村中來一女子，年二十有四五。攜一藥囊，售其醫。有問病者，女不能自為方，俟暮夜問諸神。晚潔斗室，閉置其中。眾繞門窗，傾耳寂聽，但竊竊語，莫敢咳。內外動息俱冥。至半更許，忽聞帘聲。女在內曰：「九姑來耶？」一女子答云：「來矣。」又曰：「臘梅從九姑耶？」似一婢答云：「來矣。」三人絮語間雜，刺刺不休。俄聞帘鉤復動，女曰：「六姑至矣。」亂言曰：「春梅亦抱小郎子來耶？」一女曰：「拗哥子！嗚嗚不睡，定要從娘子來。身如百鈞重，負累煞人。」旋聞女子慇懃聲，九姑問訊聲，六姑寒暄聲，二婢慰勞聲，小兒喜笑聲，貓子聲，一齊嘈雜。即聞女子笑曰：「小郎君亦大好耍，遠迢迢抱貓兒來。」既而聲漸疏，帘又響，滿室俱嘩，曰：「四姑來何遲也？」有一小女子細聲笑曰：「路有千里且溢，與阿姑走爾許時始至。阿姑行且緩。」遂各各道溫涼聲，並移坐聲，喚添坐聲，參差並作，喧繁滿室，食頃始定。即聞女子問病。九姑以為宜得參，六姑以為宜得芪，四姑以為宜得術。參酌移時，即聞九姑喚筆硯。無何，折紙戢戢然，拔筆擲帽丁丁然，磨墨隆隆然；既而投筆觸幾，震筆作響，便聞撮藥包裹囌囌然。頃之，女子推帘，呼病者授藥並方。反身入室，即聞三姑作別，三婢作別，小兒啞啞，貓兒唔唔，又一時並起。九姑之聲清以越，六姑之聲緩以蒼，四姑之聲嬌以婉，以及三婢之聲，各有態響，聽之了了可辨。群訝以為真神。而試其方，亦不甚效。此即所謂口技，特借之以售其術耳，然亦奇矣！
村裡來了一個女子，二十四五歲，帶著一個藥袋，靠給人治病賺錢。有人來問病，她不能自己開藥方，要等到晚上去問神。傍晚，她打掃乾淨一間小屋，把自己關在裡面。眾人圍在門窗外，側耳靜聽，只敢小聲說話，沒人敢咳嗽。屋裡屋外都沒有什麼動靜。過了大約半更，忽然聽見門簾響了一聲。女子在裡面說：「九姑來了嗎？」一個女子回答：「來了。」她又問：「臘梅跟九姑一起來了嗎？」一個像是婢女的聲音回答：「來了。」三個人你一句我一句，喋喋不休。不久，又聽見簾鉤響動，女子說：「六姑到了。」雜亂的聲音中有人說：「春梅也抱著小少爺來了？」一個女子說：「這個犟孩子！嗚嗚地鬧著不睡，非要跟著他娘來。身子重得不得了，揹著他，真累死人了。」隨即，女子殷勤招呼的聲音、九姑問候的聲音、六姑寒暄的聲音、兩個婢女互相慰勞的聲音、小孩嬉笑的聲音和貓叫聲，一起響了起來，嘈雜一片。又聽見女子笑道：「小少爺也真愛玩，路這麼遠，還抱著貓來。」過了一會兒，聲音漸漸少了，門簾又響起來，滿屋子的人都嚷道：「四姑怎麼來得這麼晚？」一個小姑娘用細細的聲音笑道：「路有一千多里，我跟阿姑走了這麼久才到。阿姑走得又慢。」於是又有彼此問候的聲音、挪動座位的聲音、叫人添座位的聲音，交錯著一起響起來，滿屋子喧鬧，過了一頓飯的工夫才安靜下來。接著聽見女子詢問病情。九姑認為該用人參，六姑認為該用黃芪，四姑認為該用白朮。商量斟酌了一陣，就聽見九姑叫人拿筆硯。不一會兒，摺紙的聲音細碎地響著，拔出毛筆、扔下筆帽的聲音叮叮響著，磨墨的聲音隆隆響著；隨後又聽見毛筆被扔在桌上，碰撞震動發出響聲，接著便是抓藥包藥的沙沙聲。過了一會兒，女子推開門簾，叫病人過來，把藥和藥方交給他。她轉身進屋，隨即聽見三位姑姑告別、三個婢女告別，小孩咿咿呀呀，貓兒嗚嗚叫，又同時響了起來。九姑的聲音清亮高亢，六姑的聲音緩慢蒼老，四姑的聲音嬌柔婉轉，連三個婢女的聲音也各有語氣和音色，聽起來分辨得清清楚楚。眾人驚奇，都以為真有神來了。可是試用她的藥方，效果也不太好。這就是所謂的口技，她不過藉此兜售自己的醫術罷了，但也確實奇妙！
村中来一女子，年二十有四五。携一药囊，售其医。有问病者，女不能自为方，俟暮夜问诸神。晚洁斗室，闭置其中。众绕门窗，倾耳寂听，但窃窃语，莫敢咳。内外动息俱冥。至半更许，忽闻帘声。女在内曰：「九姑来耶？」一女子答云：「来矣。」又曰：「腊梅从九姑耶？」似一婢答云：「来矣。」三人絮语间杂，刺刺不休。俄闻帘钩复动，女曰：「六姑至矣。」乱言曰：「春梅亦抱小郎子来耶？」一女曰：「拗哥子！呜呜不睡，定要从娘子来。身如百钧重，负累煞人。」旋闻女子慇懃声，九姑问讯声，六姑寒暄声，二婢慰劳声，小儿喜笑声，猫子声，一齐嘈杂。即闻女子笑曰：「小郎君亦大好耍，远迢迢抱猫儿来。」既而声渐疏，帘又响，满室俱哗，曰：「四姑来何迟也？」有一小女子细声笑曰：「路有千里且溢，与阿姑走尔许时始至。阿姑行且缓。」遂各各道温凉声，并移坐声，唤添坐声，参差并作，喧繁满室，食顷始定。即闻女子问病。九姑以为宜得参，六姑以为宜得芪，四姑以为宜得术。参酌移时，即闻九姑唤笔砚。无何，折纸戢戢然，拔笔掷帽丁丁然，磨墨隆隆然；既而投笔触几，震笔作响，便闻撮药包裹苏苏然。顷之，女子推帘，呼病者授药并方。反身入室，即闻三姑作别，三婢作别，小儿哑哑，猫儿唔唔，又一时并起。九姑之声清以越，六姑之声缓以苍，四姑之声娇以婉，以及三婢之声，各有态响，听之了了可辨。群讶以为真神。而试其方，亦不甚效。此即所谓口技，特借之以售其术耳，然亦奇矣！
