道德經淺釋 (10)

《老子》，又稱《道德經》、《道德真經》、《老子五千文》及《五千言》，原為思想家老子的著作，中國春秋戰國時期道家學派奉為創始典籍，有學者認為是中國歷史上首部完整的神哲學著作^[2]。在秦時《呂氏春秋·注》稱為《上至經》，漢初曾直呼《老子》，自漢景帝起此書被尊为《道德經》。

道德經淺釋 (10)

第十九章​​

絕聖棄智（崇高的聖賢志士不用奸詐治國），​民利百倍（人民自然可以獲得百倍

的利益）；​絕仁棄義（崇高的仁愛之士不搞義氣用事），​民複孝慈（人民自然能

恢復忠孝仁慈之心）；​絕巧棄利（崇高的能工巧匠不去爭奪名利），​盜賊無有（盜

賊自然不會刻意打他的主意）。​此三者以為文不足（僅此三者作為法則是遠遠不

夠的），​故另有所屬（所以另外還須心有所屬）：​見素抱朴（保持純樸的心態），​

少私寡欲（減少自私的慾望）。​絕學無憂（這就是崇高而快樂無憂的學問）。

​

第二十章​​

唯之與阿（真理與謬誤），​相去幾何（相差多少）？​美之與惡（真善美與假惡醜），​

相去何若（相差又在那裡）？​人之所畏（人們所畏懼的東西），​不可不畏（也畏

懼人嗎）？​荒兮（浩瀚的荒漠啊），​其未央哉（又有多少懸而未決的道理）。​

眾人熙熙（眾人都喜歡熙熙攘攘湊熱鬧），​如享太牢（比如去參加盛大的祭祀活

動），​如春登台（比如春天登臨樓台遠眺美景）。​我獨泊兮其未兆（我們確淡泊

恬靜好像未開竅），​如嬰兒之未孩（如嬰兒剛出世還沒有學會笑）。​

乘乘兮（隨風漂泊啊），​若無所歸（彷彿找不到歸宿）。​眾人皆有餘（眾人都希

望自己富貴有餘），​而我獨若遺（而我們卻希望自己扔掉包袱）。​我愚人之心也

哉（我們這種愚人的心靈啊），​沌沌兮（多麼像混沌無知啊）。​俗人昭昭（世俗

之人看上去都能明明白白的事情），​我獨昏昏（惟獨我們得道之士彷彿昏昏沉沉）。​

俗人察察（世俗之人看上去都能清清楚楚的事情），​我獨悶悶（惟獨我們得道之

士彷彿蒙在鼓裡）。​眾人皆有以（眾人皆有遠大的志向），​而我獨頑且鄙（惟獨

我們冥頑不化而且鄙陋寡聞）。​澤兮其若海（沉靜啊就像地平線上的大海），​飂

兮若無止（卻有著無法遏止的生命動力）。​我獨欲異於人（我們與眾人不同的理

由），​而貴食母（是因為推崇從道中得到養份）。​

06/21/2015

張家界天門狐仙秀

大導演張藝謀的[張家界..狐仙秀]音樂劇，幾百人的共同演出，以峽谷為背景的大自然舞台...氣派磅礡，配上優美的音樂與悅耳的歌聲，不用搭飛機就可欣賞，妳/你 一定要靜下心來看喔~張家界天門狐仙秀 Full HD精簡版 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGu-fJ0iGgQ

07/03/2015

中國巨額海外投資

China is Eager to Invest Trillions Abroad. Is the World Ready?

Zhou Liangjun was pumped. For nearly a year, he watched as the Shanghai Stock Index soared. The young marketing executive had never trusted China’s stock market, but now something appeared to have changed. The government seemed to encourage investment in equities, particularly as the country’s housing slump intensified. So early last month, he took half of his savings and plunked it into stocks on the Shanghai exchange.

His timing couldn’t have been worse. Though China’s market is still up 30 percent year-on-year, it’s experienced a dramatic descent this summer. In 10 trading days ending on June 26, the market lost a fifth of its value. Two years ago, Zhou bought a flat and has seen its value decline modestly. Now the equity market is further eating into his net worth, leaving him shell-shocked and wondering what to do with what’s left of his savings. “Maybe I should invest abroad,” he says. Maybe I can buy a house in the U.S. Maybe I should buy stocks there, too. I don’t know.”

