送東陽馬生序 A Farewell Preface for Ma of Dongyang Song Lian 宋濂 (1310–1381) Ming · 1378 Cold Library · Open Stacks · S-002032 · https://coldlibrary.com/s/002032 Rights: Early Ming prose; the author died in 1381. 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/送東陽馬生序 (retrieved 2026-10-11) English translation: Claude (an AI), 2026 · CC0 1.0 Generated 2026-10-14 from https://coldlibrary.com/en/open-stacks/song-lian-seeing-off-ma-of-dongyang ---- 余幼時即嗜學。家貧，無從致書以觀，每假借於藏書之家，手自筆錄，計日以還。天大寒，硯冰堅，手指不可屈伸，弗之怠。錄畢，走送之，不敢稍逾約。以是人多以書假余，余因得遍觀羣書。既加冠，益慕聖賢之道，又患無碩師名人與游，嘗趨百里外，從鄉之先達執經叩問。先達德隆望尊，門人弟子填其室，未嘗稍降辭色。余立侍左右，援疑質理，俯身傾耳以請；或遇其叱咄，色愈恭，禮愈至，不敢出一言以復；俟其欣悅，則又請焉。故余雖愚，卒獲有所聞。 當余之從師也，嘗負箧曳屣，行深山巨谷中。窮冬烈風，大雪深數尺，足膚皸裂而不知。至舍，四支僵勁不能動，媵人持湯沃灌，以衾擁覆，久而乃和。寓逆旅，主人日再食，無鮮肥滋味之享。同舍生皆被綺綉，戴珠纓寶飾之帽，腰白玉之環，左佩刀，右備容臭，烨然若神人。余則縕袍敝衣處其間，畧無慕豔意。以中有足樂者，不知口體之奉不若人也。蓋余之勤且艱若此。今雖耄老，未有所成，猶幸預君子之列，而承天子之寵光，綴公卿之後，日侍坐備顧問，四海亦謬稱其氏名，況才之過於余者乎？ 今諸生學於太學，縣官日有廩稍之供，父母歲有裘葛之遺，無凍餒之患矣；坐大廈之下而誦《詩》《書》，無奔走之勞矣；有司業、博士為之師，未有問而不告、求而不得者也；凡所宜有之書，皆集於此，不必若余之手錄、假諸人而後見也。其業有不精、德有不成者，非天質之卑，則心不若余之專耳，豈他人之過哉！ 東陽馬生君則，在太學已二年，流輩甚稱其賢。余朝京師，生以鄉人子謁余，譔長書以為贄，辭甚暢達；與之論辯，言和而色夷。自謂少時用心於學甚勞，是可謂善學者矣。其將歸見其親也，余故道為學之難以告之。謂余勉鄉人以學者，余之志也；詆我夸際遇之盛而驕鄉人者，豈知予者哉！ ---- 余幼时即嗜学。家贫，无从致书以观，每假借于藏书之家，手自笔录，计日以还。天大寒，砚冰坚，手指不可屈伸，弗之怠。录毕，走送之，不敢稍逾约。以是人多以书假余，余因得遍观群书。既加冠，益慕圣贤之道，又患无硕师名人与游，尝趋百里外，从乡之先达执经叩问。先达德隆望尊，门人弟子填其室，未尝稍降辞色。余立侍左右，援疑质理，俯身倾耳以请；或遇其叱咄，色愈恭，礼愈至，不敢出一言以复；俟其欣悦，则又请焉。故余虽愚，卒获有所闻。 当余之从师也，尝负箧曳屣，行深山巨谷中。穷冬烈风，大雪深数尺，足肤皲裂而不知。至舍，四支僵劲不能动，媵人持汤沃灌，以衾拥覆，久而乃和。寓逆旅，主人日再食，无鲜肥滋味之享。同舍生皆被绮绣，戴珠缨宝饰之帽，腰白玉之环，左佩刀，右备容臭，烨然若神人。余则缊袍敝衣处其间，略无慕艳意。以中有足乐者，不知口体之奉不若人也。盖余之勤且艰若此。今虽耄老，未有所成，犹幸预君子之列，而承天子之宠光，缀公卿之后，日侍坐备顾问，四海亦谬称其氏名，况才之过于余者乎？ 今诸生学于太学，县官日有廪稍之供，父母岁有裘葛之遗，无冻馁之患矣；坐大厦之下而诵《诗》《书》，无奔走之劳矣；有司业、博士为之师，未有问而不告、求而不得者也；凡所宜有之书，皆集于此，不必若余之手录、假诸人而后见也。其业有不精、德有不成者，非天质之卑，则心不若余之专耳，岂他人之过哉！ 东阳马生君则，在太学已二年，流辈甚称其贤。余朝京师，生以乡人子谒余，撰长书以为贽，辞甚畅达；与之论辩，言和而色夷。自谓少时用心于学甚劳，是可谓善学者矣。其将归见其亲也，余故道为学之难以告之。谓余勉乡人以学者，余之志也；诋我夸际遇之盛而骄乡人者，岂知予者哉！ ---- English translation by Claude (an AI) When I was young I loved learning. My family was poor and had no way of getting books to read, so I would borrow them from families who kept libraries, copy them out by hand, and return them on the day agreed. When the weather was bitterly cold, the ink-stone froze hard and my fingers would not bend or straighten, but I did not slacken. When I had finished copying, I hurried to return the book, never daring to go even a little past the agreed time. Because of this, many people lent me their books, and so I was able to read a great many. When I had come of age I longed all the more for the way of the sages and worthies, but I worried that I had no great teachers or famous men to study with. Once I walked more than a hundred miles to consult an accomplished scholar of my region, holding a classic and asking questions. The scholar was of high virtue and great reputation, his rooms were crowded with disciples, and he never softened his words or his look. I stood at his side, put forward my doubts and asked about principles, bending forward and inclining my ear to ask. Sometimes he scolded me, and then I became more respectful and more courteous, not daring to say