鐔津文集 13.43

13.43

韓曠字攝生。隱士也。或曰。即五代韓通之後也。宋初其家破。曠方嬰兒。人竊匿且育之。稍知其世家。亦遂自匿亡於楊越間。歘然長大。少年任俠縱酒擊劍。一旦感悟。即潔身振衣。游名山慕道家絕粒導引。為人沈毅寡語。悠然有遠器。甘惡衣食。所至輒閉室。不交人世。雖官尊如刺史者縱求之。未嘗有見者。或稍見一揖。遂自引不復與語。予少時識曠於嶽麓。其人已老。默默不妄道事。然人多悅其高義而自勸。始予謂曠木訥少文。及游洪井視其屬辭。彬彬可觀。聞其平生愈詳益信。其有德而有言也。竟死於湘潭間。

Han Kuang, whose courtesy name was Shesheng, was a recluse. Some say he was a descendant of Han Tong of the Five Dynasties. At the beginning of the Song dynasty, his family was ruined; Kuang was then an infant, and someone secretly hid and raised him. When he gradually learned of his ancestral family, he also hid himself and fled between Yang and Yue. Suddenly growing up, in his youth he was a knight-errant, indulging in wine and practicing swordsmanship. One day he experienced an awakening: he immediately purified himself, shook out his clothes, traveled to famous mountains, admired the Daoists, abstained from grain, and practiced gymnastics. In character he was steady, resolute, and sparing of words, serene and possessing great capacity for distant ends; he was content with coarse clothing and food. Wherever he went, he would close his room and not mingle with the human world; even if someone as dignified in office as an inspector sought him out, none ever saw him. Occasionally he would see someone briefly with a single bow, and then withdraw himself, speaking no further. In my youth I knew Kuang at Yuelu; he was already old, quiet, and did not speak recklessly of affairs. Yet many took delight in his high righteousness and encouraged themselves by it. At first I thought Kuang was simple, unadorned, and lacking in literary talent; but when I traveled to Hongjing and looked at his compositions, they were refined and remarkable. Hearing more details about his life, I trusted all the more that he possessed both virtue and words. He died at last between Xiang and Tan.