西湖七月半，一無可看，止可看看七月半之人。看七月半之人，以五類看之：
There is nothing to see during the moon on West Lake [Hangchow]. All you can see are people who come out to see the moon. Briefly there are five categories of these holidaymakers.

其一，樓船簫鼓，峨冠盛筵，燈火優傒，聲光相亂，名為看月而實不見月者，看之。
First there are those who come out in the name of looking at the harvest moon but never even take a look at it: the people, who expensively dressed, sit down at gorgeous dinners with music in brightly illuminated boats or villas in a confusion of light and noise.
(第一類，（乘坐）有樓臺裝飾的游船，船上有樂器吹彈，戴著高冠，擺著盛大的酒席，燈光中歌妓表演，仆役侍候，歌聲與燈光交錯，迷人耳目，（這是）名義上是為了賞月而來但實際上并沒有看見月亮的一類人，可以看看這一類人；)

其一，亦船亦樓，名娃閨秀，攜及童孌，笑啼雜之，環坐露臺，左右盼望，身在月下而實不看月者，看之。
Secondly, those who do sit in the moonlight but never look at it: ladies, daughters of high families in boats and towers also handsome boys [homosexuals] who sit in open spaces and giggle and chatter and look at other people.
(第二類，也有坐在船上的，也有坐在樓上的，（有）名門的美女，大家的小姐，帶領著美貌的男孩，笑聲叫聲相雜，環坐在樓船的平臺上，看看左邊又望望右邊，（這是）人雖在月亮下面卻實際上不看月亮的一類人，可以看看這一類人；)

其一，亦船亦聲歌，名妓閑僧，淺斟低唱，弱管輕絲，竹肉相發，亦在月下，亦看月而欲人看其看月者，看之。
Thirdly, boat parties of famous courtesans and monks with time on their hands who enjoy a little sip and indulge in song and flute and string instruments. They are in the moonlight, too, and indeed look at the moon but want people to see them looking at the moon.
(第三類，也有船，也有音樂歌聲，名妓助歡，閑僧佐談，慢慢地喝酒，輕輕地歌唱，蕭管低吹，琴瑟輕彈，樂器伴和著歌聲，也在月亮下面，（這是）自己賞月同時希望別人觀賞他賞月情狀的一類人，可以看看這一類人；)

其一，不舟不車，不衫不幘，酒醉飯飽，呼群三五，躋入人叢，昭慶、斷橋，囂呼嘈雜，裝假醉，唱無腔曲，月亦看，看月者亦看，不看月者亦看，而實無一看者，看之。
Fourthly, there are the young men, who neither ride nor go into boats, but after a drink and a good dinner, rush about in their rowdy dress and seek the crowd at Chaoching and Tuanchiao where it is thickest, shouting, singing songs of no known melody and pretending to be drunk. They look at the moon, look at the people looking at the moon, and also look at those not looking at the moon, but actually see nothing.
(第四類，不乘船也不坐車，不穿長衫也不戴頭巾，酒足飯飽（之后），叫上三五個人，擠進人群里，（去）昭慶寺、（過）斷橋，大叫大嚷（聲音）雜亂，假裝酒醉，唱歌沒有腔調，月亮也看，賞月的人也看，不賞月的人也看，但實際上（這是）什么也沒看的一類人，可以看看這一類人；)

其一，小船輕幌，凈幾暖爐，茶鐺旋煮，素瓷靜遞，好友佳人，邀月同坐，或匿影樹下，或逃囂里湖，看月而人不見其看月之態，亦不作意看月者，看之。
Lastly, there are those who hire a small boat, provided with a clay stove and a clean table and choice porcelain cups and pots, and who get into the boat with a few friends and their sweethearts; they hide under a tree or row out into the Inner Lake in order to escape from the crowd, and look at the moon without letting people see that they are looking at the moon and even without consciously looking at it.
(第五類，乘著帶有細薄帷幔的小船，（船上）有干凈的茶幾和溫暖的茶爐，一小鍋茶不久就煮好了，（用）雅潔精致的瓷茶杯靜靜地傳遞，好友美人，對著明月坐在一起，有的藏身于樹下，有的為逃避（外湖人多）喧鬧而躲入里湖，（他們在認真）賞月但別人卻看不到他們賞月的情態，（他們）也不是故意做作的賞月之人，可以看看這一類人。)

杭人游湖，巳出酉歸，避月如仇。是夕好名，逐隊爭出，多犒門軍酒錢，轎夫擎燎，列俟岸上。
The local Hangchow people come out on the lake, if they do at all, between eleven in the morning and eight in the evening, as if they had morbid fear of the moon. But on this night, they all come out in groups, in the hope of getting good tips. The sedan chair carriers line up on the bank.
(杭州人游西湖，巳時出城，酉時返回，躲避月亮好像（躲避）仇人似的。（他們）這天晚上（只是）熱衷于名聲，（才）跟隨（出游的）隊伍爭著出游，慰勞守門的軍士不少酒錢，轎夫舉著火把，排列在岸上等候。)

