{"id":5700,"date":"2017-03-27T15:00:33","date_gmt":"2017-03-27T05:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/?p=5700"},"modified":"2017-04-08T18:30:24","modified_gmt":"2017-04-08T08:30:24","slug":"xi-xi-in-the-bamboo-grove","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/journal\/xi-xi-in-the-bamboo-grove\/","title":{"rendered":"Xi Xi in the Bamboo Grove"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here we introduce two more figures in The Teddy Bear Chronicles \u7e2b\u718a\u8a8c<\/a>, created by the Hong Kong writer and teddy bear artist Xi Xi \u897f\u897f, and translated by Christina Sanderson.<\/p>\n

The teddies and essay below feature\u00a0Xi Kang \u5d47\u5eb7 and Ruan Xian \u962e\u54b8, two of the famed Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove\u00a0\u7af9\u6797\u4e03\u8ce2<\/a>. This informal group of free-wheeling individuals\u00a0flourished during the early decades of the Six Dynasties period (third to sixth centuries CE). That era is also a feature of our inaugural\u00a0China Heritage Annual<\/a><\/em>, which takes Nanking as its focus.<\/p>\n

Xi Kang is also one of the guiding spirits of China Heritage<\/em>; his personality\u00a0and words inspired\u00a0On Heritage \u907a<\/a>, an essay that offers\u00a0a Rationale for The Wairarapa Academy for New Sinology<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of our\u00a0China Heritage<\/em>\u00a0projects<\/a>\u00a0is to introduce Xi Xi’s\u00a0Chronicles<\/em>\u00a0in translation and we are grateful to Christina for continuing to share her work with our readers, and to John Minford who introduced us all to Xi Xi’s panoply of bears. The full translation of\u00a0The Teddy Bear Chronicles\u00a0<\/i>will appear as a volume in\u00a0a series under John’s editorship. That series is generously funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Geremie R. Barm\u00e9, Editor,\u00a0China Heritage<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The seven used to gather beneath a bamboo grove, letting their fancy free in merry revelry. For this reason the world called them the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove \u4e03\u4eba\u5e38\u96c6\u65bc\u7af9\u6797\u4e4b\u4e0b\uff0c\u8086\u610f\u9163\u66a2\uff0c\u6545\u4e16\u8b02\u7af9\u6797\u4e03\u8ce2\u3002<\/p>\n

\u2014 Liu Yiqing (\u5289\u7fa9\u6176, 403-444CE),
\nNew Sayings of the World<\/i>\u00a0\u4e16\u8aaa\u65b0\u8a9e,
\ntrans. Richard B. Mather<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Ji Kang \u7a3d\u5eb7 (zi<\/i> \u53d4\u591c), A.D. 223-262. A native of modern Anhui. his ancestors came from Zhejiang, whence they had fled in consequence of political disturbances, changing the family name from \u595a Xi to Ji. As a youth, he was clever and handsome, and seven feet seven inches in height. Yet he is said to have regarded his body as so much clay or wood, and refused to adorn it. He married into the Imperial family, and received and official appointment. But his favourite study was alchemistic research: and he passed his days sitting under a willow-tree in his court-yard and experimenting in the transmutation of metals, varying his toil with music and poetry, and practising the art of breathing with a view to securing immortality. Happening however to offend by his want of ceremony one of the Imperial princes, who was also a student of alchemy, he was denounced to the Emperor Wen of the Wei dynasty [sic<\/i>, actually the\u00a0Jin \u2014 C.S.<\/i>] as a dangerous person and a traitor, and condemned to death. Three thousand disciples offered each one to take the place of their beloved master, but their request was not granted. He met his fate with fortitude, calmly watching the shadows thrown by the sun and playing upon his lute.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 ‘Chi K’ang’ in Herbert Giles, A Chinese Biographical Dictionary<\/i>,
\nShanghai, 1898, pp.119-120, with modified romanisation<\/p>\n

