The translation is: How can a pure body be exposed to the pollution of worldly dust?

From "The Fisherman" (Chapter of "Chu Ci"), the author is controversial, but Wang Yi, a writer of the Eastern Han Dynasty, believes: "The author of "The Fisherman" was written by Qu Yuan." Qu Yuan was in exile Later, he was politically persecuted and encountered a kind of difficulty in his personal life. The works were created in a difficult situation.

Excerpts from the original text:

Qu Yuan said: "I heard that those who are newly bathed must flick their crowns, and those who are newly bathed must shake their clothes; An Neng can observe the body and receive the objects. Would you rather go to the Xiang River and be buried in the belly of a river fish? Can you be covered in the dust of the world with the whiteness of the sky?"

Translation:

Qu Yuan Said: "I heard that you must flick your hat after washing your head; you must shake your clothes just after taking a bath. How can you let your innocent body come into contact with the pollution of worldly dust? I would rather jump into the Xiangjiang River and be buried in the river In the belly of the fish. How can the crystal clear purity be covered with the dust of the world?"

Extended information

The debate on turbidity and dreaming in "The Fisherman", It is one of the most classic expressions in Chinese literature. This is the correspondence between "dream" and "awakening", using dreams as dream transformation, intoxication, turbidity, and intoxication; using awakening as awakening, awakening, soothing, and awakening alone, which metaphorically refers to the intoxication and harmony of the spirit. Wake up. This became the source of the idea of ??honest officials in Chinese literature.

Qu Yuan said: "The whole world is turbid and I am alone pure; everyone is drunk and I am alone awake, so I see release." Qu Yuan attributed his lack of political power to his own "purity" and "awakening". He was exiled because he was "pure" and "awakened" alone.

Qu Yuan clearly expresses here that he has transcended the thoughts and concepts of all things to reach the realm of Tao. He adopts the very obvious Huang-Lao Taoist concept of joining the world, and the spearhead is directed at the current, worldly, and politics of this side. And what the Fisherman said: The sage is not stagnant in things, why not clear the mud and make waves? Everyone is drunk, why not feed the bad and swallow the bad? Why do you think deeply and exalt yourself and let yourself go? ”

Although it does not go beyond this kind of worldly sentiment, it has obvious Lao-Zhuang Taoist sentiments that pointed out a path of realistic detachment for Qu Yuan. After "The Fisherman", the thoughts of upright officials and Qingliu basically It has become one of the important themes of literary works in the past dynasties, and most of the literature in the past dynasties rarely has anyone who is unconventional.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Fisherman