一入舟，速舟子急放斷橋，趕入勝會。以故二鼓以前，人聲鼓吹，如沸如撼，如魘如囈，如聾如啞。
The moment they get into a boat, they tell the boatman to hurry and row across to the Tuanchiao area, and get lost in the crowd, therefore in that area before the second watch [ten o'clock] the place is filled with noise and music bands in a weird, boiling confusion, like a roaring sea or a landside, or a nightmare, or like Bedlam let loose, with all the people in it rendered deaf and dumb for the moment.
(（游人）一進到船里，（便）催促船夫趕快駛向斷橋，（為了）趕上盛大的集會。因為（這個）緣故，在二更之前,眾人的吵嚷聲，器樂的合奏聲,（是那樣的喧鬧嘈雜，）好像水在沸騰，如有巨物震撼，又好像有人在夢中驚叫和說夢話一般，還好像聾子大聲說話和啞巴張口亂叫似的。)

大船小船，一齊湊岸，一無所見，止見篙擊篙，舟觸舟，肩摩肩，面看面而已。
Large and small boats are tied up along the bank, and one can see nothing except boats creaking against boats, punting poles knocking punting poles, shoulders rubbing shoulders, and faces looking at faces.

少刻興盡，官府席散，皂隸喝道去，轎夫叫，船上人怖以關門，燈籠火把如列星，一一簇擁而去。岸上人亦逐隊趕門，漸稀漸薄，頃刻散盡矣。
Soon the feasting is over, the officials leave, the yamen runners shout to clear the way, the sedan chair carriers scream for fare, the boatmen give warning that the city gates will soon be closed. A grand procession of torches and lanterns, with swarms of retainers passes on. Those on land also hurry to get into the city before the closing of the gate, and very soon almost the entire crowd is gone.
(無論大船、小船，一齊湊到岸邊，（人們）根本看不到美麗的景致，只是看見竹篙擊著竹篙，船觸著船，肩頭擦著肩頭，臉看著臉罷了。沒多久（人們的）游興（就）沒有了，官府的（官員們）酒罷席散，由差役們在前面吆喝開道，（接連）離去。轎夫召喚船上的游人，用城門即將關閉（晚了進不了城）來恐嚇他們，燈籠火把像排列的星星，一伙一伙地簇擁著離開了。在岸上的游人也跟隨著隊伍，（為的是）趕在城門關閉之前回到城中，（西湖這里）游人逐漸減少，不多時全都走光了。)

吾輩始艤舟近岸，斷橋石磴始涼，席其上，呼客縱飲。
Only then do we move the boat to Tuanchiao. The rocks have become cool by this time, and we spread a mat on the ground and invite ourselves to a great drink.

此時月如鏡新磨，山復整妝，湖復頮面，向之淺斟低唱者出，匿影樹下者亦出。
At this time the moon looks like a newly polished mirror, the hills appear draped in a new dress, and the face of lake is like a lady after a fresh make-up. Those who have been hiding themselves under a tree and enjoying a quiet sip come out now also.

吾輩往通聲氣，拉與同坐。韻友來，名妓至，
We exchange names and invite them to join us. There we have charming friends and famous courtesans;

杯箸安，竹肉發。月色蒼涼，東方將白，客方散去。吾輩縱舟，酣睡于十里荷花之中，香氣拍人，清夢甚愜。
Cups and chopsticks are in place, and songs and music begin, in the chilly dream world of moonlight. The party breaks up at dawn, and we get into the boat again and move it into the miles of lotus-covered surface, where we catch a nap in an air filled with its fragrance, and has a perfect sleep.
(我們這些人這才將船向岸邊靠攏,斷橋的石階開始變涼,（我們）在它的上面擺設酒席，招呼（同游）客人縱情暢飲。這時，天上的明月,好像剛磨出的鏡面；遠處的青山好像重新梳妝打扮過一般；眼前的湖面，好像剛洗過臉似的又恢復了平靜光潔，剛才慢慢地喝酒、輕聲歌唱的游人（從船中）出來了，藏身于樹下的游人也出來了，我們這些人過去跟他們互相招呼問答，拉過來跟（他們）一同閑坐。高雅的朋友來了，著名的歌妓到了，酒杯和棋子安置好了，樂器伴和著歌聲開始了。天上的月色（變得更加）幽涼，東方將要（露出）白光（天快亮了），客人才分散離去。我們這些人任船在湖面飄流，在十里的荷花叢里酣睡，花的香氣撲人，連做夢都感到清香，真是暢快舒服極了。)

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