Chapter Four: LEARNING TO BE CAREFUL

朝起早，夜眠迟，老易至，惜此时。
晨必盥，兼漱口，便溺回，辄净手。
冠必正，纽必结，袜与履，俱紧切。
置冠服，有定位，勿乱顿，致污秽。
衣贵洁，不贵华，上循分，下称家。
对饮食，勿拣择，食适可，勿过则。
年方少，勿饮酒，饮酒醉，最为丑。
步从容，立端正，揖深圆，拜恭敬。
勿践阈，勿跛倚，勿箕踞，勿摇髀。
缓揭帘，勿有声，宽转弯，勿触棱。
执虚器，如执盈，入虚室，如有人。
事勿忙，忙多错，勿畏难，勿轻略。
斗闹场，绝毋近，邪僻事，绝勿问。
将入门，问谁存，将上堂，声必扬。
人问谁，对以名，吾与我，不分明。
用人物，须明求，倘不问，即为偷。
借人物，及时还，人借物，有勿悭。

自小，父母师长都告诫我们要「站有站相，坐有坐相」；那么，怎样才是站相？怎样才是坐相呢？关于这行住坐卧，古人形容得很妙，即是﹕

Ever since we were little, we were told by our parents, teachers, and elders to "stand and sit properly." Well, what’s the proper way to stand and sit? The ancients had a marvelous verse to describe how we should walk, stand, sit, and recline :

立如松，坐如钟，
行如风，卧如弓。

Stand like a pine. Sit like a bell.
Walk like a breeze. Recline like a bow.

我们若能站得像松树一样挺拔，坐得像一座大钟那样四平八稳，自然英姿爽然，气概非凡。可是很多人不论坐着、站着，就喜欢懒散地东倚西靠，或者弯腰驼背，尤其喜欢斜斜伸出一足，单单靠另一脚站着来支撑全身重量；躺着时，又是四脚朝天写「大」字，以为这样才是舒服。其实，莫说这样的姿态丑陋而没精神，久了，脊柱都还会变形。不正确的姿势，不但难看，而且会导致百病丛生。

If we can stand as tall and erect as a pine tree and sit as firmly and steadily as a great bell, then we’ll have a natural air of dignity and vivacity, which gives us an extraordinary presence. However, most people, whether they are sitting or walking, love to lazily lean to one side, slouch over and hunch their backs, or stand with their weight supported on one leg so they can extend one foot out sideways. When they lie down, they sprawl with their four limbs out in the shape of the Chinese character for "big" (大). People think these are comfortable positions, but actually, not only do they look unpleasant, they end up with deformities of the spine and buttocks. Incorrect posture is not only unsightly, but is the cause of all kinds of disorders.

现代人生活紧张，工作压力大，头痛眼花、腰酸背疼已是惯性疾病；止痛药常吃了也就不见效，更加上一层苦恼。后来研究报告证明了﹕一切毛病源于不健康的脊椎骨上；而不健康的脊椎骨，又源于不正确的躺卧坐立，或取物搬货的姿势。于是乎，脚底按摩或指压等物理治疗就大行其道，脊骨神经科医生也十分吃香。可是许多人发现，效果不是没有，症状总是时好时坏，不能根治；那就是因为自己没有从根本下手，把不正确的姿势改正过来之故。所以，行住坐卧的姿势若不正确，不但没有威仪，也损害健康。

Due to the stress and work pressures of modem life, headaches, dizzy spells, and backaches have become habitual ailments; the pain killers people take soon lose their effectiveness and only add to the suffering. Later, research indicated that all these ailments stemmed from an unhealthy spine, and that an unhealthy spine was due to incorrect posture in reclining, sitting, standing, or picking up or carrying things. That’s when foot massage and finger pressure became very popular, and spinal nerve specialists were widely consulted. However, many people soon discovered that while the results were not nil, their condition would sometimes improve and sometimes regress; they hadn’t cured the root of the problem, because they hadn’t corrected their bad posture. Therefore. if one’s posture in walking, standing, sitting, and reclining is not proper. not only will one have bad comportment, but one’s health will suffer.

