等鹳雀楼
白日依山尽，
黄河入海流。
欲穷千里目，
更上一层楼。
Dēng Guàn Què Lóu*
bái rì shān jìn,
huáng hé rù hăi liú.
yù qiōng qiān lĭ mù,
gèng shàng yī céng lóu.
The white sun rays disappear behind the mountains,
rivers wind down and enter the sea.
If you want to see further,
you must go up another level.
白日依山尽，
黄河入海流。
欲穷千里目，
更上一层楼。
Dēng Guàn Què Lóu*
bái rì shān jìn,
huáng hé rù hăi liú.
yù qiōng qiān lĭ mù,
gèng shàng yī céng lóu.
The white sun rays disappear behind the mountains,
rivers wind down and enter the sea.
If you want to see further,
you must go up another level.
江南春
千里莺啼绿映红，
水村山郭酒旗风。
南朝四百八十寺，
多少楼台烟雨中。
Jiāng Nán Chūn**
qiān lĭ yīng tí lǜ yìng hóng,
shuĭ cūn shān guō jiŭ qí fēng.
nán cháo sì băi bā shí sì,
duō shăo lóu tái yān yŭ zhōng.
In the whole area, the oriole birds sing, green contrasting on red,
near the water, near the mountains, villages lie, flags fluttering in the wind.
In the Nan Dynasty, about four hundred and eighty temples were built,
So many temples stood in the rain.
千里莺啼绿映红，
水村山郭酒旗风。
南朝四百八十寺，
多少楼台烟雨中。
Jiāng Nán Chūn**
qiān lĭ yīng tí lǜ yìng hóng,
shuĭ cūn shān guō jiŭ qí fēng.
nán cháo sì băi bā shí sì,
duō shăo lóu tái yān yŭ zhōng.
In the whole area, the oriole birds sing, green contrasting on red,
near the water, near the mountains, villages lie, flags fluttering in the wind.
In the Nan Dynasty, about four hundred and eighty temples were built,
So many temples stood in the rain.
富贵曲
美人梳洗时，
满头间珠翠。
岂知两片云，
戴却数乡税。
Fù Guì Qū***
mĕi rén shū xĭ shí,
măn tóu jiān zhū cuì.
qĭ zhī liăng piàn yún
dài què shù xiāng shuì.
Beautiful people deck themselves out
on their heads many porcelain and jade ornaments are strung together.
She didn't know that the tiara on her head
was worth several villages' taxes.
美人梳洗时，
满头间珠翠。
岂知两片云，
戴却数乡税。
Fù Guì Qū***
mĕi rén shū xĭ shí,
măn tóu jiān zhū cuì.
qĭ zhī liăng piàn yún
dài què shù xiāng shuì.
Beautiful people deck themselves out
on their heads many porcelain and jade ornaments are strung together.
She didn't know that the tiara on her head
was worth several villages' taxes.
啰唝曲
那年离别日，
只道住桐庐。
桐庐人不见，
今得广州书。
Luó Gòng Qū****
nà nián lí bié rì,
zhĭ dào zhù tóng lú.
tóng lú rén bù jiàn,
jīn dé guāng zhōu shū.
That year, on the day they separated,
The only thing he said was, “I will live in Tong Lu.”
You cannot see him in Tong Lu.
Today, she got a letter from Guang Zhou.
__________________________________________
Translations: by my teacher and I.
CULTURAL NOTES:
* This is a very metaphorical poem which is really telling you that new horizons in education are only possible by rising to a new level of understanding. Therefore, education is considered the best for personal mental and imaginative growth as well as a general knowledge of the world.
** The Nan Dynasty was considered to be the most important era of growth for the Buddhist faith in China. Not only was this time a time of religious understanding but, in this particular area of China, beauty of nature and wine (referenced by the alcohol flags) was also appreciated. Today, you can still enjoy all three things in this same area of China.
*** The general feeling invoked in this poem, in the original Chinese, is (according to my teacher) very bitter or sarcastic. There is definitely a social commentary going on in this poem - about the difference of lifestyle between the extremely wealthy and the extremely poor.
**** In this final poem we looked at, it was interesting to note that the author was a woman. It tells of a woman separated from her husband (whether willingly or unwillingly isn't so certain). This poem references the uncertainty of married life in ancient times - as the man tended to roam (in service to the country... or not...) The woman would be left behind at home to fend for herself in the village. The question was... when would he return?
那年离别日，
只道住桐庐。
桐庐人不见，
今得广州书。
Luó Gòng Qū****
nà nián lí bié rì,
zhĭ dào zhù tóng lú.
tóng lú rén bù jiàn,
jīn dé guāng zhōu shū.
That year, on the day they separated,
The only thing he said was, “I will live in Tong Lu.”
You cannot see him in Tong Lu.
Today, she got a letter from Guang Zhou.
__________________________________________
Translations: by my teacher and I.
CULTURAL NOTES:
* This is a very metaphorical poem which is really telling you that new horizons in education are only possible by rising to a new level of understanding. Therefore, education is considered the best for personal mental and imaginative growth as well as a general knowledge of the world.
** The Nan Dynasty was considered to be the most important era of growth for the Buddhist faith in China. Not only was this time a time of religious understanding but, in this particular area of China, beauty of nature and wine (referenced by the alcohol flags) was also appreciated. Today, you can still enjoy all three things in this same area of China.
*** The general feeling invoked in this poem, in the original Chinese, is (according to my teacher) very bitter or sarcastic. There is definitely a social commentary going on in this poem - about the difference of lifestyle between the extremely wealthy and the extremely poor.
**** In this final poem we looked at, it was interesting to note that the author was a woman. It tells of a woman separated from her husband (whether willingly or unwillingly isn't so certain). This poem references the uncertainty of married life in ancient times - as the man tended to roam (in service to the country... or not...) The woman would be left behind at home to fend for herself in the village. The question was... when would he return?
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