醉翁亭記
The Old Drunkard’s Pavilion
Ouyang Xiu 歐陽脩 (1007–1072)
Song · 1046

Cold Library · Open Stacks · S-002027 · https://coldlibrary.com/s/002027
Rights: Northern Song prose; the author died in 1072. Checked for Australia, the EU, the UK, mainland China and the United States as of 11 October 2026. Guidance, not legal advice.
Source: Wikisource, https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/醉翁亭記 (retrieved 2026-10-11)
English translation: Claude (an AI), 2026 · CC0 1.0
Generated 2026-10-14 from https://coldlibrary.com/en/open-stacks/ouyang-xiu-old-drunkards-pavilion

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環滁皆山也。其西南諸峰，林壑尤美。望之蔚然而深秀者，琅琊也。山行六七里，漸聞水聲潺潺，而瀉出於兩峰之間者，讓泉也。峰回路轉，有亭翼然臨於泉上者，醉翁亭也。作亭者誰？山之僧曰智僊也。名之者誰？太守自謂也。太守與客來飲於此，飲少輒醉，而年又最高，故自號曰醉翁也。醉翁之意不在酒，在乎山水之間也。山水之樂，得之心而寓之酒也。

若夫日出而林霏開，雲歸而巖穴暝，晦明變化者，山間之朝暮也。野芳發而幽香，佳木秀而繁陰，風霜高潔，水落而石出者，山間之四時也。朝而往，暮而歸，四時之景不同，而樂亦無窮也。

至於負者歌於途，行者休於樹，前者呼，後者應，傴僂提攜，往來而不絕者，滁人遊也。臨谿而漁，谿深而魚肥；釀泉為酒，泉香而酒洌；山肴野蔌，雜然而前陳者，太守宴也。宴酣之樂，非絲非竹，射者中，弈者勝，觥籌交錯，起坐而諠譁者，眾賓懽也；蒼顏白髮，頹然乎其間者，太守醉也。

已而夕陽在山，人影散亂，太守歸而賓客從也。樹林陰翳，鳴聲上下，遊人去而禽鳥樂也。然而禽鳥知山林之樂，而不知人之樂；人知從太守遊而樂，而不知太守之樂其樂也。醉能同其樂，醒能述以文者，太守也。太守謂誰？廬陵歐陽脩也。

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环滁皆山也。其西南诸峰，林壑尤美。望之蔚然而深秀者，琅琊也。山行六七里，渐闻水声潺潺，而泻出于两峰之间者，让泉也。峰回路转，有亭翼然临于泉上者，醉翁亭也。作亭者谁？山之僧曰智仙也。名之者谁？太守自谓也。太守与客来饮于此，饮少辄醉，而年又最高，故自号曰醉翁也。醉翁之意不在酒，在乎山水之间也。山水之乐，得之心而寓之酒也。

若夫日出而林霏开，云归而岩穴暝，晦明变化者，山间之朝暮也。野芳发而幽香，佳木秀而繁阴，风霜高洁，水落而石出者，山间之四时也。朝而往，暮而归，四时之景不同，而乐亦无穷也。

至于负者歌于途，行者休于树，前者呼，后者应，伛偻提携，往来而不绝者，滁人游也。临溪而渔，溪深而鱼肥；酿泉为酒，泉香而酒洌；山肴野蔌，杂然而前陈者，太守宴也。宴酣之乐，非丝非竹，射者中，弈者胜，觥筹交错，起坐而喧哗者，众宾欢也；苍颜白发，颓然乎其间者，太守醉也。

已而夕阳在山，人影散乱，太守归而宾客从也。树林阴翳，鸣声上下，游人去而禽鸟乐也。然而禽鸟知山林之乐，而不知人之乐；人知从太守游而乐，而不知太守之乐其乐也。醉能同其乐，醒能述以文者，太守也。太守谓谁？庐陵欧阳修也。

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English translation by Claude (an AI)

Chuzhou is ringed by mountains. The peaks to the southwest have the most beautiful forests and valleys. The one that looks so lush, deep and graceful is Langya. Walk six or seven miles into the mountains and gradually you hear the murmur of water; the stream that pours out between two peaks is the Yielding Spring. As the peaks turn and the path bends, there is a pavilion perched above the spring like a bird with its wings spread: this is the Old Drunkard's Pavilion. Who built the pavilion? A monk of the mountain called Zhixian. Who named it? The governor, after himself. The governor comes here with his guests to drink. After only a little wine he is drunk, and he is also the oldest of them, so he calls himself the Old Drunkard. The Old Drunkard's heart is not in the wine but in the mountains and the water. The joy of mountains and water is found in the heart and lodged in the wine.

When the sun rises and the mist in the woods lifts, and when the clouds return and the caves in the cliffs grow dark, this change from light to dark is morning and evening in the mountains. Wild flowers open and give off a hidden scent; fine trees grow tall and cast a deep shade; the wind is high and the frost is clean; the water falls and the stones appear: these are the four seasons in the mountains. Going in the morning and coming back in the evening, the scenery of the four seasons is never the same, and so the joy too is endless.

As for people carrying loads singing on the road, travellers resting under the trees, those in front calling and those behind answering, the bent old and the children led by the hand, coming and going without end: these are the people of Chuzhou out walking. Fishing by the stream, where the water is deep and the fish are fat; making wine from the spring, where the spring is fragrant and the wine is clear; wild game and mountain greens set out in a pleasant jumble: this is the governor's feast. The pleasure of the feast is not in strings or flutes. Someone hits the target with an arrow, someone wins at go, the drinking cups and counting sticks are mixed together, people stand up and sit down in noisy chatter: this is the guests enjoying themselves. And the one with the weathered face and white hair, slumped among them: that is the governor, drunk.

Before long the setting sun is on the mountain, and people's shadows are scattered. The governor goes home and the guests follow him. The woods grow dark and shaded, and birdsong rises and falls: the visitors have gone and the birds are happy. But the birds know the joy of the mountains and forests, and do not know the joy of people. The people know the joy of going out with the governor, and do not know that the governor's joy is in their joy. The one who can share their joy when drunk and write it down when sober is the governor. And who is the governor? Ouyang Xiu of Luling.