On the Translation of Gui Youguang's Past Smoke.

My mother, Zhou Ruren, was born on February 11th, the first year of Hongzhi. Married to my family at the age of sixteen. The following year, I gave birth to my daughter Shu Jing. Shu Jing is my elder sister. A year later, I was born, and another year I gave birth to a man and a woman. One died after birth, and the other only lived for a year. After another year, I gave birth to Shang, pregnant 12 months. In the second year, he was born smoothly, and in the second year, he was born with meritorious service.

After meritorious service was born, it was more difficult for my mother to support him than the previous children. So she often frowned and said to several maids, "I am really miserable with so many children." An old woman brought two snails with a glass of water and said, "If you drink this glass of water, you won't get pregnant often." My mother lifted the cup and drank the water in one gulp. From then on, she lost her voice and could not speak.

On May 23rd, the eighth year of Zheng De, RuRen died. Children are still young, and when they see adults crying at home, they cry with them, but they think their mother is asleep. Really sad! Then, the family invited an artist to paint the portrait of my late mother, brought the two children to the painter's eyes and said to him, "The portrait was painted with light on the nose and quietly under the nose." Because these two children look like their mother.

My mother's name is Gui. Grandfather's name is Ming; Grandfather is a famous student; Grandma's surname is He. Grandfather has lived in Wujiaqiao for generations. Wujiaqiao is located in the southeast of Kunshan County, 30 miles away from the urban area, passing through Qiandunpu, reaching the South Branch Bridge and heading east along the river. There are many families living in the village, all surnamed Zhou.

Grandfather and his three brothers are famous for their wealth. They are honest and upright. Grandpa often talks cordially with the villagers, and everyone sees that the younger generation likes his nephew very much.

When my first mother went to Wujiaqiao's house, she was a cotton maker. Back to her husband's house in the city, she twisted the thread, often lit a small lamp and worked until midnight. Grandfather sends someone to deliver something every three days. There is no shortage of food at home, but my mother works hard all day like she is too poor to open a pot. In winter, the charcoal scraps used to make a fire are made into charcoal balls by the maid and dried under the steps one by one.

There is no waste at home, and there are no idle people at home. Children holding clothes, small in her arms, hand sewing clothes, clean up the room. Be kind to the servant. Although the servant was beaten, I can't bear to blame her behind her back. Wujiaqiao sends fish, crabs and cakes every year, and everyone can have them at any time. The family was very happy when they heard that someone was coming from Wujiaqiao.

When I was seven years old, my cousin and I went to Jin Jia school. Every rainy day, my cousin always spends the night at school. I can't bear to be separated from him, but I can't stay. I must hurry home. My mother often wakes up in the middle of the night and whispers to me to recite the Book of Filial Piety. She's only happy if I don't recite a word.

After Ruren died, her grandmother He Ruren also died. The Zhou family was infected with the plague. My aunt passed away; Married in the four menstrual families and died; Thirty people died in a row to stop. Only my grandfather and uncle are still alive.

Eleven years after my mother's death, my elder sister Shu Jing married Sister Wang, which I made before my death. Twelve years after my death, I was reborn. 16 years later, I got married. This match was arranged for me before my mother was born. A year later, I had a daughter. My wife and I love her very much and we miss our children very much.

Tears with my wife in the middle of the night, recalling a few things before her death, as if it happened yesterday, and I can't remember the rest. Is there a mother in the world? God, how sad!

Original text:

Zhou Ruren was born on February 11th, the first year of Hongzhi. Come back at sixteen. Daughter Shu Jing, age 18. A quiet person is a big sister. There is light in the future. A woman and a child were born at the same time, one was ruined, and one was infertile at the same time. More than a year later, I was pregnant in1February. After more than a year, Shu Shun was born, and at the age of one, he made meritorious service.

People who make meritorious deeds are also healthier than those who breast-feed their children. However, I looked at the maids and said, "There are many children, so I am bitter." The old woman poured two snails with a glass of water and said, "After drinking, pregnancy doesn't count." I can't tell you what I can do.