For Chinese citizens, and investors across the globe, that’s the trillion-dollar question. Households in China have 8.8 trillion renminbi, the equivalent of $1.4 trillion, in savings. And once they start investing abroad, as Zhou is considering, the impact on global markets—everything from real estate to stocks and bonds—will be huge.

To a degree, it already is. Though the bulk of Chinese household savings is stuck in that country ($50,000 is officially the most a Chinese passport holder is allowed to send abroad each year), in practice, the situation is murky. Wealthy and even upper-middle-class Chinese have ways to ship money out of the country. There are middlemen, for example, who demand hefty fees—up to 20 percent—to help Chinese savers move money abroad.

Increasingly, people are willing to pay. Before the rout in the stock market began, China saw a slump in the domestic real estate market—by far the most favored investment for middle- and upper-class Chinese. Property and stocks are the most common ways Chinese tend to save, given that banks offer interest rates on savings that continue to linger around the inflation rate. Over a year ago, the government started to support the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets—by allowing more trading on margin, among other things. But Chinese investors have also been looking to foreign property markets to stash their money, and the current market turmoil at home will only intensify that interest. According to the National Association of Realtors in the United States, the Chinese just became the largest foreign purchasers of residential property in the United States, accounting for 16 percent of all foreign purchases in the quarter ending March 31, compared with 14 percent purchased by Canadians, traditionally the top foreign investor in U.S. residential property.

Given the constraints on individuals moving money out of China, that’s a remarkable development. And because China is gradually easing those restrictions, the dollar figures will likely increase. Beijing is preparing to launch a pilot program later this year that would allow individuals in six of the country’s wealthiest cities to invest in stocks, bonds and property abroad. The program comes as the government is trying to crack down on the gray market that helps funnel individual wealth overseas. But the politics of going after individuals evading the $50,000 annual limit is tricky. For years, politically connected families—the rulers of the Communist party and their relatives, known as “princelings”—have been able to move money across borders with impunity. The rules that apply to ordinary Chinese haven’t applied to them, and it’s unclear if Beijing will continue to look the other way.

Further policy changes are also afoot. The chief of China’s central bank, Zhou Xiaochuan, said the government’s ultimate goal is to make the renminbi fully convertible. And in May, a researcher at the People’s Bank of China wrote that the central bank aims to make that happen by the end of 2015. While the timing is still uncertain, David Wong, chief economist at Shui On Development Ltd., a big Shanghai-based property developer, tells Newsweek he expects full capital account liberalization “in two years.”

That’s an ambitious timetable, and it carries risks. If domestic real estate stalls, at best, and the equity market gyrates, investing abroad will seem all the more enticing. With so much money in household savings, significant Chinese investment overseas could set off a financial exodus—one that could destabilize the country’s own economy.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has issued warnings along those lines. It says the rapid liberalization of capital flow into and out of China could produce net outflow equal to as much as 15 percent of the country’s GDP, or roughly $1.35 trillion. “We wouldn’t advise doing this in one step,” Markus Rodlauer, the IMF's China mission chief, told The Wall Street Journal earlier this year. We’d advise continuing with a gradual approach.”

A massive number of households investing abroad is only one part of a potential surge of Chinese money moving overseas. Chinese companies—both state-owned and private—are more aggressively pursuing foreign investment projects, which have been dominated by energy and natural resource deals. That’s about to change in a major way, as Chinese firms try to diversify their foreign holdings.

When middle-class individuals like Zhou bid for a house or an apartment in San Francisco, Sydney or London, few locals tend to get upset. Homeowners generally like it when the value of their properties rise. Yet a surge in Chinese corporate investment abroad will likely be controversial. In the 1990s, Japanese purchases of U.S. assets—from movie studios to high profile real estate—created a firestorm. Reciprocity—they can buy us, but we can’t buy them—was a huge issue. It will be a far bigger issue as China gets into the same game, because entire sectors of Beijing’s economy, dominated by state-owned companies, are off-limits to foreign investors. A recent report by the Rhodium Group, a New York–based consultancy, and Berlin’s Mercator Institute for China Studies says Chinese foreign direct investment is going to grow from $6.4 trillion in assets to $20 trillion by 2020. If that’s true, it will likely elicit an unprecedented backlash across the globe.

If that happens, China will say it is simply taking the next logical step in its ongoing integration into the world economy. But the country’s critics, whose numbers are growing, will say Beijing is intent on domination, not integration.

