A Biographical Sketch of My Grandfather Meng Jia， Chief Secretary to Grand General of Quenching the West in the Jin Dynasty
晋故征西大将军长史孟府君传
My late grandfather Meng Jia, alias Wannian, was bom in E County in the Jiangxia Prefecture. His great-grandfather Zong, acclaimed for his filial piety, was minister for public constructions in the state of Wu. His grandfather Ji was magistrate of Luling under the reign of Emperor Hui in the Jin Dynasty. Meng Zong was buried in Xinyang County, Wuchang Prefecture, where the descendents settled down and became natives of the county. Bereaved of his father at an early age, my grandfather supported his mother and two younger brothers. He married the tenth daughter of Tao Kan, Duke Huan of Changsha, posthumously entitled Dasima. She was lauded in the neighbourhood for her flawless piety and fraternity. My grandfather was held in high esteem among his peers in his twenties for his modesty and magnanimity. Guo Xun of the same prefecture, better known at that time for his virtuous conducts, spoke of my grandfather as gentile and broad-minded and ranked him above himself. Guo Xun，s cousin Guo Li, a man of intelligence and aspiration enjoying the same renown, used to hold my grandfather in high esteem. And so， my grandfather enjoyed a high fame not only in the prefecture but also in the capital area.
君讳嘉，字万年，江夏鄂人也。曾祖父宗，以孝行称， 仕吴司空。祖父揖，元康中为庐陵太守。宗葬武昌新阳县， 子孙家焉，遂为县人也。君少失父，奉母二弟居。娶大司马 长沙桓公陶侃第十女，闺门孝友，人无能间，乡闾称之。冲 默有远量，弱冠，俦类咸敬之。同郡郭逊，以清操知名，时 在君右，常叹君温雅平旷，自以为不及。逊从弟立，亦有才 志，与君同时齐誉，每推服焉。由是名冠州里，声流京邑。
The national military commander Yu Liang of Yingchuan held important posts for he was the emperor’s uncle and was popular among the people. When he stationed in Wuchang, he was also the military commander of Jiangzhou. He offered my grandfather the post of secretary in Luling. One day he received my grandfather, who had just returned to Wuchang. When he asked about the regional customs and the merits and shortcomings of the officials, my grandfather replied, “I don,t know. I shall ask my subordinates when I am back.” On hearing these words, Yu Liang burst into laughter behind the whisk. When all the secretaries were gone, he sent for his younger brother Yu Yi and said, “Meng Jia is a man of great virtue?，’ Withdrawn from Yu Liang's office, my grandfather gave up his post as a secretary and walked home at once. He enjoyed his family life at home with his mother and his brothers. A dozen days later, he was assigned the post of secretary to promote learning. He gave priority to setting up schools and selecting distinguished scholars to run them. As he was renowned and capable, he was fit for this job of cultivating moral cultivation.
太尉颍川庾亮，以帝舅民望，受分陕之重，镇武吕，并 领江州，辟君部庐陵从事。下郡还，亮引见，问风俗得失，对曰：“嘉不知，还传当问从吏。”焭以塵尾掩口而笑。诸 从事既去，唤弟翼语之曰：“孟嘉故是盛德人也。”君既辞 出外，自除吏名，便步归家。母在堂，兄弟共相欢乐，怡怡 如也。旬有馀R，更版为劝学从事。时亮崇修学校，高选儒 官，以君望实，故位尚德之举。
The imperial tutor Chu Bao from Henan, a man of honesty and intelligence, was prefect of Yuzhang. On an official visit to meet Yu Liang, they met the persons of importance in the prefecture on New Year’s Day, most of whom were men of distinction while my grandfather sat in the remote corner.
Chu Bao asked, 'i've heard there is a Meng Jia in Jiangzhou. Where is he?”
Yu Liang replied, “He’s seated among the guests. Try to locate him by yourself.”
Chu Bao looked around and pointed at my grandfather, asking Yu Liang, “Isn’t that the man?”
Yu Liang smiled with joy for Chu Bao's discernment of my grandfather. He thought that my grandfather caught Chu Bao's attention because he was excellent. Thereafter, he held my grandfather in greater esteem.
太傅河南褚褒，简穆有器识，时为豫章太守，出朝宗 亮。正旦，大会州府人士，率多时彦，君坐次甚远。褒问 亮：“江州有孟嘉，其人何在？”亮云：“在坐，卿但自 觅。”褒历观，遂指君谓亮曰：“将无是耶？”亮欣然而 笑，喜褒之得君，奇君为褒之所得，乃益器焉。
Afterwards, my grandfather was recommended for government service and was appointed as the secretary for personnel in the office of Yu Yi, General of Quelling the West. Then he served in turn as assistant in Jiangzhou, county official in Baqiu County and the advisor for Huan Wen, Grand General of Quenching the West.
举秀才，又为安西将军庾翼府功曹，再为江州别驾、巴 丘令、征西大将军谯国桓温参军。
Huan Wen held my grandfather in high esteem for his gentle disposition and upright character. On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, Huan Wen went on a pleasure trip to the Dragon Mountain in the company of all the advisors and assistants. His four brothers and two cousins were also present. His assistants were all dressed in military uniforms. It happened that a gale blew off my grandfather’s hat. Huan Wen winked at his subordinates and guests not to speak a word, hoping to see how my grandfather would behave in this embarrassing situation. My grandfather was not aware of the situation; after a while when he went to the washroom, Huan Wen ordered that the hat be picked up and returned to him. Sun Sheng from Taiyuan, official in charge of law and order and advisor to the Grand General, was present on the occasion. Huan Wen asked for pen and ink and told him to write a mild satire to tease my grandfather. When the essay was completed and handed to Huan Wen, he placed it on my grandfather's seat. When my grandfather came back to his seat and saw the essay, he asked for pen and ink to write something in return. Without a moment’s thinking, he wrote an extraordinary reply that filled everyone with admiration.
