Tao Yuanming: After the Western Jin Dynasty, My Maternal Grandfather Died Fighting: Part No. 4

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After the Western Jin Dynasty, My Maternal Grandfather Died Fighting in the West As a Major General’s Historian, His Biography: Part No. 4

晋 故 征 西 大 将 军 长 史 孟 府 君 传
君 尝 为 剌 史
谢 永 别 驾。
永, 会 稽 人, 丧 亡
君 求 赴 义
路 由 永 兴。
高 阳 许 询
有 隽 才, 辞 荣 不 仕
每 纵 心 独 往。
客 居 县 界
尝 乘 船 近 行
适 逢 君 过
叹 曰: “都 邑 美 士
吾 尽 识 之
独 不 识 此 人。
唯 闻 中 州 有 孟 嘉 者
将 非 是 乎?
然 亦 何 由 来 此?
使 问 君 之 从 者。
君 谓 其 使 曰:
“本 人 相 过
今 先 赴 义
寻 还 就 君。“
及 归, 遂 止 信 宿
雅 相 知 得
有 若 旧 交。
还 至, 转 从 事 中 郎
俄 迁 长 史。
在 朝 睽 然
仗 正 顺 而 已。
门 无 杂 宾
尝 会 神 情 独 得
便 超 然 命 驾
迳 之 龙 山
顾 京 酣 宴
造 夕 乃 归
温 从 容 谓 君 曰:
“人 不 可 无 势
我 乃 能 驾 御 卿。“
后 以 疾 终 于 家
年 五 十 一。

(4)

Jun chang wei la shi
Xie yong bie jia.
Yong, hui ji ren, sang wang
Jun qiu fu yi
Lu you yong xing.

Gao yang xu xun
You jun cai, ci rong bu shi
Mei zong xin du wang.
Ke ju xian jie
Chang cheng chuan jin xing
Shi feng jun guo
Tan yue: “Dou yi mei shi
Wu jin shi zhi
Du bu shi ci ren.

Wei wen zhong zhou you meng jia zhe
Jiang fei shi hu?
Ran yi he you lai ci?
Shi wen jun zhi cong zhe.

Jun wei qi shi yue:
“Ben ren xiang guo
Jin xian fu yi
Xun huan jiu jun.”

Ji gui, sui zhi xin su
Ya xiang zhi dei
You ruo jiu jiao.
Huan zhi, zhuan cong shi zhong lang
E qian chang shi.

Zai zhao kui ran
Zhang zheng shun er yi.
Men wu za bin
Chang hui shen qing du de
Bian chao ran ming jia
Jing zhi long shan
Gu jing han yan
Zao xi nai gui

Wen cong rong wei jun yue:
“Ren bu ke wu shi
Wo nai neng jia yu qing.”
Hou yi ji zhong yu jia
Nian wu shi yi.

 

After the Western Jin Dynasty, My Maternal Grandfather Died Fighting in the West As a Major General’s Historian, His Biography: Part No. 4

By imperial decree, the emperor sent people to help Mengjia get to the palace.
Next, Mengjia was made governor of Zhejiang, as Xie Yong’s assistant
After Xie Yong’s death, he went to his hometown to pay his respects
On the way he passed through Yong Xing.

He met Xu Xun of Gao Yang, a man with significant talents
He also resigned a high government position
Instead, he followed his heart
One day he took a boat trip and met Mengjia along the way.
Xu Xun remarked: “I am familiar with all of the intellectuals in this region
Do not know this man, Mengjia. Have only heard the praise of a man from Zhongzhou.

Is this not you? So why did he come here?”
Have to question one of his workers, go and talk to him.
“After I tend to some duties,
I will come back and look for you.”

Having returned, Mengjia stayed overnight for two nights
The two shared a lot of the same knowledge as if old friends.
Mengjia returned home to a promotion to a mid-level position
And soon thereafter another step higher in the bureaucracy.

Now attended imperial dawn audiences
Following honesty and correctness.
His door without many guests
Satisfied with solitude at home, official duties done at the palace.

Mengjia aloof and detached in his travels to Longshan
Viewing the scenery, happy and comfortable
Returned home at sunset, talks everyday to his friend Heng Wen:

People have to have something that gives them power and confidence
“I can use you Mengjia, to achieve an imperial senior post.”
Later, he became ill and died at home at the age of fifty-one.

 

Notes:

Xu Xun:  (?-289): High level official, painter, and writer during the early Jin Dynasty.

Yong Xing: Now a county in Hunan Province

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