07/03/2015

好笑的合成照片

好笑的合成照片






















07/02/2015

【英文寫作的樂趣】

27. Fun with English Writing (1)

【英文寫作的樂趣】

《可以輕鬆被看懂的文章，表示作者已下了一番功夫》

Nowadays communication via e-mail is gaining popularity.  In writing e-mail messages, you might use the language you are more acquainted with. As is the case with talking to foreign people, English becomes top priority among foreign languages. Because in writing we don’t have to switch our mentality from English to Chinese. For those familiar with English, especially people whose major was foreign languages and literature find it a more convenient means than those without English major.

目前利用電子郵件通訊逐漸普遍。寫電子郵件時，可以用我們熟悉的語言。如同跟外籍人士說話，在許多外語中英語是首選。因為書寫時我們可以直接用英文觀念，而無須從英文轉成中文。對於熟諳英文者，尤其是主修外國語文者比非外文主修者，發覺英文是更方便的工具。

Usually, in e-mail messages, brevity is a key issue. But no matter how short the messages are, special attention should be paid to the intelligibility, expressiveness and/or fluency. Of course, sometimes Pidgin English, such as “horse horse and tiger tiger” may be used unconsciously in a daily conversation.  Funny as it sounds, more formal usage or standard English is preferable to broken English.

通常寫電子郵件，簡潔十分重要。但不論文句有多短，要特別注意讓人看懂、表達清楚與文句的流利。當然有時洋涇濱英語，如在日常對話中常用的『馬馬虎虎』會脫口而出。聽起來固然好笑，但更正式的用法或標準英語比爛英語好。

The following sentences I came upon are easily found in daily communication in our text or e-mail messages not necessarily used by graduates of English major.  They may be fun and of certain interest to you sometimes.  But at other times, they do sound ambiguous, full of Chinese mentality or vague in meaning.

下列句子是偶然發現的，它們常在日常對話或簡訊中看到，不見得是主修外文者所使用。有時聽起來好玩或感到一點有趣。但有時則聽起來，中文意味太濃，模稜兩可或語意模糊不清。

Naturally, each classmate is quite used to other’s mistakes in English writing.  Especially, at a senile age, we are unwilling to or dare not touch upon such sensitive questions, or even find fault with each other. All classmates are glorified with the honor of Taida, Waisenxi, and their English proficiency has never been doubted by their spouses as well as by their children and/or grand children (with the exception of matrimony of classmates).  However, some English written by them can hardly be worthy of praise. When we were on campus of Taida, there were few professors except Fr. Murphy and Prof. Yu, Ta-Tsai who were “not polite” enough to point out our mistakes in class, embarrassing us to our faces. Of course, I am by no means like ‘either one of them’ nor am I qualified. I am here quite honored to study English with you sincerely.

當然，彼此同學，見怪不怪，尤其活了大把年紀，誰都不願也不敢去觸碰這個問題，或互揭瘡疤。同學們頂著『台大外文系』的光環，她們的英文不但配偶們懼怕三分，兒孫們也敬重有加，(夫妻檔同學例外) 殊不知，有些同學們所寫出來的英文實在不敢恭維。回想在台大期間，我們講的或寫的英文不通時，除了牧育才神父(Fr. Murphy) 和俞大綵教授之外，有幾位敢公然在課堂上糾正、給同學難堪? 當然本人絕非像他們之中任一位，也不夠格如此做。今天僅是很榮幸能真誠地與諸位一同研究英文而已。

Today, please forgive me for being so presumptuous or offensive as to discuss these questions concerning “Everyday English”.

今天本人冒昧地與全體同學共同來研究『日常』英語中的一些問題，倘有失敬或「班門弄斧」之處，尚祈包涵。

Examples frequently found: (下列為遇見之實例：有紅字劃線部分為不適當；本人不敢用更正，而是建議更正(Improvement) 。

1)     原文: You may want to check with someone who has so kindly took the time to compile a classmates contact list.

*Note: has +p.p. instead of past tense.

【中文】：也許你可以去找看看，有誰願意花時間來編輯同學的連絡名單。

建議更正:  You may want to check if there is anyone who will be so kind as to take the time to compile a contact list for classmates.

2)     原文: It brought back a lot of fond memories. I have to admit I was one of those non-connected classmates back in college years.

