若夫丰约之裁，俯仰之形。因宜适变，曲有微情。或言拙而喻巧，或理朴而辞轻。或袭故而弥新，或沿浊而更清。或览之而必察，或研之而后精。譬犹舞者赴节以投袂，歌者应弦而遣声。是盖轮扁所不得言，故亦非华说之所能精。
Finding Form Lu
Chi
Know
when the work should be full,
and
when it should be compacted.
Know
when to life your eyes and when to scrutinize.
Adapt
to occasions as they arise; permit emotions to be subtle.
When
the language is common, the image must be telling.
When
the thinking is clumsy, the language must move smoothly.
Old
clothes can be refurbished;
the
stream we muddy soon runs itself clean again.
Only
after looking and listening closely can one make
these
variations subtleties work their magic.
The
sleeves of the dancers move with the melodies;
the
singers’ voices rise and fall with the music.
P’ien
the Wheelwright tried to explain it, but he couldn’t.
Nor
can the artificial flowers of the critics explain it.
（Sam Hamill 译） |
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