何為

何為

1. (literary) what is
2. (literary) do what

何為

1. (literary) why

   • 裴楷往弔之，籍散髮箕踞，醉而直視。楷弔唁畢便去，或問楷：「凡弔者，主哭，客乃爲禮。籍既不哭，君何爲哭？」楷曰：「阮籍既方外之士，故不崇禮典。我俗中之士，故以軌儀自居。」 [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     裴楷往吊之，籍散发箕踞，醉而直视。楷吊唁毕便去，或问楷：「凡吊者，主哭，客乃为礼。籍既不哭，君何为哭？」楷曰：「阮籍既方外之士，故不崇礼典。我俗中之士，故以轨仪自居。」 [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 648 CE, Fang Xuanling (lead editor), Book of Jin

     Péi Kǎi wǎng diào zhī, Jí sànfà jījù, zuì ér zhíshì. Kǎi diàoyàn bì biàn qù, huò wèn Kǎi: “Fán diào zhě, zhǔ kū, kè nǎi wéi lǐ. Jí jì bù kū, jūn héwèi kū?” Kǎi yuē: “Ruǎn Jí jì fāng wài zhī shì, gù bù chóng lǐdiǎn. Wǒ sú zhōng zhī shì, gù yǐ guǐyí zìjū.”

     When Pei Kai went to offer his condolences he found Ruan Ji in a squatting position with his hair spreading down across his shoulders, drunkenly gazing with steady eyes. Kai left soon after and when someone asked him why he was in tears, since a condoling friend would normally not cry before the mourner does so, he said: “Ruan Ji is a man who lives outside convention, so he does not pay attention to ritual and rites. As for me, I am a man who lives according to such ways, which is why I act according to the rules.”

   • 將天醜其德，莫之顧耶？何為乎不鳴其善鳴者也！ [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     将天丑其德，莫之顾耶？何为乎不鸣其善鸣者也！ [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: c. 802, Han Yu (韓愈),《送孟東野序》, translated by Charles Hartman

     Jiāng tiān chǒu qí dé, mò zhī gù yē? Héwèihū bù míng qí shàn míng zhě yě!

     Perhaps Heaven thought vile the virtues of these times and so did not regard them. Why otherwise would it not cause to sound forth those who could sing well?