之准。
252. 違而不犯, 和而不同。
253. 留不常遲, 遣不恆疾; 帶燥方潤, 將濃遂枯。
254. 泯規矩於方圓, 遁鉤繩之曲直。
255. 乍顯乍晦, 若行若藏。
256. 窮變態於豪端, 合情調於紙上;
257. 無間心手, 忘懷楷則。
258. 自可背羲獻而無失, 違鍾張而尚工。
259. 譬夫絳樹青琴, 殊姿共艷;
260. 隨珠和璧, 異質同妍。
261. 何必刻鶴圖龍, 竟慙眞體; 得魚獲兔, 猶恡筌蹄?
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 IX (Mar. 1, 2018)