Sunday, February 19, 2023
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我和姥爺[註1]不算深交，屬於淡如水的君子之交。在我最困難的時候，姥爺送給我一幅已經錶好的字卷，上書他的親筆小篆「塞翁失馬，焉知非福」多年來它一直掛在我家的客廳裡，時刻鼓勵著我。
「塞翁失馬，焉知非福」是一個出自中國古代典籍《列子》的故事。
故事講述一位住在邊疆的老翁，他有一匹名叫「塞翁之馬」的極為珍貴的好馬。有一天，這匹馬突然跑掉了，讓老翁失去了他唯一的財產，鄰居們都來慰問他。老翁卻反而說：「失去這匹馬，也許是一件好事。」
幾天後，這匹馬突然回來了，並帶回了一群野馬。老翁一夜之間就變成了富翁。鄰居們都讚嘆他的智慧和幸運。然而，老翁卻說：「得到這些馬，也許是一件壞事。」
不久後，老翁的兒子騎馬出門，但因馬匹不聽使喚，而從馬背上摔下來，摔斷了腿。這樣一來，老翁的兒子就不能去上戰場了。那時候，國家正處於戰亂之中，許多年輕人都被徵召到軍隊裡去了。可是，老翁的兒子因為受傷，而被免除了徵召。其他年輕人都戰死了，只有老翁的兒子得以幸存。於是，鄰居們又來祝賀他的好運。可老翁還是說：「得到這些馬，也許是一件壞事。」
故事的寓意是，人生的變化是無常的，有時候不幸的事情可能會成為幸運的開端，而幸運的事情也可能會引發不幸。因此，人們應該以一個開闊的心胸和深遠的眼光去面對人生的各種變化，不要只看到眼前的困難和挫折，因為事情的發展往往是出人意料的。
[註1] 自從相識那天起，我就一直跟著孫輩們喊姥爺，雖然從年齡來說我們只差半代。
I didn't have a particularly close relationship with Grandpa [Note 1], it was more of a casual acquaintance. However, during my most difficult times, Grandpa gave me a scroll with a piece of calligraphy he wrote himself in small seal script[Note 2], which read 「塞翁失馬，焉知非福」or roughly "Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise" in English. It has been hanging in my family's living room ever since, constantly encouraging me.
Below the story of 「塞翁失馬，焉知非福」 in English:
In ancient China, there was an old man who lived in a border town. He had a horse that was widely praised as the finest in the land. One day, the horse ran away, leaving the old man with no means of transportation or income. His neighbors came to offer their condolences, but the old man replied, "Who knows? Maybe it's a good thing."
A few days later, the horse returned, leading a herd of wild horses. Now the old man had many horses, which he could sell or breed for profit. His neighbors came to congratulate him, saying, "What good fortune you have!" But the old man just said, "Who knows? Maybe it's a bad thing."
The following week, the old man's son was trying to tame one of the wild horses, but he was thrown off and broke his leg. Now the old man had to take care of his injured son and couldn't tend to the horses. Again his neighbors came to offer their sympathy, but the old man said, "Who knows? Maybe it's a good thing."
The next month, a war broke out and all the able-bodied young men in the village were drafted to fight. But the old man's son couldn't go, because he was still recovering from his broken leg. All of the other young men in the village were killed in the war, but the old man's son was spared. Once again, the neighbors came to praise the old man's good fortune, but he simply replied, "Who knows? Maybe it's a bad thing."
The story of the old man and his horse teaches us that life is unpredictable, and what seems like a misfortune can sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise, and vice versa. We should try to keep an open mind and a positive attitude, and accept whatever happens with equanimity.
[Note 1] Ever since the day we met, I have always called him "grandpa" along with his grandchildren, even though there is only a half-generation age gap between us.
[Note 2] "Small seal script" (小篆 xiǎozhuàn) is an ancient Chinese script that was widely used in China for over a thousand years, from the Warring States period (475-221 BCE) to the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). It was used mainly for inscriptions on bronze vessels, oracle bones, and stone steles, as well as for official documents, calligraphy, and personal seals.
Small seal script is characterized by its formal, regular, and stylized appearance, with each character composed of a fixed number of strokes arranged in a specific order. Its style is much more refined and compact than the earlier script forms like Oracle Bone Script and Zhou Script. Small seal script is regarded as the first standardized script in Chinese history and was instrumental in unifying the written language across different regions of China.
Although small seal script is no longer used for everyday writing, it remains an important part of Chinese cultural heritage and is still studied and practiced by calligraphers and scholars. Its influence can also be seen in various contemporary design and decorative arts.
Gary Gu
19 February 2023
