..续本文上一页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.
话说回来，就因为将练习书法当做「修心养性」的工具，而书法本身又是一种具有「美感」的艺术，因此才幸运地被流传到现在。既然把练习书法当做修心养性的工具，这从陈列桌椅、摆置纸笔砚墨，到磨墨、持笔、写字，就处处都有其讲究了。
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.
怎样呢？就是本章所说的：房间应保持清爽，墙壁要收拾干净；书桌应清理整洁，文具要摆置端正。环境预备好了，心就能清静，这是基础；然后要注意写字的姿势：磨墨应端端正正，握笔要不松不紧。这样写出来的字，即使不够美，却是方正有力；至于美，那是艺术，就要再加上不断的练习和揣摩，是属于技巧的讲求。
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.
总之，不要小看了事前的准备工夫，以为若要字美，只需勤练就可。须知练出来的字，若无先前这番日用的准备工夫，就缺少一种磅礡的气势，显得华而不实，在艺术价值上都减了几分，更何况于身心无补呢！
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.
现代的父母们，很多犯了好高骛远的毛病，以为孩子能把书念好又多才多艺，已很杰出；孩子不会去吸毒耽玩，已很乖了。因此宁可自己做一家之「煮」和老妈子，不教孩子帮忙家务，以免影响孩子功课；甚至孩子自己的房间，还得帮他整理，要不就视而不见，任其满室零乱。结果造就出一大批不知天高地厚的青少年，不是生活无法独立自主，就是感情经不起挫折；遇事既不知慎谋能断在先，又不能缜密快速处理于中，最后又无法坚忍持续到底。
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.
古人说得好﹕「一室之不治，何以天下国家为？」整理房间虽然是私事、小事，似乎和办公事、大事无关；但是如果连私事都无法掌控得好，又哪有余力去顾及公事？如果连小事都无法管理得当，又哪有能力去处理大事？每日做家事，可以培养韧性、毅力和责任感；而把家事在最短的时间中料理得最好，则可以训练管理头脑和组织能力。以这样的韧性、毅力、头脑、能力和责任感，若为生活而谋差使，都是游刃而有余；若一朝风云际会，更能运筹天下于帷幄间而无碍。谁能说整理房间只是一己的私事，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…
《弟子规浅释 Standards for Students 第八章﹕余力学文 Chapter Eight ﹕ON LEARNING - 4》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…