鐔津文集 10.14

10.14

具位某。謹奉書于感之員外足下。前日欲過所居語其新園其地甚佳。將置先父墳於其間。既與天休公論之。其人亦喜。當時倉卒而未悉所談。伺晚復見也。會事偶不暇接見。先時雖聞此言。而疑感之等閒語耳。既聞於尊官始信感之果然為之驚怪。數日來不能自處。嗟乎感之忠孝之有稱者也。何故忽然離其所守之如此也。始感之與吾說其先父漸時教以骸骨歸故里與賢妣並葬。初時感之拳拳然造次懼違遺訓。謂感之奉父之道。雖終身不改也。然賢考意。豈不以其身長於封。又生感之輩為南人。質直可愛。其於封為故地亦其志耳。歸葬之志。是欲子孫懷故舊而不忘本也。嗚呼賢父之志。亦其遠矣。苟如他邦之地神靈清淑。能使人今日葬之明日子孫便乃將相。若孝子孫豈肯違父母之訓而為子孫計邪。況萬萬無此效也。感之讀書不忘道義。寧不思易之謂葬者止取其過厚之義也。孟子謂。孝子掩其親。但不忍視其形之暴露也。至于三代惟恐貴賤僭偪奢儉失所。故為禮經。欲人喪葬有節。不聞求山川土地葬其親以為富貴之資。為此說者。蓋陰陽家妄張禍福以鼓動世俗。而世俗汲汲於富貴。不顧修德。紛紛然樂從其說望如其志。不亦惑乎。若感之賢而有識。宜亦出拔追古之聖賢為法。惡得與俗浮沈。此吾為感之之不取也。聞古有周公者。其為人子孫也。有聖德大業。相天下萬世無比。實由其祖宗累代積德而致之。今感之為子孫計者。當念忠孝仁義。苟有所未至則勉力至之。彼陰陽家區區之說。奚足留意。某心素奇感之好節操慷慨有古人之風。及此大懼有所虧損。故不敢默默可否。益宜更酌之。若自謂有異見。我果行其志。非蒙所敢知也。餘俟相見更論。不宣。

So-and-so, holding the official rank [stated above], respectfully presents this letter to Vice Director Ganzhi: The other day you wished to visit my residence to talk about your new garden, saying its site was exceptionally fine and that you would place your late father's grave within it. Having discussed this with Duke Tianxiu, he was pleased as well. At that time, in our haste, I did not learn the details of your conversation, and I waited for evening to see you again; but as it happened, business prevented our meeting. Although I had heard these words before, I suspected they were merely casual remarks on your part, Ganzhi. Only after hearing it from that high official did I believe that you were truly doing so, Ganzhi, and I was alarmed and surprised, unable to find peace of mind for several days. Alas, Ganzhi, you are renowned for your loyalty and filial piety; for what reason have you suddenly departed from what you have maintained like this? Formerly, you told me that when your late father was on the verge of death, he instructed that his bones be returned to his native place to be buried alongside your worthy mother. At that time, you were earnestly and constantly afraid of violating his final instructions; I thought that your way of serving your father would remain unchanged for your entire life. Yet how could your worthy late father's intention not have been because he had grown up in Feng, and had begotten you and your brothers as southern men, straightforward and lovable? Regarding Feng as his ancestral land was also his wish. The wish to return for burial was to make his descendants cherish the past and not forget their origins. Alas, your worthy father's intention was indeed far-reaching! Even if the spiritual energies of the land in another region were pure and auspicious, able to make one's descendants become generals and ministers the day after burial, how could a filial descendant bear to violate his parents' instructions just to scheme for his descendants? What is more, there is not the slightest chance of such an effect. Ganzhi, you read books without forgetting the Way and righteousness; could you fail to reflect that the Book of Changes speaks of burial merely to take the meaning of generous coverage? Mencius said that a filial son buries his parents simply because he cannot bear to look upon their bodies lying exposed. Coming to the Three Dynasties, they only feared that high and low would usurp ranks, or luxury and frugality would lose their proper place; therefore they created the ritual classics, wishing people to conduct funerals and burials with moderation. I have never heard of seeking mountain and river topography to bury one's parents so as to use it as a means for wealth and nobility. Those who maintain such theories are merely the masters of yin and yang who recklessly fabricate fortune and misfortune to stir up the vulgar world; and the vulgar world, eagerly pursuing wealth and nobility, pays no heed to cultivating virtue, but pell-mell delights in following their doctrines, hoping to fulfill their wishes—is this not delusion? If you, Ganzhi, are worthy and discerning, you ought to stand out and take the sages and worthies of antiquity as your model; how could you drift along with the vulgar? This is what I cannot approve of in you. I have heard that in antiquity there was the Duke of Zhou; as a descendant, he possessed sagely virtue and great achievements, assisting the world without equal for ten thousand generations, which truly resulted from the accumulated virtues of his ancestors over successive generations. Now, if you are scheming for your descendants, Ganzhi, you ought to be mindful of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness; if there is any area where you have not attained them, strive to attain them. Why pay any attention to those trivial theories of the masters of yin and yang? In my heart, I have always marveled at your fine moral integrity and generous nobility, which bear the spirit of the ancients; at this juncture, I greatly fear there may be some flaw in it, and therefore I dare not remain silent on whether it is permissible. It is all the more proper that you reconsider it. If you consider yourself to possess an exceptional view and indeed carry out your intention, that is not something this humble person would dare to know. I await our next meeting to discuss it further. I do not elaborate further.