The Gay Genius Chapter28

I. The central question

Q: What was the last few years like of Su Tungpo's life?

A: Su Tungpo finally received his pardon and transfer to another place, but he was already an weak and sickly old man. At that time, he did not showed either exciting or extremely happy. He came through so many ups and downs, now he regarded everything as normal. Now he was more rational and peaceful than usual. About the question whether he went back to hometown or still wandered outside, live or death, were not a big deal.  In addition, he also forgived his enemies, maybe he thought there was no importance to argue about right or wrong. He believed in Buddhist, but he refused to think of the life hereafter, because he believed that salvation consists in being natural and unconsciously good. At the last time of his life, Su Tungpo behaved greatly generous and humanism.     

II. The sentences

1. Critics and historians, lost in their fine phrases and abstract distinctions and deep in the research of problems and policies of a period, sometimes forget that in the ultimate judgement of men we cannot escape the simple adjectives of "good" or "bad".

 fine phrases and abstract distinctions    j精炼的词句与抽象的特点

在对人的终极判断上，“好”与“坏”虽然难以一言以蔽之，但确实是最为简单明确的评价。

2. On July 28 he began to sink rapidly and his breath grew short. According to custom, the family put a tuft of cotton at the tip of his nose to indicate his breathing.

sink    消沉、低落    在这里指苏东坡的身体状况迅速的衰落

3. In reading the life of Su Tungpo, we have been following and observing the life of a great human mind and spirit, as they took temporary shape on this earth. 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.

最后一段总结了苏东坡对于后人的启示，像他这样的天才可能是偶然出现，但他的精神却可以影响后世，这就是我们铭记与瞻仰东坡居士的意义所在。