Clear Rivers and Leisurely Words
清江闲语
The Yangtze only meets flat ground as it flows out of Xiling Gorge, where becomes torrential. It meets the Yuan and Xiang rivers in the south and conjoins with the Han and Mian rivers to the north, where its currents turn more rapid. As it flows to the foot of the Red Cliff, its waves and rhythms are like that of the sea. Zhang Mengde of Qinghe resided in Qi’an after he was demoted, where he built a pavilion to the southwest of his house in order to admire the beauty of streams and waves. My brother Zizhan named this pavilion ‘Kuaizai’—the ‘Delightful’.
The pavilion has a longitudinal view of the Yangtze of more than a hundred li, and a latitudinal one of thirty li. Its billowing waves are fierce and unpredictable. In the day, boats sail to and fro in front of the pavilion; in the night, fishes and dragons cry out from under the waters. The Yangtze’s scenes change rapidly, astounding the mind and cannot be observed at length. One can admire these phenomena from their seats by just moving one’s eye.
To the west are the Wuchang mountains, and one would see ridges undulate toward the distance, with vegetation laid out in rows. As the mist clears up and the Sun shines through, the dwellings of fishermen and woodcutters become visible. Therefore, the pavilion is named the ‘Delightful’. The ruins by the banks of the Yangtze were where Cao Cao and Sun Quan glared disdainfully at each other, where Zhou Yu and Lu Xun reared their horses. These tales and ancient sites that have been handed down from the past also delights us.
In ancient times, King Xiang of Chu toured the Palace of the Orchid Terrace with Song Yu and Jing Cuo. As a gust of wind blew through the palace, the King opened his robes and exclaimed, ‘How delightful is this wind! Let me share it with all my subjects!’ Song Yu said, ‘This heroic wind can only be experienced by my King; how can common subjects share in it?’ Song Yu’s words were probably sarcastic. Wind cannot be divided by gender, and yet humans can be born into good and bad times. What does this have to do with the wind? If the literati are emotionally perturbed, then where would they not be troubled? If they are unperturbed and do not allow their surroundings to vex them, then where would they not find happiness?
In this age, we see that Zhang Mengde was not rueful about his demotion, instead refreshing his heart and soul in nature above his daily work. With this, he is of nobler character than the common man. He would not feel any sorrow if he lived under a thatched roof and behind tiled windows, let alone amidst the cleansing powers of the pristine Yangtze. Facing the clouds of the western mountains and experiencing the aural and visual beauties of the scene in front of him, he finds himself in contentment. Otherwise, he would have a different understanding of rolling peaks, deep ravines, vast forests, towering trees, billowing winds, and bright moonlight. These are the same views that would discourage and upset a downcast literatus, impelling him to turn his back and avert his gaze. How could he understand the joy in them!
I have always loved painting, especially landscapes. I copied the works of the ancients and spent thirty years in disappointment, rueful that I could not paint in a way that was true to nature. Therefore, I wandered about the famed mountains for years, including Huangshan, Wudang, Taihang, Qingcheng, and Yandang. I perceived otherworldly beauty that could not be put to paper by one who only studies through copying paintings. Discarding old practices, I attempted to represent that which is otherworldly. Although I have not achieved total verisimilitude, I brought to my paintings a breath of fresh air. The beauty of nature cannot be expressed through the constrained methods of the masters. The same can be said for this representation of Su Zhe’s ‘Kuaizai Pavilion of Huangzhou’.
This long scroll was completed on the Qingming Festival of Jichou, painted in the blue-and-green style in emulation of Yuan-dynasty masters.
By my south-facing window on the banks of the Suzhou River, in the western suburbs of Shanghai.
Signed by Jiafang of Jiading
江出西陵 始得平地 其流奔放肆大
南合沅湘 北合汉沔 其势溢浓
至于赤壁之下 波流浸灌 与海相若
清河张君梦得 谪居齐安
即具庐之西南为亭 以览观江海之胜
而余兄子瞻名之曰快哉
盖亭之所见 南北百里 东西一舍
涛澜汹涌 風云开阖
昼则舟辑出没于其前 夜则鱼龙悲啸于其下
瘦化倏忽 动心骇目 不可久视
今得玩之几席之上 举目而足
西望武昌诸山 冈陵起伏 草木行列
烟消日出 渔夫樵父之舍皆可指数
此其所以为快哉者也
至于长州之滨 故城之墟
曹孟德、孙仲谋之所睥睨 周瑜、陆逊之骋骛
其流风遗迹 亦足以称快世俗
昔楚襄王从宋玉、景差于兰台之宮
有风飒然至者 王披襟当之 曰快哉此风 寡人所与庶人共者耶
宋玉曰 此独大王之雄风耳 庶人安得共之
玉之言 盖有讽焉
夫风无雄雌之异 而人有遇不遇之变 而风何与焉
士生于世 使其中不自得 将何往而非病
使其中坦然 不以物伤性 将何适而非快
今张君不以谪为患 窃会计之余功 而自放山水之间
此其中宜有以过人者
将蓬戶瓮牖无所不快 而况乎濯长江之清流
揖西山之白云 穷耳目之胜以自适也哉
不然 连山绝壑 长林古木 振之以清风 照之以明月
此皆骚人思士之所悲伤憔悴而不能胜者 乌睹其为快也哉
余少喜涂鸦 尤为山水
模拟四五家 吾三十年常以不得逼真为恨
故多年游历黄山、武当、太行、青城、雁荡诸名山
見奇秀天出 非模拟者可模似
摒去旧习 以意匠就天出
则之虽未及造微 然亦气象一新
天出之妙 不为诸家畦径所束
此苏辙《黄州快哉亭图》並为是也
岁次己丑清明时节写此长卷
以青绿法施之 拟元人笔意 散笔而就
于沪上西郊苏河畔南牖
嘉定家芳记之