Note: bring back memory：不是理想的表達法；non+noun/adj., 但不接 p.p.；例：a non-smoker (非吸煙客) ；non-refundable 不退錢的；non-responsive不回應的

【中文】：它使我記起許多美好的回憶，本人不得不承認是大學時代失聯的同學之一。

建議更正:  A lot of fond memories came to my mind. (It reminded me of a lot of fond memories). I have to admit back in college years I was one of those non-active classmates. (把back in college years調在子句前，更清楚表示修飾was過去的狀態；而非修飾non-active classmates)

3)     原文: Thank you for your efforts in establishing our email network among classmates.  Your efforts and diligence will be greatly rewarded by our warm friendship among classmates.

Note: make an effort to +V.； (effort 不加in) efforts to establish; dedication 專心/敬業 (diligence用功); appreciated by our classmates. (reward+人with+物-獎賞。rewarded by 不可加某件事)

【中文】：謝謝你努力建立同學們之間的電子郵件連絡網。你的努力與敬業會讓熱情的同學們大為讚賞。

建議更正: Thank you for your efforts to establish our e-mail network among classmates.  Your efforts and dedication will be greatly appreciated by our classmates, with affections.

*註：原文第二句太中文化

4)     原文: It has been so many years ago and I can say, that I am glad and grateful to be able to be in contact with you.

Note: ago must agree with past tense (ago 應與過去式連用)

【中文】：已經許多年了，本人高興能與你連絡上

建議更正:  It has been so many years since, and I am glad to be able to be in contact with you again.

註：原文並用glad與grateful太嚕囌，故刪除grateful；另外be grateful to+人for+事(感謝某人因某事)

5)     原文: Another point, I'm almost computer illiterate, thus, I still dare not join the convenient network you have created.

Note: illiterate adj. 文盲。Another point並不表達英文的「此外」

【中文】：此外，本人幾乎不懂電腦….( 電腦文盲是中文表達法) ，因此仍然不敢加入你創立的網路連絡。

建議更正: Besides, (In addition) I am almost ignorant of computer science. (或I know almost nothing about computer science.) 或 (I hardly know anything about computer science.) Therefore, I dare not yet join the network you created.

6)     原文: Compared to you & John, I was not a good student.

Note: Compared to…. 比喻成；Compared with (與…. 相比)

【中文】：與John和你相比，我不是一位好學生。

建議更正: Compared (In comparison) with John or you, I was not a good student. 或I was not so good a student as John or you.

7)     原文: Guess all our classmates are worth getting to know better.

【中文】：我猜同學們值得進一步瞭解。

建議更正: Guess all our classmates are worth knowing better. 或

It is worthwhile to get to know all other classmates better

註：be worth +Ving含有被動之義

8)     原文: As I attended our reunions, big or small, I enjoyed greatly to reconnect with old friends.

Note: enjoy + Ving, 不可接to+V

【中文】：當我參加大小同學會時，我很高興能與老朋友再相聚。

建議更正：As I attended our reunions, big or small, I greatly enjoyed being reconnected to old friends.

Justin Lai  編

06/29/2015

人生在世，草木一秋

人生在世，草木一秋

不管是快樂的時光，還是悲傷的瞬間，時間都在不急不慢地前進著，不會為誰的留戀而多做停留，也不會因誰的厭倦而加快腳步。

人生不如意十之八九，前世的自己已不可推測，現世的自己正在經歷大大小小的得失，有些錯誤不可挽回，有些美好的片段也已成為塵封的記憶。

不管我們擁有什麼，擁有多少、擁有多久，都只不過是擁有極其渺小的瞬間。
人譽我謙，又增一美；自誇自敗，又增一毀。無論何時何地，我們永遠都應保持一顆謙卑的心。
　
人世間紛紛擾擾，彼此互相原諒與擔待，演繹著這世界所有的恩怨情仇，
看紅塵滄海桑田，一時一事，本無定數。

面對著一切，過去了就放下，無需糾纏，從容淡定，猶如雲聚雲散。
每一天，每一刻，都是結束，也都是開始。

雖然我們很渺小。平凡得猶如路邊的小草，我們希望生命從容，熱情，生命既然很珍貴，那麼我們又何必匆匆趕路？

看一看風景，相約一些朋友，開心地走過這個夏天。我們的生命與悠長的時空相比，顯得匆匆而且渺小，我們沒有能力去和所有的煩惱抗爭，我們又不能屈服於各種煩惱，我們相信生命是真實而誠摯的。就讓那些煩惱飄遠，就算相忘於江湖，多一些寬容吧！　　
　
人世間有許多無奈，阻擋不住時光流去，關不上虛空的大門，人海之間渺小再無渺小，再多的剛強個性，只能給自己帶來更多的傷痛和傷感。

06/30/2015/