深不可測(The water here must be so deep that
it cannot be measured.)
中國的明王朝有一個著名的文學家，他的名字叫做袁宏道(西元1568-西元1610)。他到過很多地方而且他寫下了在這些地方的遊歷記錄，這些遊歷記錄中有一篇的大概意思如下。
他到了現在中國浙江省的紹興市的一個著名的景點，這個景點的名字叫做(吼山)，這個地方在中國古代是一個重要的採石場。
我們先到這個採石場的後邊，我們看到一片大約高180公尺的山壁，整個山壁上都是斧頭開鑿的痕跡，我們感覺到十分的新奇。
接著我們去參觀古代是採石場的山洞，中國古代的工匠們向地下開鑿了不知道多深，取出許多這邊特產的石頭之後，由於荒廢很久的，這些地下的通道中全部積滿的水，所以進去這個山洞需要搭船進去，我們搭在船上看著船邊那一大潭深黑色的水，我們認為這邊的水深一定深到我們無法測量的程度。
搭著船進入這個古代的巨大採石場後，我們驚奇的發現裡面的空間非常的大，我們看到每個幾公尺就有一根巨大的石柱像是房子的柱子一樣支撐著這個空間，我們沿著水道彎彎曲曲地地向前慢慢的划行，我們看到頭頂那些奇怪的岩石，我們看到有些地方流水下來像是瀑布一樣，由於潭水實在太深了，所以船夫無法使用竹篙來控制船的方向，每次船要轉彎的時候，船就會激烈的震盪，我們做在船上的每個人都緊張到兩腿發抖。
我們進到洞穴的深處之後，命令船夫把船停在一片石壁下有實地可以下船的地方，我們下船後繼續在這個洞穴裡面玩了很久。
離開這個洞穴之後，我們還去附近看了一間老房子，這間老房子是我一個名字叫做陶望齡(1562—1609)的好朋友年輕時住過的地方，這間房子四周圍的環境非常的幽靜，但是已經好幾年沒人住了，門外的草都已經長得快比人還高了。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是這邊的水深一定深到我們無法測量的程度。
這句成語後來衍伸形容一個事情或一個道理極為深奧與難懂。
這句成語後來衍伸形容一個人人的心思或意圖非常深，這個人的心思與意圖讓他人無法猜透
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你去旅遊時會寫下你的心情記錄嗎?你曾經去過那個特別的地方旅行呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為袁宏道-解脫集-卷3
https://www.shidianguji.com/zh/book/CADAL02101066/chapter/1lb54w7d5idym?version=3
The water here must be so deep that it
cannot be measured.(深不可測)
During the Ming dynasty in China, there was
a famous writer named Yuan Hongdao (1568–1610). He travelled widely and wrote
travelogues. One of these roughly translates as follows:
He arrived at a famous scenic spot in
Shaoxing City in China's Zhejiang Province called Houshan (吼山). This place was an important quarry in ancient China.
We first went to the back of the quarry,
where we saw a 180-metre-high mountain wall covered in axe marks. We found this
fascinating.
Next, we visited an ancient quarry cave.
Ancient Chinese craftsmen had excavated to an unknown depth, extracting many
local stones. Due to long-term abandonment, the underground passages were now
filled with water, meaning we had to take a boat to access the cave. Standing
on the boat and looking at the large, dark pool beside us, we assumed the water
here must be so deep that it cannot be measured.
After entering the vast quarry, we were
amazed by its immense size. Every few metres, we saw massive stone pillars
supporting the space, much like the pillars in a house. We slowly paddled along
the winding waterways, passing strange rocks overhead and seeing waterfalls
cascading down in some places. The pool was so deep that the boatman couldn't
use a bamboo pole to steer the boat. Every time we turned, the boat shook
violently and everyone on board trembled with tension.
After entering the depths of the cave, we
asked the boatman to stop at a spot under a rock wall so that we could disembark.
We then spent a long time exploring the cave.
After leaving the cave, we visited an old
house nearby. This was the house of a good friend of mine, Tao Wangling
(1562–1609), in his youth. The surroundings were very quiet, but the house had
been uninhabited for several years and the grass outside the door was almost as
tall as a person.
This idiom literally means that the water
here is so deep that it cannot be measured.
This idiom later came to describe something
extremely profound and difficult to understand.
It also came to describe someone whose
thoughts or intentions are very deep, making them unfathomable to others.
Dear friend, what inspiration or insights
did you gain from this story?
Do you ever write down your feelings when
you travel? What special places have you travelled to?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.