但是，即便坐立挺直，若是动作生硬或莽撞，也不能称得上彬彬君子。这两句「揖深圆，拜恭敬」，说得真好！「深」，表示行礼的诚敬程度，并不是随便拱拱手，卯卯腰就算的；「圆」，形容行礼的优雅姿态，绝不是做作或粗鲁的。

However, if one only sits and stands erect, yet one’s actions are clumsy and rough, one cannot be considered a refined person. The next two lines really put it well: Your half-bows should be deep and full, and your full bows be made with respect The word "deep" refers to the depth of our sincerity when we bow; bowing is more than just putting our hands together and bending at the waist. "Full" refers to the elegance of our bowing; it should neither be affected nor rough.

古人以「玉树临风」来描绘身量修伟英挺，举止温文有礼的人，真是再贴切也不过了！一个人若走起路来不疾不徐，行礼进退又自然合度，那就犹如清风徐来，举手投足间，自见清凉意态。好一个玉树临风轻扬，多么儒雅！又多么自在！这才是真正的「酷」！至于时下不少青少年，非但言语间蔑视规矩，进退间亦且十分轻浮散漫，这真是大大地错解了「酷」的真义！

The ancients used the phrase of "a jade tree in the breeze" to describe a person who is tall, stately, and handsome, and whose movements are gentle and gracious. Truly an apt description! Someone who is neither hasty nor slow when he walks and whose gestures are always naturally just right, like a gentle breeze, will give people a cool and refreshing feeling, like a jade tree waving gently in the breeze-how refined and carefree! This is what it really means to be "cool." Today many young people not only hold the rules in contempt. but are very casual and sloppy in their manners; this is a total misconception of what "coolness" really is!

孔子老年时，有 一回去看他童年一起长大的老朋友原壤。这原壤究竟是怎么样的一个人呢？他自小就是个四六不明(「四六」，就是隐喻父母；因为中国字「父」是四划，「母」是六划)的小混混，大了又不事生产，弄到母亲死了也没法好好安葬。孔子去帮他修治棺具，他看孔子的手修长白皙，居然想入非非，忘了母丧，大唱其小调来。这样的人，自然一生也没什么出息，到老更没人爱理。可是孔子还是眷恋故情，偶尔去看看他。

When Confucius was advanced in years, he once went to visit an old friend, Yuan Rang, with whom he had grown up. What kind of person was Yuan Rang? Ever since he was young, he was a rascal who had never listened to his parents; when he grew up he didn’t do anything to make a living, and so when his mother died he could not afford to give her a good funeral. Confucius went to help him prepare things for the funeral. When he noticed Confucius’ hands, which were white and delicate, he started thinking of improper things and humming a frivolous tune, totally forgetting about his mother’s death. Being that kind of person, he of course had not achieved anything worthwhile in his life, and was not loved by anyone in his old age. Yet Confucius didn’t forget his old friend and would visit him occasionally.

那回，原壤就懒散地叉开两条腿，好像承接垃圾的畚箕似的，蹲坐在门口等孔子。孔子真的生气了，就用手杖敲敲原壤的脚胫，骂他道﹕「你啊！你！小时不知孝顺父母，友爱兄弟；大了，也没什么值得人称说的作为；到老还是这么副贼德性。你活得这么久干什么呀？你！简直就是个老不修！」像孔子这样有情有义的人，都忍不住要骂人骂得这么难听，可见箕踞而坐，是说多难看就有多难看了！

That time, Yuan Rang had lazily stuck out his two legs and looked like a live dustpan waiting for some trash as he squatted by the door waiting for Confucius. This made Confucius really angry, and he knocked Yuan Rang on his shins with his staff, scolding him, "You! When you were little you didn’t know how to be filial to your parents or kind to your siblings. When you grew up, you didn’t do anything praiseworthy. In your old age, you’re still as rascally as ever! What’s the point of living so long? Have you no shame at all?" Even Confucius, as kind and affectionate as he was, couldn’t keep from giving him such a round scolding, which goes to show how ugly it is to sit with one’s legs spread apart.

箕踞而坐不好看，扭腰摆臀的，也不见得好看；有些女孩子却以为这样很吸引人，总故意学模特儿在伸展台上走路的样子，却不知自己活像老母鸭或火鸡似的。唉！愚痴使人目盲，真可怜悯！

Squatting with one’s legs apart doesn’t look good, and neither does wriggling and squirming when one walks. Some girls think moving their hips back and forth as they walk makes them look seductive, so they are always trying to imitate the way a model walks on stage. They don’t realize that they really look like ducks and turkeys! How pitiful these people are, blinded by their ignorance!