This family used to be a prestigious family. Grandfather Xu Chengjiu, an academician of Hongci in the 18th year of Kangxi, participated in compiling the Ming history.
Mr. Wang is born with a special talent. He is more knowledgeable and can remember more than ordinary people. From astronomy, geography, arithmetic, music, to the art of war, from sword to gun, to the strategy of attack and war, he learns everything and is better at medicine.
Whenever I see someone's illness, I can see through it and call my heart to talk to him. He took drugs, poisoned like ghosts and gods, conquered and seized the pass, just like Zhou Yafu's army fell from the sky.
The doctors were dazed and horrified, and Anshun obeyed. But no one has ever guessed the reason for his treatment.
Lu Xu's ploughing stone can't afford to get sick. He hasn't eaten or talked for six days, and his eyes are shining. Mr. Wang said: "This is a sign of the struggle between Yin and Yang."
Take a dose of medicine first, and then you can talk with your eyes closed; Give him soup again and jump out of bed. Kou praised me yesterday and said, "When I was seriously ill, two people, one red and one black, pestered me.
Suddenly, I saw the man in black being chopped to death by lightning. Soon, the man in red was taken away by the white tiger. What is the omen? "Mr. Wang said with a smile," Lightning strike is my eight-mile powder of aconite, and white tiger is my natural white tiger soup. "I was very surprised and thought he was a fairy.
The child in Zhang Yu Village was born without skin, and the people he saw would vomit and be ready to abandon him. Mr. Wang asked him to grind glutinous rice into powder and sprinkle it on the children.
Wrap him in silk, bury him in the soil, expose the child's head and feed him with milk. The skin healed in two days and two nights.
The stone man's wife suffers from rheumatic joint pain, and her leg hurts like a needle. Mr. Wang asked for a thick mattress and sent a strong old woman to hug her.
Warning: "Let her struggle, let her cry, don't relax, just sweat." As Mr. Wang said, no medicine.
There is a boxer who is boxing with others. At that time, his chest was injured, his breathing was cut off, and his teeth were clenched. Mr. Wang had him lying on his back and punched him three times. As a result, he vomited several liters of black blood.
Mr. Wang has a slender figure, a broad forehead, a Hong Zhong voice and a white beard. At first glance, he is an extraordinary person. When I was a teenager, I paid attention to the knowledge of governing the country and protecting the people, and I had a deep understanding of water conservancy in Southeast China.
In the second year of Yongzheng, the authorities vigorously dredged the river near the river bank, and planned to dig up to six feet deep near the river bank. Mr. Wang argued with the authorities: "Wrong! If you drive too deep, the cost is high and the silt is easy to silte up; When the soil near the river bank collapses, the river bank collapses easily. "
Dafu thinks that Mr. Wang's opinion is correct. Shallow, short, and leave the embankment to dig one foot and eight feet, which not only saves the cost, but also preserves the embankment body.
In the twenty-seventh year of Qianlong, floods occurred in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The Jiangsu provincial government will open 72 rivers in Zhenze to drain the lower reaches of Taihu Lake.
Mr. Wang argued again: "Wrong! Seventy-two rivers in Zhenze County are not downstream of Taihu Lake and should be dredged. The remaining 50 rivers are more than 200 miles long, calculated by the graves of houses on both sides of the strait.
If we want to dig hard, it will cost a lot and hurt people's hearts; Moreover, if you leave it open, you are afraid that the lake mud will flow back and clog. This should be a river port dredged by the people themselves, not a river port to be dug by the government. "
Su Fuhe gave his opinion to the court, and the emperor thought he was right. Therefore, the project of recruiting migrant workers with industry instead of tax has been completed, and the people are in dire straits.
Mr. Wang lives in seclusion in Huixi, in a short house only a hundred feet in size. There are thrush springs nearby, small bridges with flowing water and colorful pine and bamboo.
When you climb the stairs, you will see the strange peaks in Taihu Lake, which are listed and distributed like fish scales, and look like children and grandchildren arching to serve. Mr. Wang whistles and sings in this realm, hoping that he suspects that there are real people on the horizon.
His works include six books, such as Difficult Classics and the Origin of Medicine. Intercept the good books, eliminate the bad ones, analyze the context, save the correct ones, and point out the mistakes in ancient and modern medical books.
