Gong Zhiqiao obtained a piece of fine Chinese tung wood and made a qin (stringed musical instrument) out of it. When installed with strings and plucked, it gave out a wonderful sound, harmonious and pleasing to the ear.
Gong Zhiqiao thought this was the finest instrument in the world, so he presented it to the Tai Chang Si Qing (a high official in charge of rites and protocol of the ancestral temple) who had it examined by an imperial musician, but the musician disdained to have a look at it. He only said "Not ancient!" and returned the instrument.
Gong Zhiqiao had to take it home and asked a lacquerer to paint many crackles on the instrument in imitation of an ancient qin, and asked a sculptor to carve on it some inscriptions of ancient scholars. Then he put it in a box and buried it underground.
After one year, Gong Zhiqiao took out the instrument from underground, and went to the market to sell it. It happened that an influential personage was passing by. He bought it with pieces of gold and presented it to the imperial court. The imperial musicians vied with each other to look at it and praised in unison:
"Ah! It is indeed a rare stringed musical instrument in the world!"
工之侨得到一块优质的桐木料,用它制作了一把琴,安上琴弦,一弹,发出金玉一般的声音,和谐悦耳。
工之侨自以为这是世界上最好的一把琴了。于是,他就拿去献给太常寺卿。太常让皇家的乐工检验,乐工却不屑一顾,说:“不古。”把琴还给了他。
工之侨只好把琴拿回家,让漆工仿古,在琴上漆出许多裂纹,又让雕匠在琴上刻了古人的题字,然后装进匣子,埋在地下。
一年之后,工之侨把琴从地下取出来,赶到集市上去卖。有位显贵之人正好路过,出百金买下了这把琴,并把它献给了朝廷。乐工们捧着这把琴,争相传看,竟然齐声称赞:
“啊,真是世上少有的珍琴!”
下一篇: 中国传统故事:调琴如治国
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 9 Units 1~2《Witnessing time》(含解析)
(江苏专版)2011高考英语一轮复习巩固提升:Unit 4《Helping people around the world》(详细解析)(牛津译林版·模块6)
2017届高考英语一轮单元总复习教案精品荟萃:外研版必修二Module 5《newspapers and magazines》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 4 Unit 2《Sporting events》(含解析)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 4 Unit 3《Tomorrow’s world》(含解析)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 1 Unit 3《Looking good,feeling good》(含解析)
(江苏专版)2011高考英语一轮复习巩固提升:Unit 4《Behind beliefs》(详细解析)(牛津译林版·模块9)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 6 Units 1~2《《What is happiness to you》》(含解析)
2017届高考英语一轮单元总复习教案精品荟萃:外研版必修二Module 2《No Drugs》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 5 Unit 3《Science versus nature》(含解析)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 5 Unit 2《The environment》(含解析)
(江苏专版)2011高考英语一轮复习巩固提升:Unit 4《Films and film events》(详细解析)(牛津译林版·模块8)
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修1 Module1《My First Day at Senior High》
2017届高考英语一轮单元总复习教案精品荟萃:外研版必修三Module 1《Europe》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 7 Units 1~2《Fit for life》(含解析)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 1 Unit 1《School life》(含解析)
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 4 Unit 1《Advertising》(含解析)
2017届高考英语一轮单元总复习教案精品荟萃:外研版必修三Module 5《Great People and Great Inventions of Ancient China》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 9 Units 3~4《Behind beliefs》(含解析)
(江苏专版)2011高考英语一轮复习巩固提升:Unit 3《Tomorrow》(详细解析)(牛津译林版·模块4)
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修5 Module2《A Job Worth Doing》
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修5 Module5《The Great Sports Personality》
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修1 Module2《My New Teachers》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 5 Unit 1《Getting along with others》(含解析)
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修5 Module6《Animals in Danger》
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修5 Module3《Adventure in Literature and the Cinema》
2017届高考总复习跟踪测评外研版:必修5 Module4《Carnival》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 3 Unit 2《Language》(含解析)
2017届高考英语一轮单元总复习教案精品荟萃:外研版必修二Module 3《Music》
【译林湖南版】2011高考英语一轮复习提能训练:Module 2 Unit 1《Tales of the unexplained》(含解析)