钦赐四品老白丁

An Old Illiterate Conferred the Fourth Rank

清初年间,在宁海州(今牟平)聚仙乡(龙泉镇一带)虎山,有一周姓人氏,名振国,辞世后子孙为其立碑以志。碑文曰:“公行一,字启东,系应壁公孙,养德子也。而有功于吾家者,惟公之力居多。公小习诗文,未获一售。康熙初年,遨游京师,后欲出口,适皇上夏苗,遇公于柳荫下,与语说悦之。因钦赐四品职衔,朝议大夫之职管理皇木商事。而家遂以兴。吾祖之功,盖可忘乎哉!恐久而没灭,故志于碑阴,俾子孙得有所考云。”(碑现已不存)这则碑文引起了一个钦赐四品老白丁的传说。

In the Qing Dynasty in the Tiger Mountain in Juxian Town(in today's Longquan Town)of Ninghaizhou(today's Muping)there was a person named Zhenguo in the Zhou's family.When he deceased,his offspring set up a monument in memory of him.The inscription on the monument said:Xingyi,Qidong in his courtesy name,is a grandson of Yingbi and son of Yangde.Among all those who contribute to our family,he excelled.He studied poetry from his early childhood and had no opportunity to display his talents.