In the
Dian Lun -- China's first collection of literary critisms, penned by Cao Pi (and which he sent an autographed copy of to Sun Quan
)
-- the Emperor of Wei prefaced it with an autobiography. I know most of
us here have negative feelings towards Cao Pi, but what's interesting
about this essay is that it describes his very interesting childhood,
as well as his fondness of martial arts (among many things). I think to
most of us it would present a dimension of Cao Pi that we don't
normally think about.
----------
My Autobiography -- Cao PiDuring the first years of the Chuping reign, Dong Zhuo assassinated
the emperor and poisoned the empress, causing great chaos in the
Imperial House. At that time, all within the Four Seas were suffering
from the misgovernment of the Zhongping reign and disgusted by Zhuo’s
evil deeds. Each family thus was plotting an uprising, and every person
looked out for himself. The governors east of the Mountains appealed to
the teaching from the Spring and Autumn Annuals, that “The people of
Wei conducted a punitive operation against Zhouxu at Pu” -- from which
they concluded that it is every man’s duty to fight the evil ones. And
thus, the volunteer coalition was formed; from renowned men of
chivalrous honour, to those of wealthy families and powerful clans, all
gathered together, coming from lands a thousand miles apart. The troops
from Yan and Yu fought at Yingyang, and the armoured men south of the
Yellow River laid formation at Mengjin. Thus Dong Zhuo forced the
relocation of the emperor, and created a new capital at Chang’an. Those
from east of the mountains – the powerful controlling provinces and
states, the mediocre holding cities and towns, and the smaller groups
gathering in the countryside – returned to their respective places and
at once fought to take over each other. At the same time, the Yellow
Turbans flourished near the Ocean and the Dai Mountains, and bandits
rampaged in Bing and Ji provinces. Having scored a few victories, they
rolled through southwards, attacking everywhere in sight. Whole
villages would flee at the sight of smoke, and cities collapse when
dust is spotted. Commoners from all families were killed, their exposed
bones covering the land like weed.
At that time I was five years old. The Lord my father [Cao Cao],
concerned with the disorder in the world, taught me how to use a bow.
At six years of age I was capable at archery. He also taught me how to
ride, and by the age of eight I was able to shoot from horseback. Since
the world was in such disarray, every time my father went on a military
expedition, I would follow him. In the beginning of the Jian’an reign,
the Lord attacked Jing province, and when he arrived at Wan, Zhang Xiu
surrendered. However, he rebelled within days. My late brother, the
Filial and Incorrupt(1) Zixiu [Cao Ang], and my older cousin Anmin were
both killed. At that time I was 10 years of age, and barely escaped on
horseback.
Ways, literary or martial, are to be deployed according to the
times. Born during the Zhongping years, and growing up among soldiers,
my fondness of shooting and riding began at a young age and has not
declined since. I would ride tens of miles in pursuit of game, and
shoot on horseback targets a hundred paces away. My body strengthens as
the days go by, but my heart never tires of this exercise. In the 10th
year of Jian’an, Ji province was finally brought to submission. The
lands of Sui and Mo paid tribute with fine bows, and Yan and Dai
brought gifts of famous steeds. At the dawn of springtime that year,
fair sunlight cast the perfect warmth, and the gentle breeze fanned the
earth; the bow was dry, and hands were soft; the grass still short and
beasts were fat. So my cousin Zidan [Cao Zhen] and I went on a hunt
west of Ye city. At the end of the day we caught nine deer and thirty
pheasants.
Some time after that, I was with the troops marching south to Quli,
and Xun Yu, from the office of the Imperial Secretariat, was sent to
reward the troops. Catching me at the end of a conversation, he said to
me, “I have heard that you are able to shoot from both your right hand
and your left. This is truly a remarkable thing!” I replied, “Sir, you
have yet to see me take aim and shoot with just a slight turn of my
head, aligning the arrow wherever I desire; or see me hit the moving
Horseshoe targets while bending low on the horse, or the
Yuezhitarget while reaching up.” Xun Yu was delighted. Smiling, he said, “Is
that truly so!” I said, “Moving targets have set paths, and stationary
targets have set locations. Even if one were able to hit a target with
every shot, that is still not the peak of the art. But if one were to
gallop through the plains and into the grasslands, pursue agile beasts
and catch flying birds, and yet have his bow never to be drawn in vain,
and every arrow pierce through the target – that, then, is wonderful.”
The officer Zhang Jing was also present then, and he looked at Xun Yu,
clapped his hands, and said, “That is fantastic!”
