沈括 著

【原文】

《梦溪笔谈 · 卷18技艺1》

贾魏公[1]为相日，有方士姓许，对人未尝称名，无贵贱皆称  “我 ”，时人谓之“许我   ”。言谈颇有可采，然傲诞，视公卿蔑如也。公欲见，使人邀召数四，卒不至。又使门人苦邀致之，许骑驴径欲造丞相厅事。门吏止之不可。吏曰：“此丞相厅门，虽丞郎亦须下  。”  许曰：“我无所求于丞相，丞相召我来，若如此，但须我去耳  。”  不下驴而去。门吏急追之不还，   以白丞相。魏公又使人谢而召之，终不至。公叹曰：“许市井人耳。惟其无所求于人，尚不可以势屈，况其以道义自任者乎。”

【注释】

[1] 贾昌朝（公元997年－1065年），北宋宰相、文学家、书法家。

【今译】

贾昌朝担任丞相的那段日子，有一位姓许的方士，他对人从来没有说过自己的名字，不论对方是有身份的人，还是社会地位低下的人他都自称 “我”，当时的人就叫他“许我”。言谈很有些可取之处，但性情高傲不合常理，对达官显贵常显露轻视的样子。贾昌朝想见他，派人邀请了多次，还是不来。又派手下门客苦苦邀请他来，许我骑着毛驴要直接进丞相客厅。守门的官吏阻止他不能这样。说：“这是丞相的厅门，即使是寺丞郎官也必须下马。” 许我说：“我没什么求丞相的，丞相召我来。如果这样，只能让我走了。” 他便没下驴而去。守门的官吏急忙追赶他，他也不肯回头。守门的官吏将实情向丞相禀告。贾昌朝又派人去道歉并邀请他，许我最终还是没有来。贾昌朝感叹地说：“许我只不过是个平民百姓罢了。只因为他无所求于人，尚不能以权势让他屈服，更何况他是以道义为己任的人呢?”

【English Translation】

Mengxi  Bitan  (Volume 18 Jiyi 1)

When Jia Changchao (贾昌朝) [1] became prime minister, there  was an alchemist surnamed Xu, who never made known to others his given name.   As he always called himself “I” when talking to people of high social status  and of low social position, he got the nickname Xu Wo (许我, “I am Xu”). Knowledgeable and  talented, he was a man of peevish temper who had little regard for eminent  officials. Jia longed to see him. He had invited him for several times, but  Xu declined all his invitations. Jia went so far as to sending his men to invite  again and again. Xu eventually consented to meet Jia in his official  residence. He rode on a donkey and intended to go directly into the reception  hall. However, the guard in front of the entrance stopped him, saying, “This  is the prime minister’s official residence! Whoever you are, you will have to  dismount from your donkey!”

Xu replied, “I am not here to as the  prime minister for help. It is the prime minister who invited me here. If I  cannot enter, I will have to leave.”

The alchemist left without dismounting  from his donkey. The guard then chased Xu in a hurry, pleading him to stay,  but he refused to come back. The guard had to report the event to Jia, who  sent his men to apologize to the alchemist and invited him again, but he  would not come. Jia sighed with mixed feeling, saying, “Xu is only a  civilian, yet he does not yield to no influential officials because he seeks  no profit for himself. What a virtuous man he is!”

【Notes】

[1] Jia Changchao (997 – 1065) was a prime minister, writer, and calligrapher of the Northern Song dynasty.

Article by Tao Steven Zheng（郑涛）