鐔津文集 11.20

11.20

南宗智嚴師主慶善精舍。而邑人宜之。將一年所居已葺。白雲堂人亦新之。且以書邀其侶契嵩曰。吾虛是室以待子。會予方專意於習禪著書。其年遂來視。厥堂控半峯嶷然出其居之後。戶牖南敞。前望連山青嶂邐迤。與村疇雲樹而相映帶。若見好畫。蕭然發人幽思。余喜處之經歲。心甚自得而塵事寡。日益清淨。因思其舊名取義太近。輒命以山茨之號更之。山茨者蓋取梁之高僧惠約所居之名也。昔約方以德高見重於天子。而汝南周顒乃營山茨寺于鍾山而命之居。故顒美之曰山茨。約住清風滿世。若約者可謂吾徒之有道者也。吾徒宜慕之。愚何敢跂望其人也。取其山茨而名是堂者。誠欲警愚之不及也。慶曆丁亥孟春之晦日序。

Master Zhiyan of Nanzong served as abbot of Qingshan Hermitage, and the local townsfolk found him fitting. Within a year, his residence had already been repaired, and the people of Baiyun Hall had also renovated it. Furthermore, he sent a letter inviting his companion Qisong, saying: 'I have left this room empty to await you.' It happened that I was then concentrating my mind on practicing Chan and writing books; that year I came to view it. The hall rests upon the mid-slope of a peak, standing loftily behind his residence. Its doors and windows open toward the south. Looking forward, contiguous mountains and blue barrier-peaks stretch on and on, intermingling with village fields and cloudy trees like a fine painting, casually giving rise to secluded musings. I was pleased to dwell there for over a year; my mind was deeply self-content, worldly affairs were few, and with each day I grew purer. Reflecting then that its old name had too base an implication, I made bold to change it to the name 'Shanci' [Mountain Thatched Cottage]. 'Shanci' is drawn from the name of the residence of the eminent monk Huiyue of the Liang dynasty. In the past, when Yue's lofty virtue was deeply respected by the Emperor, Zhou Yong of Runan built Shanci Temple on Mount Zhong and invited him to dwell there; thus Yong praised it with the name Shanci. Yue's pure manner filled the world. A person like Yue may truly be called one of our circle who possessed the Way. Those of our circle ought to admire him. How could a foolish person like me dare aspire to him? Taking 'Shanci' to name this hall is genuinely to caution myself against falling short. Written on the final day of the first month of spring in the dinghai year of the Qingli reign era [1047].