It has been circulating in society for a long time. His son's name is Horsey and Yucun. He is free and easy, and has the demeanor of a father. He can make people live and help others to do things, thus inheriting his father's career.
Sun Tzu Ming Yuan, Mao Yi Juren, studied poetry under my door. Zanwen said that the Book of Rites praised: moral achievement is the first, and artistic achievement is the second, which seems to value morality over skill.
I don't know about skill, but it is the essence of virtue. Morality does not exist, what are the skills? People only see Mr. Wang's superb medical skills, but they don't understand that he is very filial to his parents and loyal to his friends.
Bury the coffin, take out food to help the poor, build bridges and pave the way, and do whatever you see. This is to put morality first and then engage in the research of medical technology.
It is bound to reach the level of being handy and expelling ghosts and gods! Is it accidental? I still remember that in autumn in Xu Bing, my left arm suddenly bent and couldn't be straightened, and many doctors couldn't work. I sailed directly to Huixi, without being introduced, for fear that my husband might not pick me up.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the business card came in, I opened the door to greet them, shook hands like old friends, and prepared a food welcome. After chatting all day, I sent a pill of Dan medicine.
When his old friend Li Chunxi greeted him, he smiled and said, "It is your pleasure to be treated like this. If others come here to have a look, they will need ten gold coins. "
He is admired all over the world. My husband likes ancient prose but doesn't like stereotyped writing, which is in line with my usual intention, so I collected one of his satirical limericks and recorded it in my Suiyuan Poetry Garden to alert the world.
2. Mr Zhang Pingshan translated the classical Chinese. Mr. Zhang Pingshan has lived in seclusion in the mountains and leopards have lived in seclusion in forests and lakes.
Wear clothes made of cloth and shoes made of awn grass. I am not bound by the outside world, and I have never let my heart entangle with worldly things.
Usually I don't take pleasure in inviting guests, and I don't go to yamen. If the authorities want to get Mr. Wang's paintings, they must first visit his thatched cottage.
Thank you, sir. Once, a supervisor forced Yu Xiansheng to get his paintings, and Mr. Wang avoided him.
The director was very angry and wanted to slander him in a way that endangered the law. Mr. Wang waited there proudly.
The supervisor doesn't know what to do. When passing by relatives and friends' homes, people set up paper and ink in advance, and Mr. Wang sang while talking and drank a glass.
Draw a picture when you are in the mood. Anyone who asks for paintings from all over the world, if he is a person with elegant taste, will not refuse.
People who buy things with money will refuse. He once said: painting is for people with lofty ideals to communicate and play with pen and ink. How can money be used? "。
3. Dong Wenbing's Translation of Classical Chinese Biography Dong Wenbing's name is Yan Ming, the eldest son of Dong Jun. When his father died, Dong Wenbing was only 16 years old. He took several younger brothers to serve his mother Li Furen. Mrs. Ji is virtuous, strict in managing the family and good in teaching children. Dong Wenbing regards his mother as her husband. He is clever and good at memorizing and reciting. When he was young, he was like an adult. In the last year of B, he took over Gaocheng county magistrate by virtue of his father's position. Colleagues in the government are all from his father's time. They despise Dong Wenbing's youth, and even small officials are not afraid of him. Dong Wenbing listened to judgment and established his prestige with kindness. Soon, all the people in his column are willing to work under him. When the little official took the document for him to sign, he didn't dare to look up at him. Everyone inside admires him. The county is very poor, suffering from drought and locust plague, but the taxes are increasing day by day, and the people are struggling. Dong Wenbing used thousands of stones and millet at home to pay taxes on his behalf, and the government was able to let people go. The original county magistrate borrowed money from the people to collect military supplies, and the interest charged by the loan company doubled year by year, and the government returned the people with silkworms and wheat. Dong Wenbing said: "The people are very poor. As a county magistrate, I can't bear to see such a thing. I should pay the price for the people. " So he returned his land to the lender at a fixed price, registered the idle land in the county and let the poor cultivate it. So the diaspora gradually came back, and after a few years, the people were relatively rich. At first, the imperial court counted the population, and ordered that anyone who dared to conceal the truth would be executed and his property confiscated. Dong Wenbing let people live together, and the number of households decreased. Many people in the county government think this is inappropriate. Dong Wenbing said: "I am willing to convict the people." Some ordinary people are unwilling to do so. Dong Wenbing said, "They will thank me in the future." As a result, the tax revenue has been greatly reduced, and the people have become rich and have savings. If there are complaints from neighboring counties that can't be done, write to Dong Wenbing and ask him to make a ruling. Dong Wenbing once received a superior official, and people from neighboring counties gathered there to watch and said, "Dong County magistrate looks like a person, too. Why is he so decisive? " At that time, the government kept searching for the people's fat and paste, and Dong Wenbing refused to implement the official document. Some people speak ill of him to the state government, and some people in the state government want to slander and frame him. Dong Wenbing said: "I can't finally deprive the people of their personal interests." So he abandoned his official position and left.
