法苑珠林 53.29

53.29

晉康僧淵。本西域人。生于長安。貌雖胡人語實中國。容止詳正志業弘深。晉成之世與康法暢支敏度等俱過江。暢亦有才思善為往復。著人物始義論等。暢常執麈尾。行每值名賓輒清談盡日。庾元規謂暢曰。此麈尾何以常在。暢曰。廉者不求。貪者不與。故得常在。淵亦機辯逾過於暢。時琅邪王茂弘。以見淵鼻高眼深。每戲弄之。淵曰。鼻者面之山。眼者面之淵。山不高則不靈。淵不深則不清。時人以為名答。

Kang Sengyuan of the Jin was originally a man of the Western Regions, born in Chang'an. Though his appearance was that of a foreigner, his speech was truly that of China. His bearing was dignified and upright, and his aspirations and achievements were grand and profound. In the reign of Emperor Cheng of the Jin, he crossed the Yangtze River together with Kang Fachang, Zhi Mindu, and others. Chang also possessed talent and intellect, being skilled in exchange and dialogue; he authored the *Treatise on the Prime Meaning of Figures and Things* and other works. Chang always held a deer-tail whisk; whenever he encountered famous guests while traveling, he would engage in pure talk for the entire day. Yu Yuangui said to Chang, "Why is this deer-tail whisk always in your possession?" Chang said, "The incorruptible do not seek it, and the greedy are not given it; thus it can always remain with me." Yuan's quick wit exceeded even that of Chang. At that time, Wang Maohong of Langye, seeing that Yuan had a high nose and deep-set eyes, frequently teased him. Yuan said, "The nose is the mountain of the face; the eyes are the abysses of the face. If a mountain is not high, it is not numinous; if an abyss is not deep, it is not clear." People of the time considered this a famous reply.