村里来了一个女子，二十四五岁，带着一个药袋，靠给人治病赚钱。有人来问病，她不能自己开药方，要等到晚上去问神。傍晚，她打扫干净一间小屋，把自己关在里面。众人围在门窗外，侧耳静听，只敢小声说话，没人敢咳嗽。屋里屋外都没有什么动静。过了大约半更，忽然听见门帘响了一声。女子在里面说：“九姑来了吗？”一个女子回答：“来了。”她又问：“腊梅跟九姑一起来了吗？”一个像是婢女的声音回答：“来了。”三个人你一句我一句，喋喋不休。不久，又听见帘钩响动，女子说：“六姑到了。”杂乱的声音中有人说：“春梅也抱着小少爷来了？”一个女子说：“这个犟孩子！呜呜地闹着不睡，非要跟着他娘来。身子重得不得了，背着他，真累死人了。”随即，女子殷勤招呼的声音、九姑问候的声音、六姑寒暄的声音、两个婢女互相慰劳的声音、小孩嬉笑的声音和猫叫声，一起响了起来，嘈杂一片。又听见女子笑道：“小少爷也真爱玩，路这么远，还抱着猫来。”过了一会儿，声音渐渐少了，门帘又响起来，满屋子的人都嚷道：“四姑怎么来得这么晚？”一个小姑娘用细细的声音笑道：“路有一千多里，我跟阿姑走了这么久才到。阿姑走得又慢。”于是又有彼此问候的声音、挪动座位的声音、叫人添座位的声音，交错着一起响起来，满屋子喧闹，过了一顿饭的工夫才安静下来。接着听见女子询问病情。九姑认为该用人参，六姑认为该用黄芪，四姑认为该用白术。商量斟酌了一阵，就听见九姑叫人拿笔砚。不一会儿，折纸的声音细碎地响着，拔出毛笔、扔下笔帽的声音叮叮响着，磨墨的声音隆隆响着；随后又听见毛笔被扔在桌上，碰撞震动发出响声，接着便是抓药包药的沙沙声。过了一会儿，女子推开门帘，叫病人过来，把药和药方交给他。她转身进屋，随即听见三位姑姑告别、三个婢女告别，小孩咿咿呀呀，猫儿呜呜叫，又同时响了起来。九姑的声音清亮高亢，六姑的声音缓慢苍老，四姑的声音娇柔婉转，连三个婢女的声音也各有语气和音色，听起来分辨得清清楚楚。众人惊奇，都以为真有神来了。可是试用她的药方，效果也不太好。这就是所谓的口技，她不过借此兜售自己的医术罢了，但也确实奇妙！
A young woman came to the village, twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She carried a bag of medicines and sold her doctoring. When anyone asked her about an illness, she could not write the prescription herself, but waited until night to ask the gods. In the evening she swept out a tiny room and shut herself inside. The people gathered round the door and windows and listened in silence, ears cocked; they only whispered, and no one dared to cough. Inside and out, not a sound, not a stir. About half a watch later they suddenly heard the door curtain. The young woman inside said, “Is that Ninth Aunt?” A woman answered, “I’m here.” Then she said, “Did Lamei come with you, Ninth Aunt?” What sounded like a maid answered, “I’m here.” The three of them chattered away together, on and on without stopping. Before long the curtain hook rattled again, and the young woman said, “Sixth Aunt has come.” Voices broke in all at once: “Did Chunmei bring the little master too?” A woman said, “The contrary little boy! He kept whimpering and wouldn’t sleep — he would come along with his mother. He’s heavy as lead; carrying him is killing me.” Then came all together the young woman’s eager welcome, Ninth Aunt’s greetings, Sixth Aunt’s how-do-you-dos, the two maids thanking each other for their trouble, the little boy’s laughter and the cat’s mewing, all in one hubbub. Then the young woman laughed and said, “What a little rascal the young master is, carrying a cat all this long way!” After a while the voices thinned out. The curtain sounded again, and the whole room broke into noise: “Why is Fourth Aunt so late?” A little girl’s thin voice laughed and said, “It’s more than a thousand li, and I’ve been walking it with my lady all