If you have any questions, please ask me .. If you are satisfied, please adopt them by the way ~
Mr. Wan Chuan, a native of Yinxian County, is the eighth son of Hubulang. When I was young, I was disobedient and refused to go with my brothers. Most of what he passed on was incomplete and destroyed, and your brothers didn't value him. Wan Tai wanted to put him in a temple, but he was soon locked in an empty room because of his stubbornness. Wan Sitong secretly found dozens of books about Ming history on the shelf, and he liked reading very much. He finished reading them in a few days. He also found that there are all kinds of Confucian classics, and he has finished reading them. After being released, I often follow my brothers and listen to their discussions. One day, his eldest brother Vance gave a lecture, and Si Tong also wanted to attend. Big brother smiled and said, "What do you know?" Stone replied, "I can do it easily when I see what your brothers have done." Big brother was surprised to hear him say this, and said, "In that case, I will test you." Therefore, the examination questions of Confucian Classics (a kind of imperial examination subject, with Confucian Classics and sentences as the topics, and the examinee's composition to clarify the meaning) were mixed together to test him, and there were many confusing words, but he finished it quickly. My brother was very surprised. He held the test paper in tears and said to Wan Tai, the home secretary, "I almost delayed my brother." Wan Tai, the head of the household department, was also surprised and said, "I almost delayed my son." From this day on, I bought Wan Sitong new clothes and shoes. Send it to a private school. A year later, he was sent to Mr. Lizhou for consultation and study, and he sat first in the class. Mr. Wang reads ten lines at a glance, like a sea bursting its banks. But he can stick to the admonition of his ancestors, saying that useless books need not be read and useless articles need not be written. Therefore, although Mr. Wang has no books to read, he can understand the overall situation.
In the Wuwu year of Kangxi, the emperor sent a letter to recruit talents, and the governor of Zhejiang, Xu Hongxun, recommended Mr. Wang, but he strongly refused and had to give up. In the second year, the government set up a history museum to compile the History of Ming Dynasty, and Mr. Xu was invited by the University of Kunshan to compile it. At that time, the History Bureau recruited all the bachelors and gave them seven salaries, which were called editors of the Imperial Academy. The bachelors wanted to apply for seven salaries for him, but Mr. Xu asked to work in the Historical Bureau as a civilian without any official position and salary, and the president agreed to him. After each editor's manuscript is written, it is sent to Mr. Wang for retrial. After reviewing it, Mr. Wang said to the staff: if there is something on a page of a book, it should be added; If there is something on a page of a book, it should be corrected. They did what Mr. Wang said, and there was no problem. All 500 volumes of the Draft of Ming History were examined and approved by Mr. Wang himself. Although not all the later drafts of Ming History Draft were originally approved by Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang's drafts were concise enough to be a book. When Mr. Wang first arrived in the capital, people thought his major was history. When Assistant Minister Xu of Kunshan was in mourning, Mr. Xu talked about "mourning" with him, only to know that Mr. Xu had profound attainments in Confucian classics, so Assistant Minister Xu asked Mr. Xu to compile more than 200 volumes of Five Rites. At that time, there were many talents in Beijing, each with his own strengths, and Mr. Wang was the most elegant and indifferent. However, from princes and nobles to scholars all over the world, he is called Mr. Wan, while Mr. Wang only takes "Buyi" as his signature and never uses other titles.
