喜雨亭记

古文观止 · section 155 · 吳楚材 · 吳調侯 編 · 429 characters

Original text

亭以雨名,志喜也。古者有喜,则以名物,示不忘也。周公得禾,以名其书;汉武得鼎,以名其年;叔孙胜敌,以名其子。其喜之大小不齐,其示不忘一也。

予至扶风之明年,始治官舍。为亭于堂之北,而凿池其南,引流种树,以为休息之所。是岁之春,雨麦于岐山之阳,其占为有年。既而弥月不雨,民方以为忧。越三月,乙卯乃雨,甲子又雨,民以为未足。丁卯大雨,三日乃止。官吏相与庆于庭,商贾相与歌于市,农夫相与忭于野,忧者以喜,病者以愈,而吾亭适成。

于是举酒于亭上,以属客而告之,曰:「五日不雨可乎?曰:『五日不雨则无麦。』十日不雨可乎?曰:『十日不雨则无禾。』无麦无禾,岁且荐饥,狱讼繁兴而盗贼滋炽。则吾与二三子,虽欲优游以乐于此亭,其可得耶?今天不遗斯民,始旱而赐之以雨,使吾与二三子得相与优游而乐于此亭者,皆雨之赐也。其又可忘耶?」

既以名亭,又从而歌之,曰:「使天而雨珠,寒者不得以为襦;使天而雨玉,饥者不得以为粟。一雨三日,伊谁之力?民曰太守。太守不有,归之天子。天子曰不然,归之造物。造物不自以为功,归之太空。太空冥冥,不可得而名。吾以名吾亭。」

只就「喜雨亭」三字,分写、合写、倒写、顺写、虚写、实写,即小见大,以无化有。意思愈出而不穷,笔态轻举而荡漾,可谓极才人之雅致矣。

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The text is reproduced from the named edition without alteration. The reading is this site's own; commentators differ. Where the book judges 格局 or 用神 it is stating doctrine, not a conclusion about the reader's own chart.

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Cast your own four pillars first, then come back to the text.

喜雨亭記 — 古文觀止