《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》 #11 [011]
《Caigentan (菜根譚) – Complete Works | Former Collection》 #11 [011]
📜 Original Text
藜口莧腸者,多冰清玉潔;
袞衣玉食者,甘婢膝奴顏。
蓋志以澹泊明,而節從肥甘喪也。
📚 Translation
Those who fill their mouths and stomachs with goosefoot and amaranth are mostly pure as ice and clean as jade.
Those who wear silk robes and eat fine food willingly endure kneeling like a maidservant and fawning like a slave.
Generally, a person's will becomes clear through a simple life free from desires, while integrity is lost by pursuing rich and sweet foods.
🔍 Explanation
This passage suggests that one's circumstances in life do not determine their character. Rather, it contains the paradox that integrity is born in poverty, and integrity is lost in abundance.
Those who eat only vegetables can be noble. On the other hand, those accustomed to a luxurious life easily flatter others and lose their dignity.
Frugality is not merely a matter of saving money; it is a way of protecting the autonomy of one's life. A simple life allows one to live without bowing to others, maintaining self-respect and dignity.
Conversely, a life of high consumption and luxury can lead to a life where one must sacrifice pride and grovel for money to maintain the corresponding income, having to make regrettable requests.
Integrity becomes clear in simplicity,
and is easily lost in luxury.
✍️ Hanja Definitions
• 藜 (lí): Goosefoot (a type of plant), meaning the food of common people.
• 口 (kǒu): Mouth, to eat.
• 莧 (xiàn): Amaranth (a type of plant), also a type of vegetable or herb. This also means the food of common people.
• 腸 (cháng): Intestines, stomach.
• 藜口莧腸 (lí kǒu xiàn cháng): Filling the mouth and intestines with goosefoot and amaranth → Simple meal.
• 者 (zhě): Person who...
• 多 (duō): Many, mostly, generally.
• 冰 (bīng): Ice.
• 清 (qīng): Clear, pure, clean.
• 玉 (yù): Jade.
• 潔 (jié): Clean, pure.
• 冰清玉潔 (bīng qīng yù jié): Pure as ice and clean as jade → Noble character.
• 袞 (gǔn): Imperial robe (king's robe), silk robe.
• 衣 (yī): Clothes.
• 袞衣 (gǔn yī): Silk robe. Symbol of high status or wealthy life.
• 玉 (yù): Jade (something precious).
• 食 (shí): Food, something to eat.
• 玉食 (yù shí): Precious and fine food.
• 甘 (gān): Sweet, to consider sweet, to willingly accept.
• 婢 (bì): Maidservant.
• 膝 (xī): Knee.
• 奴 (nú): Male servant, slave.
• 顏 (yán): Face, countenance.
• 婢膝奴顏 (bì xī nú yán): Kneeling like a maidservant and fawning like a slave → Flattering attitude.
• 蓋 (gài / hé): Generally, all, approximately, mostly, perhaps, how, lid.
• 志 (zhì): Will, aspiration, purpose.
• 以 (yǐ): By means of, through, because of.
• 澹 (dàn): Clear, pure, simple, indifferent.
• 泊 (pō / bó): Calm, simple, to stay, water's edge / ripple, dense.
• 澹泊 (dàn bó): Having no desires and a pure heart; tasteless and plain; food that is not greasy and is refreshing.
• 明 (míng): Bright, clear, evident.
• 而 (ér): And, but, and yet, therefore.
• 節 (jié): Integrity, moral principle.
• 從 (cóng): To follow, from.
• 肥 (féi): Fat, rich.
• 甘 (gān): Sweet.
• 肥甘 (féi gān): Rich and sweet food → Luxurious life.
• 喪 (sàng): To lose, to perish.
📌 志以澹泊明: Sentence Analysis and the Usage of '以'
The phrase '志以澹泊明', short yet profound, is a famous line from 『Cai Gen Tan(採根談)』 Chapter 011, containing an important insight into our lives.
Let's analyze how this sentence is structured and specifically examine the meaning of the key character '以(yǐ)' as it is used here.
1. Analysis of the Sentence '志以澹泊明'
This phrase has a simple yet clear structure: 'What becomes ~ through ~'.
• 志 (zhì): The subject of the sentence.
• 以 (yǐ): Used as a preposition (介詞). It can be understood as meaning 'by means of', 'through', or 'because of' in English. It connects with '澹泊' that follows it, indicating the means or cause by which the subject '志' becomes '明'.
• 澹泊 (dàn bó): '澹泊' means 'simple and free from desires'. Here, it follows '以' and serves as the means or cause that makes the '志' (will) '明' (clear).
• 明 (míng): The predicate (술어). It is used verbally, meaning 'to become clear', 'to become evident', 'to brighten'. It indicates the change in state of the subject '志'.
Overall, the structure is 'The will (志) / by means of simplicity (以澹泊) / becomes clear (明)', conveying a concise yet deep meaning.
2. Various Usages of '以(yǐ)'
In classical Chinese, '以(yǐ)' is a very important character used in a wide range of ways. Here, we will look at various usages, primarily as a preposition (介詞), with examples. It combines with a following noun or phrase to indicate the means, cause, qualification, etc., related to the predicate, similar to '~로써', '~을 가지고', '~을 통해', '~으로 인하여' in Korean.
1) Means/Tool (by means of, with, using)
This is the most common usage, indicating the tool or method used to perform an action.
• 以文會友 (yǐ wén huì yǒu): To gather friends by means of literature (using literature as a tool).
• 以德服人 (yǐ dé fú rén): To subdue people by means of virtue (using virtue as a method).
• '志以澹泊明', it means the will becomes clear 'by means of simplicity' (through a state of simplicity).
2) Cause/Reason (because of, due to)
Used to explain the cause or reason for a particular outcome.
• 以貧故 (yǐ pín gù): Because of poverty.
• 不以物喜 (bù yǐ wù xǐ): Not to be happy because of external things.
• '志以澹泊明', there is also a strong nuance that the state of simplicity is the cause for the will becoming clear.
3) Qualification/Status (as)
Used to indicate a certain qualification or status.
- 以師 (yǐ shī): As a teacher.
- 以一人敵萬人 (yǐ yī rén dí wàn rén): As one person, to fight against ten thousand people.
4) Time/Scope (from, until)
Also used to indicate a specific time or scope, although often used in conjunction with other Hanja characters in this case.
• 自今以始 (zì jīn yǐ shǐ): To start from now.
• 由古以今 (yóu gǔ yǐ jīn): From ancient times until now.
As shown, '以' carries various meanings depending on the context, but in '志以澹泊明', it plays a very important role in conveying the core message that 'the will becomes clear' through simplicity, which is both the means and the cause.
I hope this explanation helps you understand the meaning of the phrase '志以澹泊明' more deeply and serves as good information for your blog visitors.