Translation and Appreciation of The Snake Catcher's Theory

The Snake Catcher's Tale comes from a famous prose by Liu Zongyuan, a writer in the Tang Dynasty. The text grasps the connection between snake venom and the poison of tyranny, skillfully uses contrast, sets off the poison of taxation through snake catchers and poisonous snakes, and highlights the darkness of society. The article is a masterpiece of prose with sharp writing style and rich literary feelings. It has been widely praised for thousands of years. The following is the translation and appreciation of "The Snake Catcher" I brought to you. Welcome to read it.

Snake Catcher said

Author: Liu Zongyuan

Snake Catcher said that Tang Liu Zongyuan was selected from "The East Collection of Liuhe". This article was written when Liu Zongyuan was demoted to Yongzhou (now Lingling County, Hunan Province).

The wild snake in Yongzhou is black and white. Touch the grass and die; There is no defense against those who bite others. However, if you get the wax (xΟ) as bait, you can kill the muscles and kill the three insects by strong winds, spasms (luá n w ? n), fistulas (lòu) and boils. At the beginning, the imperial doctors gathered them by the order of the dàng, and they were given the second year. Those who could be arrested were recruited and rented in. Forever people struggle to run.

if you have Chiang's family, you will only benefit the third generation. When asked, he said, "My father died when my father died. Today, I have been a descendant for twelve years, and several dead people are counted. " In a word, if you look very sad.

I was sad and said, "What if it's poisonous? I will tell those who are present (Li), and if they are more (gēng), what if they are re-endowed? "

Wang Ran, a great relative of Jiang's family, cried, "Will you be born with sorrow? Then it is unfortunate for us to serve, and it is unfortunate if we do not reply to my fu. If you don't serve me, you will be ill for a long time. Since I lived in my hometown for the third time, I am 6 years old now, and my neighbors' birthdays are frowning (ù). (dān) Out of his place, he exhausts his room, cries and turns to migrate (xǐ), is hungry and stumbles (bó), touches the wind and rain, suffers from cold and heat, cries and hisses, and often the deceased borrows (jiè). (n γ ng) Those who live with my ancestors have no room today, those who live with my father have no room today, and those who have lived with me for twelve years have no room today. If they die, they will migrate, and I will live alone by catching snakes. When fierce officials come to my hometown, they clamor for things, and Hu and the north and the south are abrupt, and those who are in an uproar and horror, although chickens and dogs can't be peaceful. My snake (xún xún) rises and looks at it (fǒu), while my snake is still alive, so I lie down. Eat it carefully, and sometimes offer it. Retreat and eat what is in the soil, so as to do my best. Cover the one-year-old guilty of the dead, and the rest are happy and happy. Is it true that there is a Dan in my hometown? Even if I die today, it will be worse than the death of my neighbor. How dare I poison you? "

the more I hear it, the sadder it becomes. Confucius said, "tyranny is fiercer than tiger." I doubt it, but I still believe it with Jiang's view. Whoo! Who knows the poison of fu Lian, and who is a snake? Therefore, it is said that those who observe the people's style will get what they want.

note

of: yes.

wild: the suburbs.

production: production.

different: peculiar.

black and white stamp: black background and white pattern. Quality: base, background color, foil surface of pattern. Chapter, pattern

touch: touch.

all: all.

take: preposition, use.

bite: bite with your teeth.

Yu: resist.

one: refers to the poison after being bitten by a poisonous snake.

if you get it, you will get it: yes, but. Okay, hold on. However, the table is connected in sequence. One, it, the different snake of Yongzhou.

wax (xΡ): dried meat, used as a verb here, refers to drying snake meat.

as bait: to use. For, as. Bait, cake, here refers to medicinal bait. That is, the drug primer

can: can be used.

it has stopped, and it has been cured.

dead muscle: remove carrion.

killing three insects: killing parasites in human body.

its beginning: its auxiliary word, not translated. Beginning: At first.

imperial doctors gather together by the order of the king: to use. Life: command. Gather, collect. One: This kind of snake refers to the Yongzhou different snake.

age is given to the second: age, every year. Fu, levy. First, this kind of snake refers to the Yongzhou different snake. Second, two

offerings: recruitment.

person: a person of ...

when it is rented: (snakes are allowed) to offset his tax. When, when.

running: busy doing.

Yan: concurrently, it is about catching snakes. It can also be understood as-modal particles and pronouns.

exclusive benefit: monopolize this benefit (catching snakes without paying taxes).

then: but.

