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| Peng Zu (~1900-1066 BCE) |
The first half is not my own translation -- all credit for that (and selection of the passage) goes to Jonah Cader. The second half of this post and all of Part 2 are my own. That said, feel free to comment on any aspect of any post, even parts that are not mine. Many thanks to Professor Sarah E. Kile of Brown University for her help and support!
This is a translation that I did in the beginning of May; it's a Chinese Hagiography (partial) of the Daoist Saint Peng Zu. I highly recommend that even if you don't read my piece, at least read a little of Peng Zu's wikipedia page. Really, you should want to
彭祖 （Peng Zu）
1.
彭祖者，姓錢，名鏗，帝顓頊之玄孫。至殷末世，年七百六十歲而不衰老。少好恬靜，不恤世務，不營名譽，不飾車服，唯以養生治身為事。
Peng
Zu, [whose] last name [was] Qian, [and whose] first name [was] Keng,
was Emperor Zhuan Xu’s great-great-grandson. At the end of the Yin
era [he was] 760 years old, but undeteriorated by old age. [Since
his] youth [he] was fond of peace and tranquility, [he] didn’t show
concern for earthly affairs, [he] didn’t strive for fame and
reputation, [he] didn’t adorn his clothing or carriage, only for
the sake of maintaining good health and governing his body [did he]
do things.
殷王聞之，拜為大夫，常稱疾閑居，不與政事。善於補養導引之術，並服水桂、雲母粉、麋鹿角，常有少容，然其性沈重，終不自言有道，亦不作詭惑變化鬼怪之事，窈然無為，時乃遊行，人莫知所詣。伺侯之，竟不見也。有車馬而不常乘，或數百日或數十日不持資糧，還家則衣食與人無異。
The
King of Yin heard of this, [and] ceremonially appointed him a senior
official, [but he] frequently said he was sick and led a solitary
life, [and] didn’t participate in government affairs. [Peng Zu] was
adept at making tonics [and] the techniques of Daoist breathing
exercises. [He] also took liquid cassia, powdered mica, [and] elk
antler. [He] always had a youthful countenance, Thus his nature was
deeply solemn, [and] in the end [he] never said he himself had the
Dao.
[He] also didn’t do sly, misleading things, [mystical] changes,
[or] dealings with ghosts, [he] quietly followed the Daoist doctrine
of inaction. Sometimes he, however, journeyed about, no one knew
where he went. [People] watched him go, [but] unexpectedly couldn’t
see [him]. [He] had a horse and carriage but rarely rode [them].
Sometime [he would depart for] multiple 100s of days or multiple 10s
of days without taking property or provisions. Upon returning home he
[would] dress and eat no different than others.
常閉氣內息，從平日至日中，乃危坐拭目，摩搦身體，舔唇咽唾，服氣數十，乃起行，言笑如故。其體中或有疲倦不安，便導引閉氣，以攻其患。心存其身，頭面九竅，五藏四肢，至於毛發，皆令其存。覺其氣行體中，起於鼻口中，達十指末，尋即平和也。王自詣問訊，不告之。
Peng
Zu regularly held his breath and breathed internally. Everyday until
noon [he] would sit bolt upright, wipe his eyes, rub [and] grab [his]
body, lick [his] lips [and] swallow saliva, and imbibe air several
tens of times. Only then [he would] rise, walk about, [and] talk
[and] smile as before. [If] in his body there existed fatigue [or]
discomfort, in that case [he] would perform Dao
Yin
[Daoist breathing, stretching, and self-massage] and hold [his]
breath in order to attack the [source of] trouble. [His] mind
sustained his body: [his] head and face, nine orifices, five internal
organs, four limbs, and as far as [his] hair. All caused him to
exist. [He would] feel his breath circulate through his body, rise to
his nose [and] mouth, reach his ten fingertips, search for and
immediately balance his [inner] harmony. The King himself went to
respectfully call on [Peng Zu] and inquire [about his Dao].
[Peng Zu] didn’t tell him.
致遺珍玩，前後數萬，彭祖皆受之以恤貧賤，略無所留。又有采女者，亦少得道，知養形之方，年二百七十歲，視之年如十五六。王奉事之，於掖庭為立華屋紫閣，飾以金玉，乃令采女乘輕軿而往，問道於彭祖。
[The
King] sent precious gifts [to Peng Zu], around 10,000 in total. Peng
Zu accepted them all in order to help the poor and lowly, [he]
planned not to keep [any]. There was also a courtesan, [who] also [in
her] youth obtained the Dao
[and] knew the method of cultivating the body. [She was] 270 years
old, [but she] looked as if [she was] 15 or 16 years old. The King
offered [the girl] to serve him in the side quarters of the palace in
order to set up a magnificent purple pavillion decorated with gold
and jade. Thereupon [he] commanded the courtesan to ride in a light
curtained carriage to go and ask Peng Zu [about] his Dao.
