The Original Text and Translation of Excerpts from Notes on Wu

Excerpts from the original text and translation are as follows:

In ancient times, the population was sparse and there were many birds and animals, so people couldn't stand the invasion of animals, insects and snakes. At this moment, a saint appeared. He invented the method of building a shack on a tree to avoid all kinds of injuries. So people love him very much, recommend him to govern the world, and call him Youchao. At that time, people ate wild melon and fruit clams, which stinked and hurt their stomachs, so many people got sick.

At this time, another saint appeared. He invented the method of drilling wood for fire to barbecue food and remove the smell. People therefore loved him very much and elected him to govern the world, calling him Sui Ren. In the Middle Ages, there was a big flood in the world. Gun and his son Yu were responsible for dredging rivers, draining floods and treating disasters.

In modern times, the rule of Xia Jie and Yinzhou was cruel and unorganized, so Shang Tang and Zhou Wuwang rose up against him. If in the Xia Dynasty, there were still people who made a living by building shacks on trees and drilling wood for fire, it would be laughed at by Gun and Yu.

If during the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, there were still people who wanted to dig rivers for flood discharge as an important task, they would be laughed at by Shang Tang and King Wu. In this case, if there are still people who advocate and promote the politics of Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang and Tang today, they will certainly be laughed at by modern saints.

Therefore, saints do not expect to copy the ancient laws and stick to the rules, but formulate corresponding political measures according to the actual situation of the current society. There is a singer working in the field; There was a stump in the field. A rabbit ran in, broke its neck and died.

From then on, the Song people put down their farm tools and stood by the stump, hoping to find the dead rabbit again. Of course, he couldn't get a rabbit, which became a joke of Song State. Now, if we want to govern the contemporary people with the politics of the late king, it undoubtedly belongs to those who wait for him.