Mr. Wang is gentle and elegant, but he is honest and frank at heart. The former overseer's in-laws are now in important positions, asking the history museum to be more tolerant of the overseer. Mr. Wang listed his crimes one by one and told him. An official escorting food expenses died on the road because he gave up escorting and fled. The official's grandson listed his grandfather among those who died in the line of duty by asking for bribes. Mr. Wang reprimanded him and drove him away. The life of Qian Zhongjie's eldest son is very difficult. Mr. Qian tried to find him a job, but he didn't succeed in the end, but Mr. Qian enjoyed it. The sons of assistant minister Feng Jizhong, a friend of Mr. Wang's father, were trapped in the house. Mr. Wang redeemed them and let them go home. Mr. Wang didn't show off or make a public statement. He especially likes to reward the younger generation for fear of losing anything. He expressed his thoughts again and again in lectures (teaching forms, academic debates). It turned out that he was personally practicing the way of a gentleman. After his death, his student posthumous title called him "Wen Zhen".
Jia Hu bought a stone translated in classical Chinese. Jiangning has the Western Regions (1). Jia Hu (2) saw some stones offered by others and wanted to buy them. Where is the number? The owner has high value and hasn't sold it yet. One day, I washed and ground it, hoping to raise its price. Tomorrow, Jia Hulai exclaimed, "It's a treasure, it's useless! There are twelve holes in the stone pillar. At twelve o'clock, there are (3) red dragonflies on it. After the net is built, the net in front disappears, which is a natural sundial. " What's the use now that it's worn out? "Go regardless.
translate
A businessman from the western regions in Jiangning saw a stone on the floor of a family and wanted to buy it. Merchants from the western regions have been here several times, but the owner of the stone deliberately raised the price of the stone, so it has never been sold. One day, the owner of the stone washed and polished it, hoping to increase its value. The next day, businessmen from the western regions came and said in surprise, "This is a very precious thing, but it's a pity that it's worthless now! There are twelve holes in the stone. According to twelve o'clock, every hour, there are red spiders weaving webs on it. After the last one is tied, the first one disappears immediately. This is a natural sundial. Now that the spiders are worn out, what's the use? " The merchants in the western regions left without looking back.
(1) Western Regions: In ancient times, it generally referred to neighboring countries in western China, including countries established by ethnic minorities in western China.
(2) Jia: Businessman.
(3) Hu: refers to foreign countries or ancient ethnic minorities in China.
(4) Count: How many times?
5. Hope
(6) Red pheasant: a long-legged red spider, which refers to something naturally formed on a stone like a red pheasant.
6. Read the original and translation of the classic Chinese Jing Hanru's Biography of Song History Jing Hanru-translation 1, original: Jing Hanru, Jizhou Xindu.
Father's base, palace order. I am a scholar, I am a rogue, and I, Zhao Feng and Zhang Qi are thieves.
In Jintianfu, the leader is john young, and Zhao Yanshou, the prince of Yan, is entrusted, so he can take charge of the army. At the end of the shipment, Yanshou entered Bian Shi from Deguang, the master of Qidan, and served as the secretariat of Hanru and Mizhou.
At the beginning of Han Dynasty, Shannan East Road was changed to March Sima. At the beginning of the week, in order to lead the government, please serve the court, and poverty cannot be shaken.
At the beginning of his virtue, Sejong bravely spoke out and killed those who didn't have to die because he wanted Xiao samurai. Li Yanjie, the general manager, had heard of Confucianism, so he called him to the company and ordered him to recruit all the students.
Recruit Taiyuan, and order Han Ru to lead three thousand soldiers into the enemy's territory first. The lack of Confucianism made people rush to Taiyuan City and burned its east gate.
He is in charge of crane crossbowmen and big sword. Since Pingnan, he was appointed as the secretariat of Gwangju, and Taizhou was changed to the garrison ambassador, who was also the governor of Shu and Qi.
In four years, at the beginning of Taizhou, I really worshipped the secretariat and served as the supervisor of Hailing and Yancheng. In March next year, Sejong was lucky in Taizhou, taking Han Confucianism as the training ambassador and giving him a gold belt, silverware and pommel horse.
In the spring of the sixth year of Jian 'an, Ai Yi Que, a military attache, requested to remain in office and was praised by Emperor Gong. At the beginning of Jianlong, Zhengzhou was promoted to defense, and with the help of Han Confucianism, it was changed to the jurisdiction of Jinzhou military forces.