\n

Xi Kang and Ruan Xian of the\u00a0Six Dynasties<\/h3>\n

Xi Xi<\/h4>\n

Translated by Christina Sanderson<\/h4>\n

Passing a music shop one day, I saw a display of several miniature musical instruments. I went in and chose two, and then went home to make teddies of some of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. \u7d93\u904e\u6a02\u5668\u5e97\u7684\u98fe\u6ae5\uff0c\u898b\u5230\u7a97\u6ae5\u5167\u9673\u5217\u4e86\u5e7e\u4ef6\u5fae\u578b\u6a02\u5668\uff0c\u9032\u53bb\u9078\u4e86\u5169\u4ef6\uff0c\u56de\u5bb6\u7e2b\u7af9\u6797\u4eba\u7269\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"
Xi Kang and Ruan Xian by Xi Xi. Photograph by Chan Kum-lok \u9673\u9326\u6a02 and Lum Kwok-wai\u00a0\u6797\u570b\u5a01.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Xi Kang played a seven-stringed zither \u7434. The body of the instrument has a wide end called the head and a narrow end called the tail. Along the side of the finger board are thirteen small white dots \u5fbd, which mark different notes in the scale. The finest quality ones are made of jade, and the best strings are made of silk. When he was faced with imminent execution, Xi Kang played a tune on his zither called the ‘Melody of Guangling’, Guangling San<\/i> \u5ee3\u9675\u6563. ‘San’ \u6563 is the name of this type of free melody; Guangling was a place in the present-day city of Yangzhou in Jiangsu province. The music tells the tragic tale of vengeance of Nie Zhen, who assassinated Xia Lei, the Prime Minister of the small state of Han, during the Warring States period. \u5d47\u5eb7\u5f48\u7684\u662f\u4e03\u5f26\u53e4\u7434\uff0c\u4e00\u822c\u6709\u4e03\u5f26\u3002\u7434\u8eab\u982d\u5bec\u5c3e\u7a84\uff0c\u9762\u677f\u5916\u5074\u6709\u5341\u4e09\u7c92\u5c0f\u767d\u5713\u9ede\uff0c\u7a31\u5fbd\uff0c\u662f\u97f3\u968e\u7684\u6a19\u8a8c\u3002\u7b2c\u4e00\u7b49\u7684\u5fbd\u7528\u7389\u88fd\uff0c\u5f26\u7528\u8836\u7d72\u3002\u5d47\u5eb7\u5728\u81e8\u5211\u6642\u5f48\u300a\u5ee3\u9675\u6563\u300b\u3002\u6563\u662f\u66f2\u540d\uff0c\u5ee3\u9675\u662f\u5730\u540d\uff0c\u5373\u4eca\u6c5f\u8607\u63da\u5dde\u3002\u6a02\u66f2\u662f\u5fa9\u4ec7\u8005\u7684\u980c\u6b4c\uff0c\u6558\u8ff0\u6230\u570b\u6642\u8076\u653f\u523a\u6bba\u97d3\u76f8\u4fe0\u7d2f\u7684\u60b2\u5287\u3002<\/p>\n

During the Wei-Jin period, distinguished men of letters \u540d\u58eb dressed unconventionally. They enjoyed taking their clothes off. Men wore skirts just like women and tied their hair up. Xi Kang is wearing a special sort of skirt featuring a shoulder strap. His hair is done up in a top-knot, which I fashioned according to one of the clay brick impressions of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove found near Nanjing. I think the zither in the brick impression is the wrong way around. Perhaps it was deliberately sketched that way when it was being carved so that Xi Kang could sit facing Ruan Ji. \u9b4f\u6649\u540d\u58eb\u8863\u98fe\u4e0d\u843d\u4fd7\u5957\uff0c\u559c\u5766\u819a\u88f8\u9ad4\uff0c\u7537\u5b50\u4e5f\u8457\u88d9\uff0c\u68b3\u4e86\u89d2\u9afb\u3002\u5d47\u5eb7\u7a7f\u6500\u5e36\u88d9\u3002\u982d\u7d2e\u536f\u9afb\uff0c\u6211\u8b93\u9aee\u5f0f\u4f9d\u5faa\u6f22\u78da\u58c1\u756b\u300a\u7af9\u6797\u4e03\u8ce2\u300b\u7684\u5716\u7167\u3002\u756b\u4e2d\u7684\u53e4\u7434\u6211\u60f3\u64fa\u932f\u4e86\u65b9\u5411\uff0c\u4e0d\u77e5\u662f\u5426\u523b\u8755\u6642\u5716\u7a3f\u6545\u610f\u53cd\u8f49\u4e86\uff0c\u8981\u914d\u5408\u548c\u962e\u6b65\u5175\u76f8\u5411\u800c\u5750\uff1f<\/p>\n

