E50 苏辙：岂独为吾弟，要是贤友生

E50 苏辙：岂独为吾弟，要是贤友生

课程导读

上节课我们讲到，苏东坡的祖辈，在官场获颁多种荣誉头衔。在苏家，与苏东坡关系最为亲密的，是他的弟弟苏子由。这份深厚的手足之情也成为了苏东坡毕生歌咏的题材。那么，人生路上，兄弟二人是如何相互扶持的呢？他们之间又有过怎样动人的书信往来？

英文原文

But the most important member of his family who grew up and studied with him and with whom his life was to be most closely connected was his younger brother, Tseyu.

The love and devotion between these two brothers and their constant loyalty to each other through all vicissitudes of fortune was a theme song of the poet's entire life.

They comforted each other in sorrow, helped each other in distress, and dreamed about each other and wrote poems to each other as a form of communication.

Even in China the beautiful love between the two brothers was something quite unique.

Tseyu was of steady, phlegmatic temperament, with practical sense, and somehow he managed to attain eventually a higher position than his elder brother.

Although they shared the same political views and followed the same ups and downs through their entire political careers, Tseyu was the more hard-headed one and often helped his brother with wise counsel.

Perhaps he was less headstrong; perhaps, being less brilliant and not enjoying such a singular reputation as his elder brother, he was considered less dangerous by their political opponents.

At this period Su Tungpo acted not only as a fellow student but also as a teacher to his brother.

He wrote in a poem: "In my youth I knew Tseyu as a child, gentle and bright. I regarded him not only as a junior fellow student, but also as a clever pupil."

And the younger brother wrote in Su Tungpo's tomb inscription: "I had knowledge from you, my brother. You cared for me as an elder and guided me as a teacher."