“书法家”

“Calligrapher”

司玉笙

Si Yusheng

书法比赛会上，人们围住前来观看的高局长，请他留字。

At the Chinese calligraphy contest, people gathered around the visiting Bureau Leader Gao to ask him to write a few characters.

“写什么呢？”高局长笑眯眯地提起笔，歪着头问。

“What should I write?” Gao asked smilingly, as he picked up a brush and cocked his head.

“写什么都行，就写局长最得心应手的好字吧。”

“Anything. Whatever you are best at.”

“那我就献丑了。”高局长沉吟片刻，轻抖手腕落下笔去。立刻，两个劲秀的大字就从笔端跳到宣纸上：“同意”。

“All right then. Here I am, showing my incompetence.” Gao muttered something to himself, shook his wrist slightly, then started writing. Instantly, two large and breathtakingly beautiful characters meaning “agree” * flowed onto the rice paper from the tip of his brush.

人群里发出啧啧的惊叹声。有人大声嚷道：“请再写几个！”

The amazed crowd murmured in admiration. “A few more, please!” someone shouted.

高局长循声望去，面露难色地说：“不写了吧——能写好的就数这两个字……”

Gao looked up in the direction of the voice and said in embarrassment, “I’d better stop here. Those are the only two characters I write well.”

* “Agree” is a word used as an acknowledgement of approval by a Chinese official on any official document, such as reports, applications and petitions.

（黄俊雄 译）