Footnotes on the English Translation of “A Narrative on Calligraphy” Part XI
(306). 聞夫家有南威之容 –“南威” refers to “春秋時代晋國的美女 (a beautiful lady living in the Jin state during the Spring and Autumn Period)”
(307,308). 有龍泉之利，然後議於斷割 – “龍泉” is the alternative name for the legendary sword “龍淵(Long Yuan)”, whereas “斷割” means “砍截切割(hack and slash)”.
(309). Line 262 was derived from Cao Zhi’s (曹植) A Letter to Yang Dezu (《與楊德祖書》):
蓋有南威之容，乃可以論其淑媛；有龍泉之利，乃可以議其斷割。
(310). 實累樞機 – “樞機” in this context means “言行(words and moral conduct)”. This is supported by two classical Chinese text sources:
I. In Annotations and Explanatory Notes on the Book of Changes (《周易注疏》)：言行，君子之樞機。樞機之發，榮辱之主也。Words and moral conduct are a gentleman’s 樞機(Shu Ji). When 樞機(Shu Ji) emanates, it becomes the master of one’s pride and shame.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
Annotation by Wang Bi (王弼注) :樞機，制動之主。樞機(Shu Ji) is the master of one’s action.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)
Further explanatory notes by Kong Yingda (孔頴達疏) :樞謂户樞(門的轉軸),機謂弩牙(弩機鉤弦的部件, 控制發射)。…猶言行之動, 從身而發, 以及於物, 或是或非也。“樞 (Shu)” is the “hinge” of a door and “機 (Ji)” is the “hook” of a crossbow… Together they are like the actions of one’s words and moral conduct, emanating from oneself, affecting others, and can be right or wrong.(translated by KS Vincent Poon)Source: 王弼注、 孔頴達疏《周易注疏》,卷七「繫辭上」, p.10b. 上海: 中華書局據阮刻本校刊, 1936.
II. In the Records of the Three Kingdoms (《三國志》), “樞機不慎(not careful with words and conduct)” and “樞機敏捷(respond quickly with words and conduct)” can be seen to describe one’s words and actions.Source: 《三國志》,蜀志卷十二來敏傳, p.6a. 吳志卷八薛綜傳, p.6b. 臺北: 中華書局,1968.
Therefore, the proper vernacular Chinese interpretation of “語過其分，實累樞機” is:
說話超出自己的本分, 實在有損[關乎個人品格榮辱的]言行。(interpreted by Kwok Kin Poon)
As such “語過其分，實累樞機” is not “These two sayings exaggerate, yet they concern a pivotal matter” (Chang and Frankel, Two Chinese Treatises on Calligraphy, New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 1995 :15) nor “Theses sentences are yet excessive, but they actually touch a crucial point” (De Laurentis, The Manual of Calligraphy by Sun Guoting of the Tang, Napoli: Universita degli Studi di Napoli "L'Orientale", 2011:60).