獨步

獨步

1. (literary, figurative) to be peerless

   • 歐陽文忠公嘗謂晉無文章，惟陶淵明《歸去來》一篇而已；余亦以為唐無文章，唯韓退之《送李愿歸谷序》一篇而已。平生欲效此作，每執筆輒罷。因自笑曰：“不若且放，教退之獨步。” [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     欧阳文忠公尝谓晋无文章，惟陶渊明《归去来》一篇而已；余亦以为唐无文章，唯韩退之《送李愿归谷序》一篇而已。平生欲效此作，每执笔辄罢。因自笑曰：“不若且放，教退之独步。” [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: circa late 11th century, Su Shi,《跋退之送李愿序》(Postscript to Farewell to Li Yuan as He Returns to the Valley)

     Ōuyáng wénzhōnggōng cháng wèi Jìn wú wénzhāng, wéi Táo Yuānmíng “Guīqù lái” yī piān éryǐ; yú yì yǐwéi Táng wú wénzhāng, wéi Hán Tuìzhī “Sòng Lǐ Yuàn guī gǔ xù” yī piān éryǐ. Píngshēng yù xiào cǐ zuò, měi zhíbǐ zhé bà. Yīn zì xiào yuē: “Bùruò qiě fàng, jiào Tuìzhī dúbù.” [Pinyin]

     Master Ouyang Wenzhong once remarked that the Jin dynasty produced no notable writings, with the sole exception being Tao Yuanming's Return to the Fields. I, too, believe that the Tang dynasty had no remarkable literature, with only Han Yu's Farewell to Li Yuan as He Returns to the Valley standing out. Throughout my life, I have wished to write a piece imitating this work, but every time I pick up my pen, I end up abandoning it. I then laugh to myself and say, “It’s better to let Han Yu remain unparalleled in this regard.”