『Day 1』Reading Notes of The Gay Genius

Question

The author in this chapter explains why Su Tongpo is a immortal genius either in history or to this day.

Su Tongpo's courageous stand for his principles and opinions, as well as the charm of his poem and prose mainly account for his immortality.

Above all, he is illustrious for his identity as a poet and writer on which his reputation rest for the reason that his classic masterpieces please all men in all ages and survive all tests.

Interestingly, the author also defines him as a great democrat who associated with all manner of men and  insisted to be himself. Thus he can also be called a truly modern man.

Impressive expressions

There is this difference — a man's life is a drama in which the wisest and shrewdest actor does not know what comes in the next act. But real human life always evolves with an inevitability which only the best drama approaches.

不过有这种区别—人生如同戏剧，但是在人生的戏剧里，嘴富有智慧与最精明的伶人，对于下一幕的大事如何，也是茫然无知的。但是真正的人生总包含一种无可避免的性质，只有最好的戏剧才庶乎近之。

Roughly, [good writing] is like the sailing of clouds or flowing of water, moving forward where it is natural to move forward, and stopping where it must stop. From the natural flow of thoughts and language arises its wayward, abundant charm.

大略如行云流水，初无定质，但常行于不可不止。文理自然，姿态横生。

This sapping of national strength had started in the name of "social reform" to prevent "exploitation by private capital," "for the benefit" of the always lovable common people of China, by an ardent believer in himself.

宋朝国力之削弱，始自实行新法以防“私人资本之剥削”，借此以谋“人民”之利益，而由一个狂妄自信的大臣任其事。