..續本文上一頁y rites, music, and calligraphy--the three less active Arts, are still valued. The other three, which require hand-and-brain coordination, have been scorned as physical activities. As a result, modern-day scholars do nothing but study, get very little exercise, and have no idea of how to live a balanced life. They are pictured as effete intellectuals, "weaklings who can”t truss a chicken," and "useless scholars." On the other hand, since calligraphy has been regarded as a tool for cultivating one”s moral character and spirituality , and as art also involves a certain beauty, it has had the fortune of surviving until the present.
話說回來，就因爲將練習書法當做「修心養性」的工具，而書法本身又是一種具有「美感」的藝術，因此才幸運地被流傳到現在。既然把練習書法當做修心養性的工具，這從陳列桌椅、擺置紙筆硯墨，到磨墨、持筆、寫字，就處處都有其講究了。
As a tool for spiritual cultivation, the art of calligraphy involves arranging the desk and chair; setting out the paper, brush, ink slab, and ink; holding the brush; and writing the characters. These guidelines are described in the present verses.
怎樣呢？就是本章所說的：房間應保持清爽，牆壁要收拾幹淨；書桌應清理整潔，文具要擺置端正。環境預備好了，心就能清靜，這是基礎；然後要注意寫字的姿勢：磨墨應端端正正，握筆要不松不緊。這樣寫出來的字，即使不夠美，卻是方正有力；至于美，那是藝術，就要再加上不斷的練習和揣摩，是屬于技巧的講求。
The room must be kept neat and tidy, the walls uncluttered and clean, the desk in good order, and the writing utensils well arranged. When the environment is well-prepared, the mind will be calm. With this foundation in place, one then attends to posture: grinding the ink stick evenly, holding the brush neither too tightly nor too loosely. In this way, one”s characters will be even and firm at the least, if not beautiful. For calligraphy to be beautiful as art, one must develop one”s technique through continuous practice and adjustment.
總之，不要小看了事前的准備工夫，以爲若要字美，只需勤練就可。須知練出來的字，若無先前這番日用的准備工夫，就缺少一種磅礡的氣勢，顯得華而不實，在藝術價值上都減了幾分，更何況于身心無補呢！
In general, the preparatory work should not be taken lightly. Don”t think that diligent practice suffices to produce beautiful characters. If you neglect the daily preliminary work, your characters will be frivolous rather than magnanimous. Their artistic quality will be diminished, and you will suffer an irreparable physical and psychological loss.
現代的父母們，很多犯了好高骛遠的毛病，以爲孩子能把書念好又多才多藝，已很傑出；孩子不會去吸毒耽玩，已很乖了。因此甯可自己做一家之「煮」和老媽子，不教孩子幫忙家務，以免影響孩子功課；甚至孩子自己的房間，還得幫他整理，要不就視而不見，任其滿室零亂。結果造就出一大批不知天高地厚的青少年，不是生活無法獨立自主，就是感情經不起挫折；遇事既不知慎謀能斷在先，又不能缜密快速處理于中，最後又無法堅忍持續到底。
Modern parents make the mistake of having lofty expectations that overlook the basics. They consider children who do well in school and are talented to be outstanding. They consider children who don”t do drugs or party a lot to be well-behaved. Thus, they slave away doing all the household chores and cooking, but dare not ask their children to help, lest it adversely affect their homework. They even tidy their children”s rooms or pre- tend not to notice the mess. As a result, we have a bunch of un- grateful, frivolous young people. They cannot survive on their own or weather emotional crises. Unused to planning ahead and making decisions, they are neither efficient nor careful in their work. Consequently, they cannot persevere to the end.
古人說得好﹕「一室之不治，何以天下國家爲？」整理房間雖然是私事、小事，似乎和辦公事、大事無關；但是如果連私事都無法掌控得好，又哪有余力去顧及公事？如果連小事都無法管理得當，又哪有能力去處理大事？每日做家事，可以培養韌性、毅力和責任感；而把家事在最短的時間中料理得最好，則可以訓練管理頭腦和組織能力。以這樣的韌性、毅力、頭腦、能力和責任感，若爲生活而謀差使，都是遊刃而有余；若一朝風雲際會，更能運籌天下于帷幄間而無礙。誰能說整理房間只是一己的私事，或不重要的小事？
As an old proverb says, "If you cannot keep a room in order, how can you maintain order in the nation
" Keeping one”s room tidy may seem a trivial, personal affair unrelated to important, public matters. Yet, if one cannot even keep one”s personal affairs in order, what energy could one have to take care of public affairs
If one handles small matters poorly, how can one handle large matters capably
Doing daily household chores nurtures one”s tenacity, perseverance, and sense…
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