Meng Xi's Written Talks, Volume One, Translated

Answer 1

The first volume of Dream Creek Pen Talks contains many parts. The following is a partial translation:

** 1. Anecdotes of the Academy **
Because Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty had once visited the Jade Hall of the Academy, only the Imperial Academy scholars were allowed to sit there on the first day of each month. They did not dare to sit there on other days. In the past, the rule was to set up a grass viewing platform in the hall. Whenever the imperial edict was drafted, the scholar would dress neatly and sit on the platform. Now, he did not do so, only leaving an empty platform. On the east side of the Jade Hall, there were traces of fire on the window pane of the Chengzhi Pavilion. It turned out that Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty had once visited the Jade Hall at night. At that time, Su Yijian was a scholar. He had already fallen asleep and was in a hurry to get up. There was no candlelight to illuminate his clothes and hats. The palace maids of the attendants put in candles from the window pane to illuminate. Even now, he did not plan to replace the burnt window pane, so that it could be left as a good story in the Jade Hall.

** 2. Hu attire **
Ever since the Northern Qi Dynasty, China clothing had been entirely Hu style.

** 3. Regulations on Library Occupations **
According to the previous rules, all the positions above the Hall Collated had to go through an examination unless they were specially awarded. Only the post of Self-Reflection could be appointed without an examination. This was because when the review officer was first established, it was only placed as a kind of dispatch (actual duty) and was not included in the library. Later, the review officer also increased the salary of the post, and there was no difference between him and other officials with the post of library. His rank was above the collate, and he still did not take the examination according to the old rules.

** 4. Inheritance of Guqin Skill **
During the Taiping Xingguo period of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhu Wenji's piano skills were the best in the world. Master Hui Ri, a monk from the capital, Yi Zhong, had completely learned Zhu Wenji's techniques and taught them to Yi Hai, a monk from Yue. Yihai fully mastered the piano skills of Yi Zhong, so he came to the Fahua Mountain in Yuezhou to practice with great concentration. He refused to socialize with others. He did not go down the mountain for ten years, day and night, and finally mastered the mystery of playing the piano. People from all over the world who learned to play the zither from Yi Hai gathered here, but no one could reach Yi Hai's level. Yi Hai was old now, and his zither playing skills were lost. Yihai loved reading and could write articles. Many scholar-bureaucrats made friends with him, but he was only famous for playing the piano. Yi Hai's zither skills were not only about the sound. The calm and profound charm that was contained outside of the zither music was something that ordinary people could not achieve.

** 5. Ancient Music Bell shape **
The clocks used to play music in ancient times were flat, like two tiles placed together. This was probably because the round bell sounded longer and the flat bell sounded shorter. A short residual sound would easily form a rhythm. The sound of the round bell was long, so the residual sound was also long. When the rhythm was fast, the long lingering sounds would interfere with each other and cause chaos. The later generations did not understand this truth and made the bell round. When it was struck fast, it would make a "shaking" sound, and it was impossible to distinguish the sound.

** 6. Beiyuan Tea **
The best tea in Jianzhou, Fujian Province was known as "Beiyuan Tea". Today, Jianzhou's Phoenix Mountain was known as the North Garden by the locals. It was said that Jiangnan had once set up officials to manage this place, and they were called the North Garden Envoy. Because I read "Li Houzhu Ren Ji" has "Beiyuan Poetry" and "Wenyuan Ji," I know that Beiyuan is Jiangnan forbidden garden, in Jinling, not Jian 'an. Jiangnan Beiyuan envoy, just like today's inner garden envoy. Li Shi had a Beiyuan envoy who was good at making tea. People competed to cherish it and called it "Beiyuan Tea". Nowadays, there were things like "Scholar Ou" in tea utensils, which were named after people, not place names. Ding Jin Gong wrote "Beiyuan Tea Record" said: "Beiyuan, the place name is also, now called Longbei." He also said,"The garden is the name of the garden of the Son of Heaven. This place is in the east of the county. Why is it called Beiyuan?" Ding Ye was puzzled. Perhaps they didn't know that Beiyuan tea wasn't originally a place name. At first, due to misinformation, since the Duke of Jin wrote it in a book, it was still called Beiyuan.

** 7. Stories related to the Imperial Court **
1. If the Emperor did not come to the Imperial Front Hall, then the Prime Minister would lead the permanent officials to bow twice and then withdraw. When Shenzong just ascended the throne, the prime minister often stayed late to play things. When Han Zhongxian was in power, if he was late, he would still let the officials off work. There was no clear law. When Wang Le Dao was a censor, he used too harsh words to impeach this matter, so he was demoted to Chenzhou. From then on, he ordered the prime minister to report that if the matter was not over by seven in the morning, he would be released directly, so it became a custom.
2. According to tradition, when a father retired, he would be promoted to a higher official position, but his salary would not be increased. During the reign of Xining, Prime Minister Zhang Gaoqing retired as Prince Taishi and should be promoted to Pushe according to his son's shade. The court discussed that the consul could not be promoted under the protection of his son, so it was cancelled. In the past, when the officials of the two governments (the Ministry of Central Affairs and the Privy Council) retired, they would not be promoted to official positions under the shade.
3. According to tradition, those who were not wearing purple official robes for the first time were given official positions and remonstrances would be given golden purple (goldfish bags and purple clothes) on the day of thanks (the day of gratitude to the emperor). When He Shengcong took office in Shaanxi Province, he was still wearing a scarlet official uniform. Later, because of the court, it was a big banquet, only He Shengcong wore a scarlet official robe in the hall. Renzong asked him why, he got up in the middle of the banquet, so he was given gold and purple, wearing the gift clothes to sit down. In recent years, when Xu Chongyuan was awarded the Zhizhi Gao, he was still wearing a green official robe. On the day of Xie, he was given a silver fish bag and a red robe in person. A few days later, he was given a golden purple because he played right. Since the founding of the country, the emperor had never gone to the main yamen to watch the court. When all officials resigned (resigned or appeared in court), they must first pass through (the relevant content is not fully stated here).