With courage and underestimating the enemy, Han Confucianism tried to ride deep into Jin territory. Many people can't close the wall and gain a lot. In the winter of that year, more than 1,000 riders were collected, and they arrived at the gates of Fenzhou, burning down its grass market, and the case soldiers retreated.
On the night of entering Beijing, Liu Jun sent general Hao Guichao to lead more than 10,000 people to attack Han Confucianism and arrived at dawn. In order to conquer your country, Han Confucianism sent the commander-in-chief and carpet lieutenant of Yan State to divide their troops.
Han Rujin's robe is wrapped in armor, and he enjoys a scholar according to his bed. This just cut off the sheep's arm, and Yan Wen went into a small place, that is, mounted his horse and ordered the soldiers to make a thief. How can people save their lives, but they are still fighting, killing more than a dozen people with their bare hands, and all of them are killed.
Liu was afraid of the courage of Han Confucianism, and often wanted to live. When he heard of his death, he demanded that Han Confucianism be killed. Mao deeply regretted this and appointed his son Shouxun as the deputy envoy of Xijing Wude.
Because Tu Yuan couldn't do it, Ci Zhou Yong Ying ordered Wang Jixun to lead the government and Yan Lingdian, and beheaded his subordinate Long Jie to command Shi Jinde and other 29 people. Confucianism is not interested in money, but generous to charity.
In Taizhou, there is the advantage of cooking in the sea, with an annual income of tens of thousands. It's not enough to use it alone. The wealth of a family is recorded, and its quantity is not asked.
Zhang is a knighted official. He was a native of Taizhou and said that he was the son of Zhang in the later Tang Dynasty. Han Ru said, "I have heard about Zhang Te's fame all my life, but I am fortunate to know his son.
"Gift, leave money five hundred thousand, meters thousand welcome. Although Chinese Confucianism does not know books, it is a good gift to meet Confucian scholars.
Scholar Zhao Baoyu went to visit Hailing. Han Confucianism asked him what he wanted, and Bao Yong was going back to Beijing. It is said that Jiang Kui's business was profitable.
Han Ru immediately told his master to hide slaves and asked him to take more than 4,200 yuan from Tibetan silks. He did everything with it. However, he is brave and good at fighting, regardless of the outcome.
I often want to level Taiyuan, but my ambition is unsuccessful and I am defeated. Everyone cherishes it. Yan Fu, the brother of Han Confucianism.
Yan fu's grandchildren. The original text and translation of A Biography of Confucian Scholars in the Song Dynasty —— Translation 2. Translation: Jing Hanru is a native of Xindu, Yizhou.
Father Jingji, the official is Wang Zhai Ling. Jing Hanru didn't have Xiu De when he was young, and he became a bandit with Zhao Feng and Zhang Jian.
During the Tianfu period at the end of Jin Dynasty, they came to Fanyang together to take refuge in Zhao Yanshou, the prince of Yan, who was in charge of Zhao Yanshou's Qin Bing. At the end of the shipment, Liu Yanshou entered Bianzhou with Yelvdeguang, the monarch of Qidan, and temporarily appointed Jing Hanru as the secretariat of Mizhou.
In the early years of the later Han Dynasty, Ren Shannan East Road marched on Sima. In the early years of the late Zhou Guangshun, the official position led the official rate, and he could attend court meetings, but his life was difficult.
In the early years of Xiande, after Zhou Shizong fought Yu Gaoping, he killed the general who didn't listen to his orders, and he searched for warriors. General manager Li Yanjie recommended Jing Hanru, and Emperor Sejong summoned Jing Hanru and appointed him as the conscription commander.
When fighting in Taiyuan, Sejong ordered Jing Hanru to lead 3000 infantry into enemy territory first. Han Ru ordered the soldiers to attack Taiyuan with supplies and burn the east gate of Taiyuan.
Because of his outstanding military exploits, he was promoted to Crane crossbowmen, commander in chief of Sword. After Sejong pacified Huainan, he served as the secretariat of Gwangju, later as the secretariat of Taizhou, and as the commander of Cai Xia's defense, and also served as the patrol history of Shu and Qi States.
In the fourth year of Xiande, Taizhou has just been captured, and Jing Hanru really worships Taizhou secretariat and concurrently serves as the envoy of Hailing and Yancheng. In March of the following year, Sejong visited Taizhou, appointed Jing as the ambassador, and gave him a gold belt, silverware and pommel horse.