a word in reply. When he was in a good mood again, I asked once more. So, foolish as I was, I did in the end come to learn something. When I went to study with my teacher, I carried my book box on my back and walked in worn-out shoes through deep mountains and great valleys. In the depths of winter the wind was fierce, the snow was several feet deep, and the skin of my feet cracked without my noticing. When I reached the lodging house my limbs were stiff and would not move. A servant brought hot water and poured it over me and wrapped me in a quilt, and only after a long time did I warm up. At the inn the host provided two meals a day, with nothing fresh or rich to enjoy. My fellow students all wore embroidered silks, caps decorated with tassels of pearls and jewels, and white jade rings at their waists, with swords on their left and scent bags on their right, glittering like gods. I lived among them in a padded gown and worn clothes, without the slightest envy. Because there was something within that I took pleasure in, I did not notice that I had less to eat and wear than others. This is how diligent and how hard it was for me. Now, though I am old and have achieved nothing, I have the good fortune to be counted among the gentlemen, to receive the favour of the Son of Heaven, to follow behind the high ministers, to attend him every day and answer his questions, and to have my name mistakenly praised within the four seas. How much more could be achieved by those whose talents surpass mine? Now you students learn in the Imperial Academy. The government gives you daily provisions, and your parents send you furs and linens each year, so you need not fear cold or hunger. You sit in great halls reciting the Songs and the Documents, without the toil of running about. You have directors and erudites as your teachers, and there is no question that goes unanswered, nothing you seek that you cannot find. All the books you should have are gathered here, and you need not copy them out by hand or borrow them from others before you can see them, as I did. If your studies are not refined or your virtue not complete, it is not that your natural gifts are poor, but that your heart is not as single-minded as mine was. How can it be anyone else's fault? Ma Junze of Dongyang has been at the Imperial Academy for two years, and his fellows speak highly of his worth. When I came to the capital to attend court, he called on me as the son of a fellow townsman, and wrote me a long letter as his introductory gift. Its language was fluent and clear. When I discussed things with him, his words were gentle and his manner easy. He says that when he was young he worked very hard at his studies. He can be called someone who is good at learning. As he is about to go home to see his parents, I have told him about the hardships of learning. To say that I am encouraging a young man from my home town to learn is to understand my purpose. To accuse me of boasting about my good fortune and putting on airs before him: does that show any understanding of me?