采女再拜，請問延年益壽之法，彭祖曰：「欲舉行登天，上補仙宮者，當用金丹，此元君太一所服，白日升天也。然此道至大，非君王所為。其次當愛精養神，服餌至藥，可以長生，但不能役使鬼神、乘虛飛行耳，不知交接之道，雖服藥無益也。
The
courtesan bowed twice and politely asked the art of making life
longer. Peng Zu spoke: “If you wish to go to ascend to heaven,
those who ascend to the palace of Daoist Immortals use gold and
cinnabar. First this is the way in which the great lord ascended to
heaven in the day. Thus this Dao
is great and is not that which kings and lords can do. Second, [one
may] love [their] essence [and] cultivate [their spirit] and take
medicinal food, [through this they] may prolong [their] life, but
[they] cannot use supernatural beings for labor [or] travel by
flying. If they do not know the [fabric of the universe] that
connects everything, even if they take medicine, it will be no good.
采女能養陰陽者也，陰陽之意可推而得，但不思之耳，何足枉問耶？仆遺腹而生，三歲失母，遇犬戎之亂，流離西域，百有余年，加以少怙，喪四十九妻，失五十四子，數遭憂患，和氣折傷，令肌膚不澤，榮衛焦枯，恐不得度世。所聞素又淺薄，不足宣傳。今大宛山中，有青精先生者，傳言千歲，色如童子，行步一日三百裏，能終歲不食，亦能一日九餐，真可問也。」采女曰：「敢問青精先生所謂何仙人也？」
If
you [the courtesan] are able to be one [who can] cultivate Yin
and Yang,
the idea of Yin
and
Yang
can be deduced, but if [you’re] not going to think on it, what use
is there in asking? Three years after [she] fell prostrate on her
abdomen and gave birth [to me], I lost my mother. [When I]
encountered the Quan Rong rebellion, I wandered the Western Regions
homeless and miserable. [When] I was 100 years [old], in addition I
lacked a father; I [have] made funeral arrangements for 49 wives,
lost 54 sons, [and] met numerous hardships. My harmonious vital
energy [has been] broken and harmed, this has caused my skin to not
[remain] moist and [my] pathways of blood and vital energy to char. I
fear I won’t be able to pass [out of this] world. That which [I’ve]
heard is simple [and] superficial, [and] insufficient to disseminate.
Now, among the mountains of Da Yuan there is a Master of the Essence
of Youth. Rumor has it [he is] 1000 years old, [with the] complexion
of a child; he walks 300 li
in a day, [and] has the ability to [go] to the end [of] a year
without eating, [though he] also has the ability to eat 9 meals in a
single day. [He] can really be asked [about the secrets of youth].”
The courtesan spoke: “may [I] dare to ask [is] the Master of the
Essence of Youth a so-called Daoist Immortal?”
彭祖曰：「得道者耳，非仙人也。仙人者，或竦身入雲，無翅而飛；或駕龍乘雲，上造太堦；或化為鳥獸，浮遊青雲；或潛行江海，翺翔名山；或食元氣；或茹芝草；或出入人間則不可識；或隱其身草野之間，面生異骨，體有奇毛，戀好深僻，不交流俗，然有此等，雖有不亡之壽，皆去人情、離榮樂。有若雀之化蛤，雉之為蜃，失其本真，更守異器。今之愚心未之願也。
Peng
Zu spoke: “[He is] only one who has obtained the Dao,
not a Daoist Immortal. Daoist Immortals: some revere their bodies and
enter the clouds, flying without wings; some harness dragons [and]
ride cloud [chariots] [and] ascend the steps of heaven; some change
into birds and beasts [and] wander [and] roam the clear skies; some
secretly move through rivers and oceans [and] soar over famous
mountains; some imbibe vital breath; some eat mushrooms, herbs, [and]
grass; some go in and out of the human world [but] cannot be
recognized; some hide themselves in the grassy wilderness. [Their]
faces were born with strange bones, [their] bodies have odd hair,
[they] yearn for [and like] deep seclusion, [and] don’t communicate
[with] common [people]. Even though [they] have an unloseable
longevity, [they] all [have] ceased to possess human emotions, and
distanced [themselves from] glory and happiness. It is like a sparrow
changed into a clam or a ringed pheasant becoming a clam. [They have]
lost their original [nature], [and] exchanged it for a different one.