\"\"
Xi Kang and Ruan Ji from a rubbing of a decorated brick wall found in a tomb in Nanjing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ruan Xian is playing a plucked string instrument with a long neck. These are normally called ‘moon lutes’ \u6708\u7434 after the round shape of the body. Since Ruan played one, they are sometimes called ruan after him. It was the precursor of the more famous, upright lute-like instrument called the pipa \u7435\u7436. Ruan’s moon lute had twelve frets and he used a bamboo plectrum to pluck the strings. \u962e\u54b8\u64a5\u7684\u662f\u5713\u6708\u5f62\u6709\u9577\u9805\u7684\u7434\uff0c\u4e00\u822c\u53eb\u6708\u7434\uff0c\u56e0\u70ba\u962e\u54b8\u594f\u904e\uff0c\u7434\u4ee5\u4eba\u50b3\uff0c\u7a31\u962e\u54b8\u3002\u5b83\u662f\u7435\u7436\u7684\u524d\u8eab\u3002\u962e\u54b8\u7684\u962e\u6709\u56de\u5f26\u5341\u4e8c\u67f1\uff0c\u4ed6\u7528\u7af9\u7247\u64a5\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ruan Xian by Xi Xi.\u00a0Photograph by Chan Kum-lok and Lum Kwok-wai.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I had his hair loose, but it hung down over his face. So I just clamped it back with a peg, which looks very post-modern. Like Xi Kang, he\u2019s wearing a skirt with a shoulder strap, too. They are both wearing a special kind of decorative shawl. \u6211\u8b93\u962e\u54b8\u62ab\u9aee\uff0c\u984d\u524d\u9aee\u7d72\u6703\u5782\u639b\u906e\u9762\uff0c\u5c31\u7528\u500b\u667e\u8863\u593e\u54ac\u4f4f\uff0c\u5341\u5206\u5f8c\u73fe\u4ee3\u3002\u548c\u5d47\u5eb7\u76f8\u540c\uff0c\u4ed6\u4e5f\u8457\u6500\u5e36\u9577\u88d9\u3002\u4e8c\u4eba\u90fd\u62ab\u4e00\u5e45\u7279\u5225\u7684\u5dfe\u5e14\u3002<\/p>\n

There are two famous paintings, Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts<\/i><\/a> and Gentlemen in Retirement<\/i><\/a> which feature groups of literati, all wearing skirts with shoulder straps and semi-circular chiffon shawls extending down below the waist. The shawl is draped around the back of Ruan\u2019s shoulders, with the ends hanging in front of his chest. There is a pair of silk ribbons which can be used to tie the ends of the shawl together. It really is a very beautiful garment. It’s like the silken head scarf worn by the wizard and master strategist Zhuge Liang who was\u00a0known to\u00a0carry a fan made from crane feathers. After all, who\u2019s to say head scarves have to be worn on the head? \u300a\u5317\u9f4a\u6821\u66f8\u5716\u300b\u548c\u300a\u9ad8\u9038\u5716\u300b\u4e2d\u6709\u4e00\u7fa4\u6587\u58eb\uff0c\u500b\u500b\u7a7f\u540a\u5e36\u88d9\uff0c\u8eab\u62ab\u4e00\u5e45\u534a\u5713\u5f62\u5782\u5230\u8170\u4ee5\u4e0b\u900f\u660e\u7684\u7d17\u7f85\u62ab\u80a9\u3002\u62ab\u5dfe\u642d\u7e5e\u5728\u80a9\u80cc\u4e0a\uff0c\u5169\u96bb\u89d2\u5782\u5728\u80f8\u524d\uff0c\u5169\u895f\u7db4\u6709\u4e00\u5c0d\u5e1b\u5e36\uff0c\u53ef\u7e6b\u7d50\u4f4f\u5dfe\u89d2\u3002\u9019\u4ef6\u8863\u7269\u771f\u662f\u6f02\u4eae\u51fa\u773e\uff0c\u53ef\u80fd\u5c31\u662f\u7fbd\u6247\u7db8\u5dfe\u7684\u5dfe\u3002\u8ab0\u8aaa\u7db8\u5dfe\u4e00\u5b9a\u662f\u7d2e\u5728\u982d\u4e0a\u7684\u5462\u3002\u534a\u500b\u8f2a\u5f62\u7684\u5dfe\u53ef\u4e0d\u5c31\u662f\u7db8\u5dfe\u3002\u8f2a\u3001\u7db8\u76f8\u901a\u3002<\/p>\n

\"\"
Gentlemen in Retirement<\/em> \u9ad8\u9038\u5716<\/a>, by Sun Li \u5b6b\u7acb.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here we introduce two more figures in The Teddy Bear Chronicles \u7e2b\u718a\u8a8c, created by the Hong Kong writer and teddy bear artist Xi Xi \u897f\u897f, and translated by Christina Sanderson. The teddies and essay below feature\u00a0Xi Kang \u5d47\u5eb7 and Ruan Xian \u962e\u54b8, two of the famed Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove\u00a0\u7af9\u6797\u4e03\u8ce2. This informal group […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[12,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-essays","category-journal"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9gcZ6-1tW","post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5700"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5700"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6174,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5700\/revisions\/6174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chinaheritage.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}