Because I Was Curious, I Did Some Research.

Because I was curious, I did some research.

This is what I've found out:

The original poem in Chinese found in the Zhuangzi (莊子) is actually different.

According to this person it's about gambling and it doesn't involve archery at all.

https://hinative.com/questions/18387804

And in this other site https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1388219429174732660/answer/2945712756.html

the person who is answering used the word 赌博that means gamble, gambling. And their translation is similar to the one in the first link.

I'm not sure about the poem itself because it's written in classical chinese. This is why I also took the translation from different books.

But I think a more correct translation is the one from the first link:

'When gambling, a person who takes a tile as a bet can bet freely, for his only loss will be a tile even if he fails. A person who takes an expensive belt hook as a bet may tremble out of fear when betting, and one who takes gold as a bet will definitely be overwhelmed.'

'He who begins to value external factors too much becomes dull in his mind.'

Original text:

以瓦注者巧，以钩注者惮，以黄金注者殙。其巧一也，而有所矜，则重外也。凡外重者内拙。

Translation by Burton Watson:

When you’re betting for tiles in an archery contest, you shoot with skill. When you’re betting for fancy belt buckles, you worry about your aim. And when you’re betting for real gold, you’re a nervous wreck. Your skill is the same in all three cases— but because one prize means more to you than another, you let outside considerations weigh on your mind. He who looks too hard at the outside gets clumsy on the inside.

Translation by Martin Palmer:

In an archery competition, you shoot as skilfully as possible, hoping to win. If you compete to win decorated buckles, you are concerned with your aim. If you compete for gold, it can make you very nervous. Your skills are the same in all these cases, but because one of these is more significant than the others, this puts external pressure on you. To pay too much attention to such external things makes you thoughtless about the internal things.

'The need to win' was written by Thomas Merton. It's not a literal translation.

THE NEED TO WIN

When an archer is shooting for nothing

He has all his skill.

If he shoots for a brass buckle

He is already nervous.

If he shoots for a prize of gold

He goes blind

Or sees two targets—

He is out of his mind!

His skill has not changed. But the prize

Divides him. He cares.

He thinks more of winning

Than of shooting—

And the need to win

Drains him of power.

[xix. 4.]

This that follows is an extract to what is written in the note to the reader of his book 'The way of Chuang Tsu':

"The rather special nature of this book calls for some explanation. The texts from Chuang Tzu assembled here are the result of five years of reading, study, annotation, and meditation. The notes have in time acquired a shape of their own and have become, as it were, “imitations” of Chuang Tzu, or rather, free interpretative readings of characteristic passages which appeal especially to me. These “readings” of my own grew out of a comparison of four of the best translations of Chuang Tzu into western languages, two English, one French, and one German. In reading these translations I found very notable differences, and soon realized that all who have translated Chuang Tzu have had to do a great deal of guessing. Their guesses reflect not only their degree of Chinese scholarship, but also their own grasp of the mysterious “way” described by a Master writing in Asia nearly twenty-five hundred years ago. Since I know only a few Chinese characters, I obviously am not a translator. These “readings” are then not attempts at faithful reproduction but ventures in personal and spiritual interpretation."

Feel free to correct me, I'm still a student!! 🙇