In the spring of the sixth year of Xiande, the elders of the civil and military officials visited the emperor and asked Jing Hanru to stay in Taizhou. Later, the Duke of Zhou issued a letter to commend him. In the early years of the Stegosaurus in the Northern Song Dynasty, Jing Hanru was promoted to Zhengzhou's defense, with Jing Hanru as the defense envoy and transferred to Jinzhou's military forces.
Jing Hanru prides himself on being brave and despises the enemy. He once led the cavalry deep into the territory of the late Jin Dynasty, but most of the enemies were unable to leave the city, and Jing Hanru led the troops to capture a lot. This winter, Jing Hanru arrived in Fenzhou with more than 1000 cavalry, burned the grassland of 8 Jin Army and led the way.
That night, Jing Hanru led an army to camp in Beijing Tuyuan. Liu Jun sent general Hao Guichao to attack Jing Hanru with more than 10,000 military forces and arrived at Beijing Tuyuan at dawn. The commander-in-chief of the Confucian school in Beijing and Han Dynasty and the deputy envoy of the carpet divided their forces to resist Hao Guichao.
Wearing brocade robes and armor, Jing Hanru sat on the Hu bed to boost morale. He is cutting a leg of lamb, and he is very full. It was said that Yan led his troops to retreat a little, so he mounted his horse and led his troops to kill him. Many enemy troops attacked him together, but Jing Hanru still kept fighting and killed more than a dozen people himself, thus being killed.
Liu Jun has been afraid of Jing Hanru's bravery and wants to capture him alive. When he heard about Jing Hanru's death, he found out who killed Jing Hanru and killed them. Song Taizu deplored the death of Jing Hanru and promoted his son Jing Shouxun to be the ambassador of Xijing Wude.
In order to hunt down those who didn't fight hard in the battle between Beijing and Turkey, Wang Jixun was demoted to be the leader of the temple, and 29 people, including Shi Jingde, the commander of Longjing under Jing Hanru, were killed. Jing Hanru despises property and helps others.
When he was in Taizhou, he earned sea salt and his annual income was amazing. The emperor granted him 80% salt tax, which was still not enough for other purposes. The income of wealth and goods at home is recorded, but the amount used is not counted.
Zhang once went to Taizhou, claiming to be the son of Zhang in the later Tang Dynasty. Jing Hanru said, "I have only heard of Zhang Tejin's name in my life, and finally I have the honor to know his son."
Be generous to him and send him 500,000 yuan. 1000 Welcome rice. Jing Hanru is illiterate, but he likes to be polite to Confucian scholars.
Jinshi Zhao Baoyu failed the exam and swam across Hailing. Jing Hanru asked him about his plans, and Zhao Baoyong told him that he planned to go back to Beijing. It is also said that Quewu (official signing) in Yuanjiang has huge profits by exchanging silk for tea.
Jing Hanru immediately called the servant in charge of the warehouse and told him to store all the silk in the warehouse, with more than four thousand taels.
7. China classical exotic stone Original: the first year of Zhiping in Changzhou, Yu Ri; The sky is full of thunder, but it is a big star, which can be seen in the southeast for several months. Sometimes it will shake again and move southwest. Another earthquake struck Xu Shiyuan, a citizen of Yixing County. You can see it from far and near, and the fire shines in the sky, and all the fences in Xu Shi have been burned. It was a big fire, and there was something the size of a cup underground, which was very deep. At first glance, the stars shone in it and it was hot for a long time. It is as heavy as it is. Zhou Shouzheng reached out and sent it to Jinshan Temple in Runzhou. So far, it has been hidden in a box and visitors will see it when they arrive. Wujiu Wang spread it in detail. In the first year of Zhiping, when the sun was about to set in Changzhou, a loud thunder sounded in the sky. It turned out to be a big star, almost like the moon, appearing in the southeast. Soon it sounded like thunder and moved southwest. It rang again, and the fences of the Xu family caught fire. At this time, the fire was put out, and I saw a deep hole as big as a cup on the ground. Looking down, the stars gave out a faint light in the hole, and it took a long time to get dark, but it was too hot to get close. It took a long time to start digging this hole. When I dug more than three feet deep, I dug up a round stone, which was still hot, the size of a fist, with a slightly sharp end and an iron color.