墨池在江西省临川县，相传是东晋大书法家王羲之洗笔砚处。曾巩饮慕王羲之的盛名，于庆历八年(1048)九月，专程来临川凭吊墨池遗迹。州学教授(官名)王盛请他为\"晋王右军墨池\"作记，于是曾巩根据王羲之的轶事，写下了这篇著名散文《墨池记》。名为《墨池记》，着眼点却不在\"池“，而在于阐释成就并非天成，要靠刻苦学习的道理，以此勉励学者勤奋学习。文章以论为纲，以记为目，记议交错，纲目统一，写法新颖别致，见解精警，确是难得之佳作。
临川之城东，有地隐然而高，以临于溪，曰新城。新城之上，有池洼然而方以长，曰王羲之之墨池者，荀伯子《临川记》云也。羲之尝慕张芝，“临池学书，池水尽黑。”此为其故迹，岂信然邪？
方羲之之不可强以仕，而尝极东方，出沧海，以娱其意于山水之间；岂其徜徉肆恣，而又尝自休于此邪？羲之之书晚乃善，则其所能，盖亦以精力自致者，非天成也。然后世未有能及者，岂其学不如彼邪？则学固岂可以少哉，况欲深造道德者邪？
墨池之上，今为州学舍。教授王君盛恐其不彰也，书“晋王右军墨池”之六字于楹间以揭之。又告于巩曰：“愿有记”。推王君之心，岂爱人之善，虽一能不以废，而因以及乎其迹邪？其亦欲推其事以勉其学者邪？夫人之有一能而使后人尚之如此，况仁人庄士之遗风余思，被于来世者何如哉！
庆历八年九月十二日，曾巩记。
The Ink Pond Zeng Gong
There is a terrace concealed from view east of the city of Linchuan. It juts out onto a brook and is known as Xincheng. On top of Xincheng is a pond, which is deep and rectangular in shape and which, according to the Chronicles of Linchuan, by Xun Bozi, bore the name of “Wang Xizhi’s Ink Pond.” As he admired Zhang Zhi, Xizhi followed his example by practicing calligraphy on the banks of the pond until the water became wholly black. It is said that here is the site of the old pond. Can it be the truth?
Wang Xizhi refused to be pressed into the civil service; he journeyed to the east, reaching as far as the Gulf of Bohai, to amuse himself by frequenting mountains and rivers. Could it be that in the midst of his roaming he had some rest near this pond? The calligraphy of Xizhi was not perfected until late in his life. In other words,
instead of being a born calligrapher, he acquired his skill through the energetic pursuit of the art. But he has had no equal in subsequent generations. Could it be that they never equaled him in practicing? Indeed, can practice ever be dispensed with, especially by those who are bent on cultivating their morality?
Above the Ink Pond now stands the prefectural school. Teacher Wang, deeply apprehensive that the name might not be known, wrote the words: “Ink Pond of Youjun Wang of the Jin dynasty” and had them displayed over the pillars. “I hope,” he also said to me, “that you will put this incident in writing.”
From what Mr. Wang had in mind, can it not be inferred tht he loves skill in others so much that he does not wish to disregard even a single talent and that he wishes to extend this admiration even to the site of the old pond and apply Xizhi’s story to the practice of scholars? Since one single talent can arouse the admiration of later ages to this extent, how much more will the heritage left by benevolent and upright men, whose abiding thought is destined to influence rising generations?
Recorded by Zeng Gong, the 12th day of the 9th month, 8th year of Qingli
