鐔津文集 12.8

12.8

某既名獨秀石。章表民以其名為未當。且以詩評之。更曰。獨怪石表民能文。其取義必遠。然吾獨秀之義亦未始與人語。因得論之。世俗所謂怪石者。必以其詭異形狀類乎禽獸人物者也。為之焉。如是則屏山之石盈巖溢壑。無不如禽獸人物者也。何獨一石謂之怪耶。夫獨秀石有拔數仞嶷然特立於山之東南隅。端莊不與眾石同趨附。頗似正人端士抱道自處。不以事勢為朋黨。大凡物稟秀氣而生成者。其所樹立必嶄然超出其群。吾所謂獨秀石者。意其鍾得秀氣能自植立。不與其類相為附麗。要詩人歌以張之。蓋欲有所警耳。苟以怪石名之。彼眾人者自能命之。何待不腆而名之耶。無已吾請從於獨秀石。

After I named the rock Duxiu ("Solitary Elegance"), Zhang Biaomin considered the name inappropriate, evaluated it in verse, and renamed it Duguai ("Solitary Oddity"). Biaomin is skilled in writing, so his meaning must be profound. Yet I had never shared the meaning of my "Solitary Elegance" with others; hence I have occasion to discourse upon it. What the worldly call "odd rocks" must be those with bizarre and strange shapes resembling birds, beasts, figures, or objects. That is why they are called so. If that were the case, the rocks of Mount Ping fill the cliffs and overflow the ravines, none failing to resemble birds, beasts, figures, or objects; why then should only this single rock be called "odd"? Now, the Duxiu Rock rises several fathoms high, standing loftily and distinctly in the southeast corner of the mountain, dignified and upright, not following or leaning upon the other rocks, much like an upright person and righteous gentleman who embraces the Way, abides alone, and does not form cliques according to circumstances and power. Generally, when things are endowed with elegant qi in their generation, their establishment must be towering and stand out from their peers. What I call the "Duxiu Rock" means that it has gathered elegant qi and is able to stand on its own, not adhering to or relying on its kind. I wished for poets to sing of it to extol it, intending to provide a moral admonition. If one merely names it "odd rock," ordinary people could name it so themselves; why wait for an unworthy person like me to name it? If it cannot be helped, I beg to abide by "Duxiu Rock."