内容概述
唐代著名数学家僧一行曾在嵩山学习，并以过目不忘的本领折服学者卢鸿。为学“大衍术”，他四处寻访名师。一天，他来到天台山国清寺，听见老和尚预言“今日当有弟子求吾算法”，并见到院中泉水西流。一行入门跪地求法，泉水随即东流，老和尚遂授其计算方法。故事借此说明古代求学数学之艰难，以及数学发现易于随发现者一同消失。
中文正文
23° 一行寻师
唐代最有名的数学家是僧一行，生活在公元 725 年前后，曾奉诏编制新历。他的著作都散佚了。在郑处诲《明皇杂录》（写于 855 年）中，有一行的简短生平。
僧一行，姓张氏，巨鹿人，本名遂。唐玄宗既召见，谓曰：“卿何能？”对曰：“唯善记览。”玄宗因诏掖庭，取宫人籍以示之，周览既毕，覆其本，记念精熟，如素所习读，数幅之后，玄宗不觉降御榻，为之作礼，呼为“圣人”。先是，一行既从释氏，师事普寂于嵩山。师尝设食于寺，大会群僧及沙门，居数百里者皆如期而至，且聚千余人。时有卢鸿者，道高学富，隐于嵩山，因请鸿为文，赞叹其会。至日，鸿持其文至寺，其师授之，置于几案上。钟梵既作，鸿请普寂曰：“某为文数千言，况其字僻而言怪，盍于群僧中选其聪悟者，鸿当亲为传授。”乃令召一行。既至，伸纸微笑，止于一览，复置于几上。鸿轻其疏脱而窃怪之。俄而群僧会于堂，一行攘袂而进，抗音兴裁，一无遗忘。鸿惊愕久之，谓寂曰：“非君所能教导也，当纵其游学。”一行因穷《大衍》。自此访求师资，不远千里。尝至天台国清寺，见一院，古松数十步，门有流水。一行立于门屏间，闻院中僧于庭布算，其声簌簌。既而谓其徒曰：“今日当有弟子求吾算法，已合到门，岂无人导达耶？即除一算。”又谓曰：“门前水合却西流，弟子当至。”一行承言而入，稽首请法，尽授其术焉。而门水旧东流，忽改为西流矣。邢和卜尝谓尹愔曰：“一行其圣人乎！汉之洛下闳造《大衍历》，云后八百岁当差一日，则有圣人定之。今年期毕矣，而一行造《大衍历》，正在差谬，则洛下闳之言信矣。”一行又尝诣道士尹崇，借杨雄《太玄经》，数日复诣崇还其书。崇曰：“此书意旨深远，吾寻之积年，尚不能晓。吾子试更研求，何遽见还也？”一行曰：“究其义矣。”因出所撰《大衍玄图》及《义诀》一卷以示崇，崇大嗟伏，谓人曰：“此后生颜子也。”
见玄宗皇帝之前，一行在嵩山跟普寂学佛法。在一次盛大聚会上，著名学者卢鸿写了一篇纪念文章。文章写得佶屈聱牙。他宣称，在场有谁能读懂它，他就收他做徒弟。一行走上前来，把文章扫过一遍，然后微笑着将它拿起来，卢鸿很生气。当一行把全文一字不差背诵出来时，卢鸿惊讶不已，告诉普寂说，这个学生你教不了，最好让他出游。
于是，一心要学“大衍术”的一行出山远游，四海寻师。一天，他来到天台山国清寺，寺前有一庭院，泉水叮咚。一行站在院中，听见寺内老和尚说，“今天有人来向我学计算之学。现在人应该在门外了，谁去领他进来？”接着，老和尚大声说，“院中泉水西流——我的学生该来了。”于是，一行走进来，跪在老和尚面前。老和尚便开始教他计算方法，而院中泉水立刻倒转东流。
这个故事说明那时要学数学是多么艰难，而数学发现又多么容易随发现者一起消失。
11 “大衍”问题源于《孙子算经》的“物不知数”问题：“今有物，不知其数，三三数之剩二，五五数之剩三，七七数之剩二，问物几何？”秦九韶在《数书九章》（1247 年成书）中对此类问题的解法作了系统的论述，称之为“大衍求一术”（“indeterminate analysis”）。现在我们知道这是一次同余式方程组的问题，而同余理论是高斯（C. F. Gauss）在 1801 年建立起来的。
英文正文
23° I-Hsing finds his teacher. The most famous of the Thang mathematicians was the monk I-Hsing, who flourished about 725 A.D., and who, by imperial order, once prepared a calendar. All of his books are lost. In the Ming Huang Tsa Lu of Cheng Chhu-Hui, written in 855, there is a brief account of I-Hsing's life.
It seems that before I-Hsing was introduced to the emperor, he had studied under Phu-Chu at Sung Shan. During an entertainment of monks there, a very learned member of the party, named Lu Hung, wrote an essay commemorating the meeting. In writing the essay, Lu Hung used very difficult words, and he announced that he would take as his pupil any student present who could read and understand the essay. I-Hsing stepped forward, glanced quickly through the essay, and then smilingly laid it down. Lu Hung was annoyed by I-Hsing's offhand manner, but when I-Hsing repeated the essay without a single mistake, Lu Hung was overcome and told Phu-Chu that this student was not one to be taught, but that he had better be allowed to travel.