I have also learnt swordfighting. Many teachers of the art have I
seen, and though the techniques varied from place to place, those of
the Capital are the best. Sometime during the reigns of Emperors Huan
and Ling, there was one Wang Yue of the Tiger Guards, who was a expert
of this art, and was of great fame in the Capital. Shi E from Henan
said that he was once a companion of Wang Yue, and had thoroughly
learnt the techniques from him. I then studied in great depth with Shi
E, and became proficient. Once I was drinking together with Liu Xun,
General who Pacifies the Caitiffs, and Deng Zhan, General who Displays
Majesty. Long had I heard that Deng Zhan was strong in his arms, was
adept at five weapons, and furthermore could counter a sword attack
with his bare hands. I had a long discussion with him on the subject of
swordplay, and I said to him, “General, your techniques are wrong.”
Since he knew that I was fond of the art, and had good instruction, he
begged to fight with me. Right then we were all quite intoxicated and
flushed from the wine, and had just started munching on sugar canes. So
we took the sugar canes as our staves, descended from the hall, and
fought several bouts. I hit him thrice on the arm, and all around were
laughing. Deng Zhan would not let it be, and requested for a re-match.
I said that my techniques are rapid, and would hit hard on his face; so
that’s why I’ve only played up to arm-height. Zhan said that he would
fight again. I knew that he was going to go for my centre, and so I
pretended to move forward to the side, and truly he advanced into my
trap. With a slight shift of my feet, my staff hit him squarely on the
face. All present were astonished. I returned to my seat, smiled, and
said, “In the olden days, Yang Qing had Chunyu Yi forget his old ways
and re-taught him with his secret art. Now I would also hope that you,
General Deng, would give up your old practice and relearn the proper
techniques.” Everyone was amused. In no thing should one claim to be an
expert. When I was younger, I learnt the art of using twin weapons, and
believed that I could not be equalled -- in common slang they call the
twin halberds the "metal sitting-room", and the decorated shield as the
"wooden covering-door". Later, I was under the instruction of Yuan Min
from the state of Chen. He would use single weapons to fend against
double weapons, and was so fantastic in his technique that his opponent
would have no idea where his next stroke would be coming from. If, in
the former days, I had made an enemy of Yuan Min and engaged in a fight
with him, I would have been defeated right away!
In general I have few interests in gambling and games, but at the
chess-shooting game(2) I am quite skilled, and even wrote ballads on
the subject when I was young. There used to be several talented players
in the Capital region -- Marquis Ma of Hexiang, Dongfang Anshi, and
Master Zhang. I often regret not ever having a chance in competing with
these gentlemen.
The Lord had a refined interest in poetry, writings, and books, and
though he be in the army he was never found without a book in his
hands. Sometimes he would stop what he’s doing and relax, and say that
when a man is young and willing to learn, his thoughts are directed and
concentrated, but once he is old he becomes forgetful; Yuan Boye and
him alone were those who are keen of learning even when they have grown
up. When I was young I memorised the Book of Odes and the Analects, and
when I was older and more experieced I read the Five Classics, the Four
Collections, Memoires of the Grand Historian, the History of Han, and
the writings of all the philosophers and teachers –- there wasn’t
anything that I did not read thoroughly.
----
Notes:
(1)
Filial and Incorrupt-- a title given to men recommended to the court's service by local
governors, based on the two virtues of filial piety and uprightness.
(2) Chess-shooting game -- how this game is played exactly is
unknown. From what I could gather from various dictionaries and
records, it is an upper-class version of marbles (i.e. each player has
several round pieces of stones, which they try to shoot in designated
ways).
***********
الترجمة الحصرية, من قبل Yang Dayang
في كتاب Dian Lun اول سلسلة نقد ادبية في الصين, التي كتبها Cao Pi و ارسل
ل Sun Quan نسخة موقعة منه, ارفق معها سيرته الذاتية التي كتبها عن
طفولته. معظمنا له انطباعات سيئة عن Cao Pi لكن هذه السيرة تكشف عن جوانب
خفية عن حياته الشخصية و طفولته و شبابه.
سيرتي الذاتية---- Cao Piفي بداية هذا العصر, عصر Chuping , قام Dong Zhou بقتل الامبراطور و سمم
الامبراطورة مما سبب الكثير من الفوضى في البلاد. في ذلك الزمان, اشتكى كل
من في البحار الاربعة من بطش و جرائم Dong Zhou و اشمئزوا من تصرفاته. كل
عائلة فكرت بالثوران و كل شخص اهتم بنفسه. عوائل الشرق جميعها و محافظوا
المناطق اجتمعوا و قرروا ان كل شخص واجب عليه ان يحارب الشر و يدحر
المعتدي. و بدأت الثورة و اجتمع الناس من كل انحاء البلاد, من العوائل
القوية الى العوائل الغنية, الكل اجتمع في هذه الثورة ليقدم ما بوسعه.