人道當食甘旨，服輕麗，通陰陽，處官秩，耳目聰明，骨節堅強，顏色和澤，老而不衰，延年久視，長在世間，寒溫風濕不能傷，鬼神眾精莫敢犯，五兵百蟲不能近，憂喜毀譽不為累，乃可貴耳。人之受氣，雖不知方術，但養之得宜，當至百二十歲。
The
Human Way should [be as follows], people should eat delicacies, wear
light and beautiful clothing, thoroughly understand Yin and Yang,
establish public offices, [have] acute eyes and ears, [have] staunch
and strong joints and bones, [have] a brilliant and fresh complexion,
be old but never weakening, live long, remain long in this world.
Cold, heat, wind, and moisture shouldn’t harm [them]; ghosts,
supernatural beings, [and the] masses of spirits don’t dare attack
[them]; armies and insects can’t approach them; grief, joy,
slander, fame cannot make them tired. Only these [things] can be
valuable. If people accept [their] vital essence, even if they don’t
know the arts of healing and divination, with suitable nourishment,
[they should be able to] reach 120 years old.
不及此者，皆傷之也。小復曉道，可得二百四十歲，能加之，可至四百八十歲。盡其理者，可以不死，但不成仙人耳。養壽之道，但莫傷之而已。
If
they do not reach this [the Human Way], it is all [because they]
harmed it [the Human Way]. If one returns somewhat to know the Dao,
one can obtain 240 years of age, and if one is able to add to it
[knowledge of the Dao],
one can reach 480 years. Those who fully use their Li
[the
workings of the Human Way], can by [these] means not die, but [they
will] not become Daoist Immortals. To nourish the way of longevity is
simply to not harm it [the human way]; that is all.
夫冬溫夏涼，不失四時之和，所以適身也。美色淑姿，幽閑娛樂，不致思欲之惑，所以通神也。車服威儀，知足無求，所以一其誌也。八音五色，以玩視聽，所以導心也。凡此皆以養壽，而不能斟酌之者，反以速患。
Now
to be warm in winter [and] cool in summer, without losing the harmony
of the four seasons, is to accommodate the body. Beauty [and] lovely
appearances; [women's] serenity and pleasure: to not readily consider
the confusion of [these] desires, is to let the spirits pass through
[oneself]. To have clothing [and] carriages [with] dignity of
demeanor, to be content with one's situation and not seek [more], is
to unify aspirations. [To play] 8 tones [and see] 5 colors, [and]
with [them] enjoy sight and sound, is to guide the heart-mind. All of
these (are) in order to nourish longevity, and those who are unable
to deliberate on [these guidelines] will return quickly to
misfortune.
古之至人，恐不才之子，為識事宜，流遁不還，故絕其源也。故有上士別床，中士異服，服藥千裹，不如獨臥。五色令人目盲，五味令人口爽，茍能節宣其宜適，抑揚其通塞，不減年筭，而得其益。凡此之類，譬猶水火，用之過當，反為害耳，人不知其經脈損傷，血氣不足，內理空疏，髓腦不實，體已先病，故為外物所犯，因風寒酒色以發之耳。若本充實，豈當病耶？
In
ancient times the Transcendent Ones feared [that] untalented men, by
knowing [these] guidelines, [would instead choose] to indulge in
pleasures and not return [to the Dao];
for this reason they severed its source. Therefore there are [ideas
such as] “High Shi
[use] separate beds [and] mid-level Shi
wear
different clothes”; “To take 1000 parcels of medicine is not as
good as to lie alone”; “The five colors make people blind, the
five flavors causes people's mouths injury.” But to be able to
regulate its [vital energy’s] proper motion, to obstruct and let
flourish its ebbs and flows, will not decrease one's number of years,
but one will obtain its benefits. All of these types are like water
and fire: if used to excess they will return to cause harm; if one is
unaware that that (vital energy) passes through the veins, they will
be injured; if one's blood [and] vital breath are insufficient, the
inner Li
will be empty and weak. If the substance of the brain is not true,
then the body has already first become diseased, the reason [is that
one is] that which was violated by outside matters; therefore, when
one faces wind, chill, wine, [and] women, by these means it [injury]
will come out. If one's source is full and prosperous, how can one
become ill?
To be continued...
Bibliography
- Ge Hong. "神仙傳." Chinese Text Project. N.p., n.d. Accessed Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
- Campany, Robert Ford, and Ge Hong. To Live as Long as Heaven and Earth: A Translation and Study of Ge Hong's Traditions of Divine Transcendents. Berkeley: University of California, 2002. Print.http://books.google.com/books?id=U1oLPR5VzIYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
- Pregadio, Fabrizio. The Encyclopedia of Taoism. London: Routledge, 2008. Print.