君色和而正，温甚重之。九月九日，温游龙山，参佐毕 集，四弟二甥咸在坐。时佐吏并著戎服，有风吹君帽堕落，温目左右及宾客勿言，以观其举止。君初不自觉，良久如 厕，温命取以还之。廷尉太原孙盛为谘议参军，时在坐，温 命纸笔，令嘲之。文成示温，温以著坐处。君归，见嘲笑而 请笔作答，了不容思，文辞超卓，四座叹之。
On a mission to the capital，my grandfather declined the offer of being an editor in the interior ministry. On hearing of his name, Emperor Mu of the Jin Dynasty granted him an audience in the east palace hall. When my grandfather made the excuse that he was unable to kneel or bow due to a pain in his feet, Emperor Mu decreed that my grandfather be supported into the palace hall.
奉使京师，除尚书删定郎，不拜。孝宗穆皇帝闻其名， 赐见东堂，君辞以脚疾，不任拜起，诏使人扶入。
My grandfather served as assistant for a period of time in Jiangzhou under Governor Xie Yong from Huiji. After his death, my grandfather set out to offer his condolences and passed by Yongxing County，where Xu Xun from Gaoyang，a man of intelligence who preferred to travel alone at his free will than serve in a government office, was sojourning. Upon hearing about this when he was on a boat tour, Xu Xun exclaimed, “I know all the distinguished scholars in the capital except this man. Is he Meng Jia from Zhongzhou? How is it that he is here?” When Xu Xun’s messenger came to make inquiries, my grandfather said to him, “I，d like to call on your master, but I have to call on him when I am back from my trip for the funeral.” On his return trip, he stayed in Xu Xun’s place for two nights. The two of them shared the same interests as if they had been old friends.
君尝为刺史谢永别驾。永，会稽人，丧亡，君求赴义， 路由永兴。高阳许询，宥隽才，辞荣不仕，每纵心独往，客 居县界，尝乘船近行，适逢君过，叹曰：“都邑美士，吾尽识之，独不识此人!唯闻屮州有孟嘉者，将非是乎？然亦何由 来此?”使问君之从者。君谓其使曰“本心相过，今先赴义，寻还就君。”及归，遂止信宿。雅相知得，有若旧交。
When he returned to his office，he served as secretary and was soon promoted as chief-of-staff. He fared well in his career because he was at the same time upright and compliant. There were no resident guests in his house. Whenever he was inspired, he would take a ride in high spirits to the Longshan Mountain to drink by himself and would not come back until it was dusk. Huan Wen once said to my grandfather in a casual manner, “Power is essential to a man. It’s because I have power that I can have you at my disposal."My grandfather died of illness at home at the age of fifty-one.
还至，转从事中郎，俄迁长史。在朝隙然，仗正顺而 已。门无杂宾，尝会神情独得，便超然命驾，径之龙山，顾 景酣宴，造夕乃归。温从容谓君曰：“人不可无势，我乃能 驾御卿。”后以疾终于家，年五十一。
From his childhood to the end of his life, my grandfather was always upright in action and scrupulous in speech, never affected by the gains and losses in his life. He was addicted to drinking, but never lost his posture even when he was overdrunk. He would give vent to his passions and let his imagination fly as if no one were beside him. On one occasion, Huan Wen asked my grandfather, “What is the good of drinking that you are so fond of it?” My grandfather answered with a smile, “It seems that you’ve never tasted the pleasure of drinking, sir!” When Huan Wen asked why string music was not so pleasant as the flute music while flute music was not so pleasant as the human voice, my grandfather answered, it's because the last is closest to nature.”
Luo Han, an official from Guiyang, wrote the following lines:“Scholar Meng was fond of wine,but never lost his head.”
始自总发，至于知命，行不苟合，言无夸矜，未尝有喜 愠之容。好酣饮，逾多不乱，至于任怀得意，融然远寄，傍 若无人。温尝问君：“酒有何好，而卿嗜之？”君笑而答 曰：“明公但不得酒屮趣尔！”又问听妓，丝不如竹，竹不如 肉，答曰：“渐近自然。”中散大夫桂阳罗含赋之曰：“孟生善酣，不愆其意。”
My uncle Tao Kui once asked Liu Dan, an official from Nanyang who had served under Huan Wen with my grandfather, “If Meng Jia were alive now, would he have attained a top position at court?” Liu Dan replied， “Naturally. He was endowed with such talents.” This shows what high esteem my grandfather held in his days.
光禄大夫南阳刘耽，昔与君同在温 府，渊明从父太常夔尝问耽：“君若在，当已作公否？”答 曰：“此本是三司人。”为时所重如此。
My mother was the fourth daughter of Meng Jia. The deep memory of my mother, which flows like the cool fountainhead described in “The Southern Breeze” of The Book of Poetry, often lingers in my mind. I have carefully collected incidents to compose this biography of my grandfather, but I am afraid that there might be errors that would impair the virtue of my grandfather. Therefore，I have acted with great care, as if on brink of cliff or as if on ice that scarce will bear.
渊明先亲，君之第四女也。《凯风》“寒泉”之思，实 钟厥心。谨按采行事，撰为此传。惧或乖谬，有亏大雅君子 之德，所以战战兢兢，若履深薄云尔。赞曰：“孔子称进德修业，以及时也。君清蹈衡门，则 令闻孔昭；振缨公朝，则德音允集。道悠运促，不终远业， 惜哉!仁者必寿，岂斯言之谬乎？