محاربوا اقاليم Yan و Yu حاربوا في منطقة Yingyang و محاربوا الجنوب, جنوب
النهر الاصفر, حاربوا في ميناء Mengjin لذلك اضطر Dong Zhou للهروب و حرق
العاصمة و من ثم نقل الامبراطور و اختيار عاصمة جديدة في مدينة Chang An
بعد ذلك, جميع القوات في الشرق, العائلات القوية, و العائلات الغنية, و
العائلات الفقيرة كلها تحاربت فيما بعضها للسيطرة على الارض. في ذلك
الوقت, قامت بقايا العمائم الصفراء بالثورة مرة اخرى و جابوا الجبال و
السهول يقتلون كل شخص في طريقهم و ينهبون ما ارادوا و يحرقون القرى و
المدن. تجد القرى تهرب من رؤية الدخان و الجثث تتوزع في الارض كالحشيش.
في ذلك الوقت, كان عمري 5 سنوات. سيد الحرب, والدي Cao Cao , كان خائفا
على حالة البلاد و قلقا على مستقبلها فعلمني الرماية و عندما اصبحت في
السادسة من عمري اصبحت اتقن الرماية. و علمني ركوب الخيل فعندما كان عمري
8 سنوات اصبحت اتقن الرماية من فوق الخيول. و منذ ذلك الوقت, رافقت والدي
في جميع معاركه لان الدنيا كانت في فوضى. عندما هاجم والدي اقليم Jing
لاول مرة و وصل مدينة Wan استسلم القائد Zhang Xun فجأة و لكنه ثار و
خاننا بعد ايام. و اخي Cao Ang و ابن عمي Cao Anmin ماتوا في تلك المعركة,
يومئذ كان عمري 10 سنوات و بالكاد استطعت ان اهرب على حصاني.
الفنون, مهما كانت عقلية ادبية او جسمانية, يجب توظيفها في الاوقات
المناسبة. ولدت في زمن ثورات و قتل و عشت بين جنود و ضباط. منذ ذلك الوقت
و حبي للرماية و ركوب الخيل لم يفارقني قط. كنت اركب خيلي و اقطع مئات
الاميال ثم ارمي و اصطاد على ابعاد عشرات الاميال. كنت لا امل هذه الهواية
و جسمي كان يقوى يوما بعد يوم.
عندما سقطت اقاليم الشمال, قدمت لنا اراضي Sui و Mo اسهم و اقواس جيدة, و
اراضي Yan و Dai قدمت لنا افضل الخيول. في ذلك الوقت كان الجو دافئا و
منعشا, الهواء كان نقي و الانا قليل ادبات كانت سمينة, فذهبت انا و ابن عمي Cao Zhen
لنصطاد في مدينة Ye و في نهاية اليوم, اصطدنا 9 غزلان و ثلاثين من طيور
الدراج.
بعد ذلك بمدة, كنت مع القوات المتجهة الى Quli و زارنا سكرتير الامبراطور,
Xun Yu ليوزع هدايا و علاوات على الرجال. ثم اخذ يتكلم معي, قالي لي "سمعت
انك تستطيع ان ترمي بيديك الاثنين! انه فعلا شيء مدهش!" قلت له "انت لم
ترني و انا ارمي بلف رأسي زاوية ضيقة ثم اسدد و ارمي و اصيب ما اريد, و لم
ترني و انا اصطاد و انا مستلق على الخيل او و انا اصطاد مختلف الاهداف"
ابستم السكرتير و قال لي "حقا؟" قلت له "كل الاهداف المتحركة لها طرق خاصة
و كل الاهداف الثابتة لها امكنة ثابته, حتى استطاع المرء ان يرمي هدفا
ثابتا من جميع الزوايا لن يحقق معنى الفن. اذا استطعت ان ترمي الانا قليل ادبات
النشطة و تتبعها في الحشائش و السهول و الطيور في الجو و استطعت ان
تصطادهم, و لا ترمي بدون جدوى, ذلك هو الفن". قال لي الضابط Zhang Jing
الذي كان متواجدا "ان هذا رائع بالفعل" و صفق بيديه.
