Classical Prose
陋室铭
刘禹锡
山不在高，有仙则名。
水不在深，有龙则灵。
斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。
苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。
谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。
可以调素琴，阅金经。
无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形。
南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。
孔子云：何陋之有？
Translation
A mountain need not be high; if an immortal dwells there, it becomes famous. Water need not be deep; if a dragon is there, it becomes numinous. This is a humble room, but my virtue gives it fragrance. Moss marks climb green upon the steps; the color of grass enters the curtain in blue. Those who talk and laugh here are learned scholars; no uncultivated commoners come and go. Here one may tune a plain zither and read Buddhist scriptures. There is no noisy music to disturb the ears, no official paperwork to weary the body. It is like Zhuge Liang's cottage in Nanyang, or Yang Ziyun's pavilion in Western Shu. Confucius said: 'How could it be humble?'
Analysis
Inscription on a Humble Room is one of Liu Yuxi’s most famous short prose pieces. Though brief, it presents a complete statement of personal dignity: a dwelling may be materially poor, but it is not truly humble if the person within it possesses virtue, learning, and spiritual refinement. The opening lines use mountains and water as analogies. A mountain is not valuable simply because it is high; it becomes famous if an immortal lives there. Water is not powerful simply because it is deep; it becomes numinous if a dragon dwells in it. By this logic, a room is not defined by its size or luxury, but by the character of its inhabitant. ‘This is a humble room, but my virtue gives it fragrance’ is the central claim. Liu Yuxi admits that the room is physically simple, but insists that moral character transforms the space. The description of moss and grass creates a quiet, natural beauty — moss climbs the steps, green grass is reflected through the curtain. The social world of the room is also refined: the people who visit are learned scholars, not shallow or uncultivated guests. The daily activities are simple — playing a plain zither and reading Buddhist scriptures — suggesting quiet self-cultivation. ‘There is no noisy music to disturb the ears, no official paperwork to weary the body’ reveals the author’s rejection of bureaucratic fatigue. The references to Zhuge Liang’s cottage and Yang Xiong’s pavilion place the author within a tradition of great men living in simple dwellings. The final quotation from Confucius gives the piece its decisive ending: if a gentleman dwells there, how could it be humble? The enduring appeal of this piece lies in its hard clarity. It rejects the idea that status, wealth, or luxury determine human worth. A person’s dignity comes from virtue, learning, friendship, taste, and inner freedom.
About the Author
Liu Yuxi was a Tang dynasty poet, essayist, and thinker, courtesy name Mengde. He was from Luoyang and became involved in the Yongzhen Reform, after which he spent many years in political exile. Despite repeated setbacks, his writing often shows resilience, clarity, and intellectual strength. Bai Juyi praised him as a ‘hero of poetry.’ Liu Yuxi wrote across many forms, including historical poems, folk-style songs, philosophical poetry, and prose. His representative works include ‘Inscription on a Humble Room,’ ‘Black Robe Lane,’ ‘Reply to Bai Juyi at Our First Banquet in Yangzhou,’ and the ‘Bamboo Branch Songs.’