《兰亭集序》

It is the ninth year of Yonghe (A.C.353), also known as the year of Guichou in terms of the Chinese lunar calendar.On one of those late spring days, we gather at the Orchid Pavilion, which is located in Shanyin County, Kuaiji Prefecture, for dispelling bad luck and praying for good fortune.The attendees of the gathering are all virtuous intellectuals, varying from young to old. Endowed with great mountains and lofty peaks, Orchid Pavilion has flourishing branches and high bamboo bushes all around, together with a clear winding brook engirdled, which can thereby serve the guests by floating the wine glasses on top for their drinking. Seated by the bank of brook, people will still regale themselves right by poetizing their mixed feelings and emotions with wine and songs, never mind the absence of melody from string and wind instruments.

永和九年，岁在癸(guǐ)丑。暮春之初，会于会(kuài)稽山阴之兰亭，修禊(xì)事也。群贤毕至，少长(zhǎng)咸集。此地有崇山峻岭，茂林修竹，又有清流激湍，映带左右,引以为流觞(shāng)曲水，列坐其次。虽无丝竹管弦之盛，一觞一咏，亦足以畅叙幽情。

It is such a wonderful day, with fresh air and mild breeze.Facing upwards to the blue sky, we behold the vast immensity of the universe; when bowing our heads towards the ground, we again satisfy ourselves with the diversity of species.Thereby we can refresh our views and let free our souls, with luxuriant satisfaction done to both ears and eyes. How infinite the cheer is!

是日也，天朗气清，惠风和畅。 仰观宇宙之大，俯察品类之盛。所以游目骋(chěng)怀，足以极视听之娱，信可乐也。

People keep coming and going, and life soon rushes to its end. Some people prefer to share their proud aspiration and lofty goals with close friends indoors, while some others choose to follow their interest and free their minds wherever and whenever they like. May characters vary from person to person, or some would rather stay peaceful while others like to live restlessly, they will all become delighted and satisfied once they meet something pleasant, so cheerful that they get unaware of their imminent old age.However, when they get tired of their old fancies that they’ve already experienced, and sentiment correspondingly accompanies the change of situation, all sorts of complicated feelings will well up in the heart, too. Isn’t it thought-provoking that the happiness we used to enjoy passes by without leaving a single trace, let alone that the length of life is subject to the fate, and death is inevitable for anybody in the end? Just as some ancient man once put it, “Death also deserves our attention, like what life does.”, so how can we restrain ourselves from grieving?