تعلمت ايضا فنون القتال بالسيف, و من بين جميع المعلمين و الفنون التي مرت
علي, كانت فنون العاصمة هي الافضل. قبل عشرات السنين, كان هناك سياف يدعى
Wang Yue و كان مشهورا بالعاصمة كأفضل سياف, Shi E من Henan قال لي انه
كان يرافق ذلك السياف في ترحاله. و قد تعلم منه الكثير من التقنيات و
الفنون القالية لذلك بدأت اتعلم منه فنون القتال و اصبحت محترفا. يوما ما,
كنت جالسا و اشرب مع Liu Xun و Deng Zhan كنت اسمع كثيرا عن Deng Zhan و
قوة ذراعه و قدرته على القتال بخمس اسلحة و فوق ذلك, سمعت انه يستطيع ان
يوقف ضربة السيف بيديه العاريتين. فكنت اتكلم معه عن فنون القتال بالسيف و
بعد ذلك قلت له "فنونك خاطىء ايها القائد" و كان يعرف انني مهتم بفنون
القتال فطلب ان يبارزني فوافقت و تركنا الطعام متحمسين, كنا نمضغ مكعبات
السكر و نزلنا للقاعة و تبارزنا قليلا. ضربته ثلاث مرات علي ذراعه و ضحك
كل من كان بالقاعة. طبعا لم يتركني Deng Zhan و طلب اعادة المباراة. قلت
له ان مهاراتي سريعة و استطيع ان اضربه على وجهة و لكني كنت اقاتل لاضربه
على ذراعه. اصر على اعادة المباراة و وافقت. كنت اعرف انه سيحاول ان
يضربني على صدري, لذلك تظاهرت بالحركة الى الجانب ووقع في الفخ حركت قدمي
قليلا و ضربته على وجهه. كل من كان بالقاعة انذهل رجعت الى مقعدي و ابتسمت
ثم قلت له "في العصور الماضية, Yang Qing انسى Chunyu Yi قدراته ثم اعاد
تعليمه فنون القتال بتقنيته السرية. اتمنى انك يا جنرال Deng ان تفعل ذلك
و تعيد تعلم فنون القتال الصحيحة" كل من كان بالقاعة استمتع. لا يجب على
الانسان في اي فن ان يقول انه خبير, عندما كنت صغيرا و تعلمت القتال
بسلاحين, احسست باني لا اقهر. في اللهجة المحلية الحالية, تسمى طريقة
القتال بالرماح الكبيرة المتشابهة بالغرفة الحديدية النائمة. و الدرع
المزخر بالباب المغطى بالخشب". بعدها كنت تحت تدريب من Yuan Min من امارة
Chen لقد كان مذهلا! كان يستعمل سلاحا واحدا ليهزم اشخاصا يقاتلون
بسلاحين. كان دقيقا في تقنياته لدرجة ان من يقاتله لا يعرف اين سيضرب, لو
كنت عدوه في ايام شبابي لهزمني بسرعة!
بصفة عامة, احب العاب القمار و الشطرنج, لكني مختص بلعبة رمي الشطرنج
الطائرة ((((ملحوطة من Yang Dayang : هذه تعرف عندنا بلعبة التيل)))). كان
هناك العديد من اللاعبين المهرة في العاصمة منهم Dongfan Anshi و السيد
Zhang. دائما اعاتب نفسي لانني لم انتهز الفرصة لالعب مع اي منهم.
والدي كان مهتما بالقراءة و الشعر و الكتابة, صحيح انه كان يقضي معظم وقته
في المعارك لكنه لا يرى الا و في يديه كتاب. كان يرتاح بعض الاحيان و يقول
"عندما يكون الانسان في فترة شبابه, يكون مركزا و منتبها و لكن عندما يكبر
سرعان ما ينسى و يسهو. عندما كنت صغيرا كنت انا و Yuan Boye (اي Yuan Shao
) مهتمين بالقراءة حتى و بعد ان كبرنا. عندما كنت صغيرا حفظت كتاب The
Book of Odes و كتاب The Analects و عندنا كبرت قليلا و زادت ثقافتي, قرأت
The Five Classics و The Four Collections و Memories of the Grand
Historien و History of the Han و قرات العديد من الكتب من المعلمين و
الفلاسفة, لا يوجد شيء لم اقرأه بتعمق.
---- تم بعون الله----
ان شاء الله يفيدكم شباب و صراحة مثل ما قال صاحب الموضوع الاصلي, يبين
جانب حلو من حياة Cao Pi و يبين اهتمام Cao Cao بابناءه و تربيته لهم.
المصدر:
http://the-scholars.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6886