The gay of genius-chapter 28

1.Central Question

Q: How did Su Tungpo look at death?

A: He regarded old age, illness and death as human beings, and it might have something to do with his experience. Although he was exiled for many times, the optimism and immunity that he showed during his exile were apparent in the book. And also contribute their wisdom and ability to the local people. Like reburial the bones of a wild grave without a master, and wrote a sacrifice to comform the unnamed. The preparatory fund set up a public hospital and so on. This made him exile, but he was still optimistic about life. So he said something when he was sick, that was, if I don't get well by the help of these three herbs, then it is God's will and not my fault. And Chien offered him some very rare medicine said to have a magical power, but he refused to take it. He was not afraid of death, but at the same time he was in awe of life, which may explain why he was able to face death with such ease.

2.Sentences

(1) If Chang Yuan thought that Su Tungpo entertained ideas of revenge, he was greatly mistaken.

章援若是以为苏东坡会向他父亲报复，那他就大错特错了。

这句话表明，苏东坡面对对手的被贬仍心怀慈善之念，说明他是个豁达不记仇之人。

（2）Su's first and last joys were in his writing.

苏东坡最初与最后的喜悦都是在写作上。这说明，苏东坡即使在他生命最后的尽头，仍对写作念念不忘，由此说明他极爱写作。

（3）Su Tungpo died and his name is only a memory, but he has left behind for all of us the joys of his spirit and the pleasures of his mind, and these are imperishable.

imperishable      adj.不灭的，不朽的

苏东坡已死，他的名字只是一个纪念。但他就给我们的是他那心灵的喜悦，是他那思想的快乐，这才是万古不朽的。

这句话高度总结了苏东坡对后世的影响。