To die is to die in this matter (catching snakes).

today: now.

heir: inheritance.

To do this: to catch snakes.

several dead people: almost dead.

number: multiple times.

in a word, syllable auxiliary words are meaningless.

If you look very sad, you look very sad.

I feel sorry for him.

and: and.

If it's poisonous: Do you hate it (catching snakes)?

will: plan.

Yu: Xiang.

Attendant: A person in charge of political affairs refers to a local official.

change your job. Service: doing labor for the government.

reply: resume. Fu: taxes.

how about: how about that?

big: very big.

Wang Ran: Eyes full of tears

Tears: tears.

health: to make ... live.

if: comparable.

what: then.

direction: if.

to: do.

illness: I am extremely miserable.

since: since.

residence: residence.

health: life.

day: day by day.

Cu: embarrassed.

migration: migration.

do your best.

exhaustion: exhaustion.

stumble: (tired) fall to the ground.

I: Once upon a time.

either … or …: either … or ….

shout: shout.

scary: scary.

though: even though.

Yao Yao: cautious, fearful.

吆: crock.

relaxed: relieved.

1: refers to a snake.

back: back.

gan: with relish.

yes: things produced.

teeth: age.

offense: risking.

Dan Dan: every day.

poison: resentment.

yes: this means risking death.

demanding: demanding.

Hu: quite "in", right.

Yu: than.

so: so.

once: wait.

people's style: that is, folk customs.

Translation

A strange snake grows in the wild in Yongzhou, with a black background and white patterns. The snake touched the vegetation and all the vegetation dried up and died; If you bite someone, there is no way to resist snake venom. However, after catching it, dry it and make it into medicinal bait, which can be used to treat diseases such as strong wind, spasm, fistula and furuncle. It can also remove necrotic muscles and kill parasites in the human body. At first, Emperor Tai Medical ordered the collection of this kind of snake, which was collected twice a year to recruit people who could catch this kind of snake to offset their taxes. People in Yongzhou are scrambling to do it.

There is a family named Jiang who has enjoyed the benefit of catching snakes for tax deduction alone for three generations. I asked him, but I said, "My grandfather died on the errand of catching snakes, and so did my father. Now I have been doing this job for 12 years, and I almost died several times. " When he said this, he looked sad.

I felt sorry for him and said, "Do you hate this job? I'm going to tell the magistrate to change your job and restore your taxes. How about that? "

Jiang (after hearing this) was greatly saddened, with tears in his eyes, and said, "You pity me, do you want me to live?" Then the misfortune of my job is not as bad as the misfortune of restoring my lease. If I didn't do this job, I would have been in dire straits. It has been 6 years since my family lived in this place for three generations, but the life of the neighbors is getting worse day by day. They take all the products produced on their land and all their family income (the rent is still not enough). They have to cry and flee, and they are hungry and thirsty. They are braving the storm, braving the cold and heat, breathing the poisonous epidemic gas. My grandfather and I used to live here, but now there is no one left out of ten households. There are fewer than two or three households out of ten who live with my father. There are less than four or five households out of ten who have lived with me for twelve years. Those families are either dead or moved away. But I survived because of the job of catching snakes. Violent officials came to my hometown, harassing and cursing everywhere. The noisy appearance disturbed the peace of the countryside, even chickens and dogs were restless. At this time, I got up carefully and looked at my crock. My snake was still there, so I lay down at ease. I carefully fed the snake and offered it on the appointed day. After returning home, I ate the things produced in the fields with relish to spend the rest of my life. It is estimated that I die only twice a year, and I can live happily the rest of the time. How can my neighbors be in danger every day! Now, even if I die in this job, how can I hate it (catching snakes) compared with my neighbors who have died behind them? "

the more I listened to (Jiang's story), the more sad I became. Confucius said, "A cruel rule is fiercer than a tiger!" I once doubted this sentence, and now it is really credible from what happened to Chiang. Alas! Who knows that the poison of exorbitant taxes is worse than this poisonous snake! So I wrote this article in the hope that those who (sent by the imperial court) inspect the people's feelings will get some facts about the people from here.

tongjia characters

If you die, you will move to Er: pass the word "ear", that's all, as an auxiliary word to express an exclamation tone.

Eat carefully: feed it carefully.

Different meanings in ancient and modern times

If you don't serve me (if you want to go to ancient times)

You've been ill for a long time (if you are sick, you're miserable, you're sick)

You can use my teeth (teeth are ancient, years are present, teeth)

You can have a strong wind, a spasm and a fistula.