this time to get here. My lady walks so slowly.” Then came the sound of everyone asking after everyone else, of seats being moved, of calls for more seats, all at once and over one another, filling the room with clamour; it was as long as a meal before things settled. Then the young woman was heard asking about the illness. Ninth Aunt thought ginseng was wanted, Sixth Aunt thought astragalus, Fourth Aunt thought atractylodes. After they had weighed it for some time, Ninth Aunt was heard calling for brush and inkstone. In a moment came the crisp folding of paper, the clink of a brush cap pulled off and tossed aside, the rumble of the inkstick grinding; then the brush thrown down, knocking the table and rattling, and then the rustle of medicines being pinched up and wrapped. A little later the young woman pushed aside the curtain, called the patient, and handed over the medicine and the prescription. She turned back into the room, and at once came the three aunts’ goodbyes, the three maids’ goodbyes, the little boy’s babbling and the cat’s purring, all rising together again. Ninth Aunt’s voice was clear and ringing, Sixth Aunt’s slow and old, Fourth Aunt’s sweet and soft, and the three maids too each had a manner and tone of her own; every one could be told apart quite plainly. Everyone marvelled and took them for real gods. But when the prescription was tried, it did not work very well. This is what is called ventriloquism. She was only using it to sell her medicine — and yet it was remarkable all the same!
昔王心逸嘗言：在都偶過市廛，聞弦歌聲，觀者如堵。近窺之，則見一少年曼聲度曲。並無樂器，惟以一指捺頰際，且捺且謳，聽之鏗鏗，與弦索無異。亦口技之苗裔也。
從前，王心逸曾說，他在京城偶然經過集市，聽見伴著絃樂的歌聲，圍觀的人像牆一樣密。他走近一看，只見一個少年拖長聲音唱曲，根本沒有樂器，只用一根手指按在臉頰邊，一邊按，一邊唱，聽起來鏗鏘作響，跟絃樂沒有區別。這也是口技的一種。
昔王心逸尝言：在都偶过市廛，闻弦歌声，观者如堵。近窥之，则见一少年曼声度曲。并无乐器，惟以一指捺颊际，且捺且讴，听之铿铿，与弦索无异。亦口技之苗裔也。
从前，王心逸曾说，他在京城偶然经过集市，听见伴着弦乐的歌声，围观的人像墙一样密。他走近一看，只见一个少年拖长声音唱曲，根本没有乐器，只用一根手指按在脸颊边，一边按，一边唱，听起来铿锵作响，跟弦乐没有区别。这也是口技的一种。
Wang Xinyi once said that in the capital he happened to pass through the market and heard singing to strings, with a crowd standing round as thick as a wall. He went close for a look and saw a young man drawing out a song in a long, slow voice. He had no instrument at all; he only pressed one finger against his cheek, pressing and singing at once, and it twanged just like strings. This too is an offshoot of ventriloquism.