Peach Blossom Story Worksheet Full Version

classical Chinese

In the middle of Taiyuan in the Jin Dynasty, the people of Wuling were engaged in fishing. He was travelling along a stream, forgetting the distance of the road. Suddenly, he came across a peach blossom forest several hundred paces along the bank, with no trees, beautiful grasses, and colourful flowers, which surprised the fisherman. The fisherman was very surprised. He went forward again and wanted to reach the forest.

Translation in vernacular language

In the year of Taiyuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there was a man from Wuling who fished as a profession. He was travelling along a stream, forgetting the distance. Suddenly, he came across a peach blossom forest, a few hundred paces away from each other on both sides of the river, where there were no other trees, the weeds were fragrant and beautiful, and the peach blossoms were falling in abundance, which made the fisherman feel very strange. The fisherman found it very strange. He went further and tried to reach the end of the forest.

classical Chinese

When the forest was exhausted, there was a mountain with a small opening, which seemed like a light. So I left my boat and entered through the opening. At first, it was very narrow, but it was only passable to people. After a few dozen paces, the land opened up to the world, with open fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, bamboo trees, roads, and the sound of dogs and chickens. The people who came and went to work there were dressed like outsiders. They have yellow hair and tufts of hair, and are happy to be there.

Translation in vernacular language

At the end of the peach blossom forest, at the source of the stream, the fisherman saw a mountain. There was a small hole in the mountain, which seemed to have a bright light. The fisherman abandoned his boat and went through the cave. The cave was at first narrow enough for a man to pass through, but a few dozen steps further on, it suddenly became wide and bright. The land was flat and vast, with neat houses, fertile fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, bamboo trees and the like. The paths through the fields were crisscrossed with paths that led in all directions, and the sound of chickens crowing and dogs barking could be heard by everyone. Men and women came and went to plough in the fields, and their clothes were all the same as those of the people outside. The old people and the children were all happy and joyful, enjoying themselves.

classical Chinese

When he saw the fisherman, he was surprised and asked where he came from. He asked him where he came from, and he answered him. He was about to return to his home, where he made wine and slaughtered chickens for food. When the villagers heard about this man, they came to inquire about him. He said that his ancestors had come here to escape the chaos of the Qin Dynasty, and that he had brought his wife and people to this desperate place, and that he had never left it again, and that he had been separated from the rest of the world. He asked what time it was now, but he didn't know that there was a Han Dynasty, regardless of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. He told them all what he had heard, and they all sighed. The rest of the group returned to his home and offered him wine and food. After a few days, they left.

Translation in vernacular language

The villagers were very surprised to see the fisherman and asked him where he came from. The fisherman answered in detail. The villagers then invited him home, set up a banquet, killed chickens and cooked for him. When the villagers heard that there was such a man, they all came to ask for information. They themselves said that their ancestors had fled the war in the Qin Dynasty and brought their wives, children and neighbours to this isolated place where they would never go out again, and so they had cut off all contact with the outside world. They asked what dynasty it was now, but they didn't even know there was a Han dynasty, let alone the Wei or Jin dynasties. The fisherman told them in detail what he had heard, and the villagers all sighed with regret. The rest of the villagers invited the fisherman to their homes, and offered him food and wine. The fisherman stayed for a few days and left.

classical Chinese

As the Chinese saying goes, "It is not enough to be told to outsiders". When I left the city, I was given a boat, and I helped him on his way. When he arrived at the county, he went to the governor's office and told him so. The governor then sent his men to follow him, and when he found the boat, he lost his way and could not find his way again. Liu Ziji of Nanyang, a noble scholar, heard of him and was glad to go there. When he did not succeed, he died of illness. Thereafter, no one asked for help.

Translation in vernacular language

The people in the Peach Blossom Garden said to the fisherman, "It's not worth telling the people outside what's going on here." When the fisherman came out, he found his boat and went back along the old road, marking it everywhere. When he arrived at the county town, he met the governor and reported the situation. The governor immediately sent his men to follow him to look for the marks he had made, but they got lost and could no longer find the way to the Peach Blossom Garden. Liu Zi Ji, a native of Nanyang, was a hermit with high aspirations. When he heard about this, he happily made plans to go there. But his plan did not materialise and he died soon after due to illness. After that, there were no more visitors.