So I-Hsing, wishing to study indeterminate analysis, traveled far and wide seeking an appropriate instructor. In time he came to the remote astronomical observatory at the Kuo Chhing Ssu temple, before which there was a courtyard with a spring flowing in it. As I-Hsing stood in the courtyard, he overheard an old monk inside the temple say, "Today someone will arrive to learn my mathematical art. Indeed, he should be at the door by now. Why doesn't someone bring him in?" Shortly the monk spoke aloud again, saying, "In the courtyard the waters of the spring are flowing westward—my student should be arriving." So I-Hsing entered the temple and knelt before the monk, who then and there began to teach the student his computing methods, whereupon the waters of the spring in the courtyard immediately turned and flowed eastward.
This story points up the difficulties of mathematical communication in those early days, and it shows how easily mathematical discoveries might die with the author.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
flourish音标/ˈflʌrɪʃ/
活跃于（某时期）。
原文用法：who flourished about 725 A.D.
imperial音标/ɪmˈpɪəriəl/
皇帝的；帝国的。
原文用法：by imperial order
commemorate音标/kəˈmeməreɪt/
纪念。
原文用法：wrote an essay commemorating the meeting
pupil音标/ˈpjuːpl/
学生；弟子。
原文用法：he would take as his pupil any student present
offhand音标/ˌɒfˈhænd/
漫不经心的；唐突的。
原文用法：I-Hsing's offhand manner
indeterminate analysis：不定分析；“大衍术”。原文用法：wishing to study indeterminate analysis
appropriate音标/əˈprəʊpriət/
合适的。
原文用法：seeking an appropriate instructor
overheard音标/ˌəʊvəˈhɪəd/
无意中听到（overhear 的过去式）。
原文用法：he overheard an old monk inside the temple say
whereupon音标/ˌweərəˈpɒn/
于是；随即。
原文用法：who then and there began to teach the student his computing methods, whereupon the waters … turned
point up：强调；突出。原文用法：This story points up the difficulties of mathematical communication
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：flourish
对应核心词汇：flourish。
辨析：flourish 指在某时期活跃成功；thrive 强调茁壮成长；prosper 多指经济或事业繁荣。
对应核心词汇：appropriate
对应核心词汇：appropriate。
辨析：appropriate 强调正式、得体；suitable 强调适合某种目的；fitting 强调与场合、身份相称。
常用短语与固定搭配
- by imperial order：奉皇帝诏令。原文用法：who, by imperial order, once prepared a calendar
- be introduced to：被引见给。原文用法：before I-Hsing was introduced to the emperor
- study under：师从。原文用法：he had studied under Phu-Chu at Sung Shan
- take as one's pupil：收为弟子。原文用法：he would take as his pupil any student present
- step forward：走上前来。原文用法：I-Hsing stepped forward
- without a single mistake：一字不差。原文用法：repeated the essay without a single mistake
- far and wide：四处；广泛地。原文用法：traveled far and wide seeking an appropriate instructor
- then and there：当场；立即。原文用法：who then and there began to teach the student his computing methods
常用句式
- Pattern: The most famous of … was …：……中最著名的是……。原文例句：The most famous of the Thang mathematicians was the monk I-Hsing…
- Pattern: …, whereupon …：……，于是……。原文例句：…who then and there began to teach the student his computing methods, whereupon the waters of the spring in the courtyard immediately turned and flowed eastward.
长难句解析
I-Hsing stepped forward, glanced quickly through the essay, and then smilingly laid it down.
- 主干：I-Hsing stepped forward, glanced through the essay, and laid it down.
- 修饰与从句：
- glanced quickly through 描述快速浏览； - smilingly 为方式状语，修饰 laid it down。
- 逻辑关系：三个连续动作构成并列谓语，表现一行的从容与自信。
This story points up the difficulties of mathematical communication in those early days, and it shows how easily mathematical discoveries might die with the author.
- 主干：This story points up the difficulties … and it shows how easily …
- 修饰与从句：
- of mathematical communication 修饰 difficulties； - in those early days 为时间状语； - how easily mathematical discoveries might die with the author 为宾语从句。
- 逻辑关系：用 and 连接故事的两个寓意，一是求学艰难，二是发现易逝。
语言使用特点
- 叙事中穿插历史与学术背景，如 indeterminate analysis、astronomical observatory；
- 使用 whereupon、then and there 等书面语增强历史感；
- 结尾用 point up 点明寓意，结构完整。
迁移练习
- 用 far and wide 写一句话，描述你或某人寻找某物的经历。
- 解释 point up 在文中的含义，并造句。
- 翻译：他走上前来，快速浏览了文章，然后微笑着把它放下。
点击展开参考答案
- （示例）She traveled far and wide to find the perfect gift for her grandmother.
- （示例）"Point up" means to emphasize or highlight. Example: The data points up the need for better education.
- He stepped forward, glanced quickly through the essay, and then smilingly laid it down.