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《菜根谭》为明人洪应明所著，是一部内容丰富、充满智慧和哲理的奇书。其形式是格言体，三百余段，每段篇幅简短，语言精湛生动，深入浅出，耐人寻味。作者通晓中国古代哲人的学说和思想，孔孟老庄，儒道佛法，取其精义，归于禅宗。书中的内容，涉及人世万象，劝善，立志，处世，修身，养性，品尝天地间形形色色的美妙景象，可谓无处不达、无所不包。因其睿智的思想、豁达的心境、清新的语境，并描绘出种种令人向往的人生佳境，数百年来流传于民间，不仅被文人赞赏，也被普通百姓喜欢，成为一本广受欢迎的书。所谓“咬得菜根，百事可做”“布衣暖，菜根香，读书滋味长”。这些民间俗语，其实都是对这本书的赞扬。
The Roots of Wisdom , written by Hong Yingming in the Ming Dynasty, is a rare book which contains abundant perspectives,wisdom and philosophy. With its literary form embodied in maxim,the book is composed of more than three hundred short writings,from which there can be seen striking expressions, simply explained profoundness and thought-provoking substances. By reading the book, we will be strongly impressed by the author’s rich accumulation of the theories of the ancient sages in Chinese history, his knowledge ranging from the thoughts of Confucius,Mencius, Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi to the relevant doctrines involved in Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Legalism, as well as his successful exploits in extracting the essences therein and putting them into meditation in the way of Chan. So what he presented in his book are mostly related to the substantial issues regarding myriad affairs of the human world, exhortations on people’s doing good and enlightenment for them on how to determine their will,regulate their conduct, cultivate their inner power and refine their personal dispositions. In addition, the book also unfolds before our eyes a big variety of subtle views existing between the heaven and earth. It can be said that it stops at nothing and nothing is left out. It is because of the fantastic features manifested in its context such as intelligent ideology, broad-mindedness, fresh extent of wording and phrasing and enormous desirable braveries of life that the book, during the hundreds of years of circulation, has been not only appreciated by men of letters but also cherished by the common people, thereby coming out as a rare book universally welcomed. As a matter of fact, the proverbs like “One who can endure chewing vegetable root will find nothing is difficult.”and “Course clothes give warmth and vegetable roots fragrance,while indulgence in study brings about lifelong benefit.” are all considered to be the plaudits for the book.
对这本奇书，历来有不少解读，原著的文字，衍生出很多后人心得，古老的文字，历久弥新，被不同时代的读者读出新的意味。此书的影响，不仅在国内，也流传到了国外，日本、韩国、东南亚，都有《菜根谭》引发的回声。现在，这本中英文对照的《菜根谭》即将出版，我想，这对学习英文的中国读者是一件幸事，对正在学习中文、对中国文化有兴趣的英文读者，更是一件意义非凡的事情。
There have been many different annotations and interpretations on the words and expressions contained in this rare book since its appearance. The dictions used in it have been evolved into numerous understandings all through the ages. The implied meanings of the vocabulary have been renewed from time to time and yet remain new to the readers of the coming generations. Its influence has flowed widely not merely within China but also without, wherefrom its echoes have been now and then sounding from Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.Now The Roots of Wisdom in the version of Chinese-English is about to be published soon. I would like to take this chance to say that the publication of the translation is a piece of good news to Chinese readers who are now engaged in English learning and also an event even more significant to those English-speaking people who are interested in Chinese culture.
本书的译者周文标先生，很多年前曾领衔将篇幅浩瀚的英文版《世界名言博引词典》（伯顿·史蒂文森主编）翻译成中文，并以一己之力根据中文习惯重新编列分辑，成为翻译出版界的一个壮举。这次，周文标选择将《菜根谭》转译成英文，有眼光，也有勇气。把这样一本古书翻译成英文，对一个中国人来说，绝非易事，除了精通英文，还必须对博大精深的中国传统文化有深入准确的理解。将数百年前的涵义幽深的中国古语转换成异国文字，会遇到多少障碍，可以想象，但是周文标没有被难倒。呈现在读者眼前的这本汉英对照《菜根谭》，是周文标先生多年心血的结晶。我相信，在品读此书时，读者会对这位为中国文化搭建沟通桥梁的翻译家产生由衷的敬意。
Many years ago, Mr. Zhou Wenbiao, the translator of The Roots of Wisdom , lead an English-to-Chinese translation of The Home Book of Quotations (compiled by Burton Stevenson) and recompiled it single-handedly in accordance with Chinese phonetic alphabet, and thus created a remarkable precedent for the dictionaries of this kind in China. This time Mr. Zhou takes The Roots of Wisdom as his new rendering which manifests again the sense of his exertion and confidence. For having such an ancient book translated from Chinese into English is no easy matter for an unadulterated Chinese. To do it well there must come into play a good command of English language and a deep, precise understanding of Chinese traditional culture as well. So it can be imagined that Mr. Zhou must have encountered many difficulties in his rendering into English those old Chinese with profound meanings of several centuries prior. Be that as it was, he was not baffled and what he contemplated three years ago has now come true in the very publication he presents to us. No wonder when readers have the book in their hands there would surely well up in their hearts the appreciation for the translator who has done his part in putting up a bridge to connect Chinese and English cultures.
是为序。
It’s my pleasure to write this preface for the book as above.
2008 年 6 月 12 日于上海四步斋
Four-Pace Study in Shanghai
June 12th, 2008
译者按：
以上是上海市作家协会副主席赵丽宏先生 2008 年 6 月为本人的《菜根谭》汉英对照单行本所赐的《序》，此次百花洲文艺出版社出版合装“处世三奇书”汉英对照本，仍沿用作《菜根谭》的序，谨以此再次表示本人对赵丽宏先生的感谢和敬意。
Translator’s Note:
Above is the preface written by Mr. Zhao Lihong, vice president of Shanghai Writers Association, in June 2008. It’s my honor to have his preface reused as the introduction to The Roots of Wisdom in the publication of Chinese-English version of “Three Canons of Personal Cultivation” issued by Baihuazhou Literature and Art Press, and hereby to express again my heartfelt gratitude and respect to him.