On May 23rd, 2008, a Confucian died. When you see your family crying, you cry with them, but you still think your mother is sleeping. It hurts! So the family postponed painting and gave birth to two sons. Life says, "Draw a lamp above your nose and a big sister under your nose." With his second son, Xiao Mu.

Confucian people are afraid of laurel. Great grandfather is taboo; My ancestors taboo, too students; Mom he. I live in Wujiaqiao, 30 miles southeast of the county from Qiandun Punan to Xiaogang Village in the east, surrounded by people, and Zhoujia is the best. My grandfather and his three brothers are all heroes. They are very simple. They speak the village language with others. They all like their children's nephews.

Confucianism is in Wujiaqiao, and kapok is treated. When you enter the city, you will be caught, with bright lights, every night. My ancestors asked questions in two days. I don't worry about rice and salt, but if I don't plan for the evening, I will work hard. The charcoal crumbs in winter and the moon make my handmaid a ball, full of violent steps. There are no idle people in the house.

Older children are climbing clothes, younger children are hugging their chests, and their hands are constantly sewing, which makes them spill indoors. You are kind when you meet a child servant. Although I am in Chu, I can't bear to say anything in the future. Wujiaqiao made fish, crabs, cakes and erbium for everyone to eat. I heard that Wujiaqiao had arrived, and everyone in my family was very happy.

You Guang was seven years old, and his brother Jia entered school. Every time the evil wind drizzles, I stay from my brother, and there is a touch of love that I can't stay. Confucian people sleep at night and secretly encourage them to recite the Book of Filial Piety, which means they are happy when they read it without saying a word.

Eleven years after the death of a Confucian scholar, the elder sister was taken in by Wang San, and so was the one employed by the Confucian scholar. For twelve years, I have been a disciple of Guan Xue in Guangbu. Sixteen-year-old women, women are also employed. Hold your daughter in your arms, caress her and benefit the children. In the middle of the night, I didn't cry, just chasing those two, as if it was yesterday, and the rest were at a loss. The world is a motherless person, God! It hurts!

Source: A Brief Introduction to the First Series of Gui Youguang in Ming Dynasty.

Extended data

This is a narrative in which the author recalls his dead mother. The full text can be divided into three parts.

From the beginning to the first part of the article, taking the second son, Mu Ye Jr. as the example, this paper describes the birth and death date, the causes of illness and the situation at the time of her death. The author's mother was born in the first year of Hongzhi in Ming Dynasty and died in the eighth year of Zhengde. She is only 26 years old, very young, and has not fully enjoyed life. One can hurt. She got married at the age of sixteen and had seven children in seven years, two of whom died.

This paper tells the story of the heaviness and bitterness of my mother's life in a way close to a running account. Although the expression here is only a few words: "People who make meritorious deeds are also healthier than those who have nursed children. However, I looked at the days of the maids:' I suffer for many children! However, these words are enough, because facts are more powerful than language itself.

Second, it will hurt. In order to avoid the endless pain caused by having more children, the mother accepted the folk contraceptive prescription provided by the old woman, drank a glass of water of two snails, fell into silence unexpectedly, but died three years later. It should be pointed out that the author here does not directly describe the mother's grief before her death.

Because his elder sister was less than ten years old and one year younger than him, she couldn't remember clearly, so she shouldn't have made it up. However, he recorded the situation that children who lost their mothers did not save trouble: "Children cry when they see their families crying. However, I still think my mother is asleep. " When you die in the golden age of your child's life, three things will hurt you. The word "injury" is extremely heavy.

Here, the author also wrote down the incident at that time, that is, the family invited an artist to paint the remains, but took the author and sister Huo as models. "There is light on the nose and a big sister under the nose." The profound and subtle feelings contained in this most common narrative are understandable to readers who have a cultural tradition of attaching importance to family ties. The article "Two Sons and Filial Mothers" has a very complicated emotional flavor without words, and its beauty lies in saving pen and ink.

References:

Baidu Encyclopedia-A Brief Introduction to the Past.