Song Dong Shaonan You Hebei Xu (送董邵南游河北序) — Han Yu
A free printable Chinese handwriting worksheet for Han Yu's classical Chinese essay "Song Dong Shaonan You Hebei Xu (送董邵南游河北序)", with pinyin, stroke-order guides, and Chinese writing practice grids.
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Original Text
燕赵古称多感慨悲歌之士。董生举进士，屡不得志于有司，怀抱利器，郁郁适兹土。吾知其必有合也。董生勉乎哉！夫以子之不遇时，苟慕义强仁者皆爱惜焉。矧燕赵之士出乎其性者哉！然吾尝闻风俗与化移易，吾恶知其今不异于古所云邪?聊以吾子之行卜之也。董生勉乎哉！吾因子有所感矣。为我吊望诸君之墓，而观于其市，复有昔时屠狗者乎？为我谢曰：“明天子在上，可以出而仕矣。”
Pinyin
yān zhào gǔ chēng duō gǎn kǎi bēi gē zhī shì。 dǒng shēng jǔ jìn shì， lǚ bù dé zhì yú yǒu sī， huái bào lì qì， yù yù shì zī tǔ。 wú zhī qí bì yǒu hé yě。 dǒng shēng miǎn hū zāi！ fū yǐ zǐ zhī bù yù shí， gǒu mù yì qiáng rén zhě jiē ài xī yān。 shěn yān zhào zhī shì chū hū qí xìng zhě zāi！ rán wú cháng wén fēng sú yǔ huà yí yì， wú è zhī qí jīn bù yì yú gǔ suǒ yún xié? liáo yǐ wú zǐ zhī xíng bǔ zhī yě。 dǒng shēng miǎn hū zāi！ wú yīn zǐ yǒu suǒ gǎn yǐ。 wèi wǒ diào wàng zhū jūn zhī mù， ér guān yú qí shì， fù yǒu xī shí tú gǒu zhě hū？ wèi wǒ xiè yuē：“ míng tiān zǐ zài shàng， kě yǐ chū ér shì yǐ。”
English Meaning
Yanzhao is famed of old for men of passion and song. Master Dong, though repeatedly rebuffed by the examiners, goes north bearing his talent — of course he will find his match there! Yet customs change with the age: who knows that today's Hebei still resembles the old Yanzhao? Let your journey tell us. And one favor: visit the tomb of General Yue, and see whether the market still holds men like the old dog-meat butchers — tell them for me: 'A wise Son of Heaven reigns above — you may come out and serve!'
Key Vocabulary
Each term links to its word page with more readings and examples.
Practice the Characters
Every character page has a stroke-order animation, step-by-step breakdown, and common words.
About the Text
A send-off essay by Han Yu for a disappointed friend heading for the quasi-independent north. Beneath every blessing runs the opposite counsel — the irony is famous: Han hopes the region has decayed, and its talents will return to the court.
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