Dead muscles (removing the past: removing the present: going to ...)

Often, the deceased borrowed from each other (often ancient: everywhere today: often)

Wang Ran cried (Wang Rangu: the appearance of tears flowing out today: the appearance of water depth)

Wang Ran cried (crying the past: tears today: snot) < p

So (ancient times: in this matter: today: conjunctions)

Appreciation

In his self-report, Jiang mentioned that "since I lived in my hometown for the third time, I was 6 years old now, but my neighbor's birthday was awkward". "Sixty years old" here refers to the period from the middle period of Tianbao (746-75) of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty to the early period of Yuanhe (85-81) of Tang Xianzong. During this period, there were frequent wars, such as An Shi Rebellion, the war against Tubo, Zhu Hui Rebellion, etc., and the number of registered permanent residence in the whole country dropped sharply. The court added tax collectors at will, made various names, and added new taxes to old taxes without restrictions, which made the people's burden increase day by day. Although in the first year of Jianzhong in Tang Dezong (78), two tax laws were promulgated (paying taxes twice in summer and autumn, that is, "giving the second year" as mentioned in the text), and it was expressly stipulated that "you dare to collect a penny in addition to the two taxes, so as to pervert the law", but this is just a means to deceive the people. The fact is just as Lu Zhi said: "In the calendar, you paid two taxes, but now you pay two taxes." He also said that when the tax is increased, "the edict is called expediency, and it is necessary to stop the matter." The soldiers have been resting for a long time, and the tax increase is the same as before. " The people fled to other places under the pressure of heavy taxation, but the fierce officials still didn't let go. "If there is exile, it will be spread out (shared by the remaining households), and the heavier they are, the heavier they will be." Judging from these circumstances, Liu Zongyuan's assertion that "the poison of fu Lian is a snake" is completely correct.

paragraph 1 (1) this is a suspense set by the author, which lays the groundwork for the following, suggesting that there were things more poisonous than poisonous snakes in the world at that time, which made readers eager to read on. (2) This paragraph focuses on the "difference" of poisonous snakes, which is described from three aspects: one is the difference in color, the other is the difference in toxicity, and the third is the difference in use. It can be used to cure leprosy, hands and feet, neck swelling and malignant sores, eliminate necrotic muscles and kill parasites in the human body. Therefore, the emperor issued an order to levy taxes twice a year, which can offset the tax payable. Therefore, from then on, "the eternal people are fighting for it." The author only used the word "run for it" to show the scene of Yongzhou people scrambling to catch snakes, taking pains and risking their lives.

in the second paragraph, from "those who have Chiang's family" to "those who dare to poison". Including 2, 3 and 4, it is the focus of the whole paper.

The "alien snake" leads to the hero "snake catcher"-Jiang. First, write the "benefits" of Jiang's three generations of catching snakes, and then write the "harms" of catching snakes-some of my ancestors, my fathers and me died, and some of them counted the dead, and then changed the word "benefits" to "harms", and then used Jiang's expression "looks like nothing" Only the phrase "the person who looks very sad" outlines his modality of looking back on the past, grieving in his heart and mourning in his face. Obviously, he is suffering from poisonous snakes, but he says that he enjoys the benefits of catching snakes alone. In this extremely contradictory situation, his inner bitterness is even more obvious.

So the author went on to say, "I'm sad," and said, "What if it's poisonous? I will tell the person who is present, if it is more service, what if it is endowed? " While mourning for Chiang's misfortune, he kindly put forward a way to get rid of the danger. These sentences are short and urgent. Moreover, the use of three "ifs" (interpreted as "you") shows that "Yu" is talking face to face with Chiang Kai-shek, his attitude is sincere, he is eager to help the other side, and the method seems feasible.

Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek didn't accept it. He said, "I'm so sorry, Wang Ran cried ..." Chiang Kai-shek's remarks were equally sincere and his tone was very positive, which showed that poisonous snakes were terrible, but the poison collected was even more terrible.

how do you say this? Chiang said these meanings:

The first meaning is that three generations of Chiang's grandparents and grandchildren have lived in this place for more than 6 years, and they have witnessed the sufferings of the villagers. The lives of their neighbors are getting more and more embarrassed every day. They take out all the crops in their fields and use up all their family income, but they can't pay enough rent. They have to cry and move around, hungry and forced.