tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33954811768732494752024-03-19T13:00:17.070+08:00Classical Chinese Poems in EnglishAndrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-31434767266301889812022-08-26T10:39:00.000+08:002022-08-26T10:39:05.613+08:00杜牧 Du Mu: 贈別 二首 其一 Given on Parting, I of Two<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Du Mu: Given on Parting, I of Two<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b>O slim and slender, so fair, so fine --- thou,
barely ten and three;<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Like a nutmeg in bud in early March, at
the tip of a sprig of the tree.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b>On the miles of streets of Yangzhou City,
in vernal breezes mild,<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Of all, with their bead-screens rolled
open, none be equal to thee.<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span>: </b><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">27 August 2021 (revised 28.8.2021; 2.9.2021; 3.9.2021)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Translated from the original - <b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">杜牧</span>: </b><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">贈別</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span></b><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二首</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span></b><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">其一</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">娉娉<a name="_Hlk80966979">嫋嫋</a>十三餘</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">豆蔻梢頭二月初</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春風十里揚州路</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">捲上珠簾總不如</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Notes</b>:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The original is a 7-character quatrain <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>with a
caesura after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
English rendition is in heptameter (7-beat lines) with a caesura after the
fourth beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme is AAxA as
in the original.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
used<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the “s” alliteration (“slim -
slender”) to render the reduplication of <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">嫋</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(petite), and the “f”
alliteration (“fair – fine”) to render the reduplication of <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">娉</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(beautiful).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">十三餘</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(a little more than 13) is rendered as “thou, barely ten and
three” to create the “three (line 1) – tree (line 2) - thee (line 4)” rhyme.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have taken<a name="_Hlk80969012"> </a><a name="_Hlk80969667"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk80969012;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">豆蔻</span></span></a><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>to refer to “nutmeg” (<span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">肉豆蔻</span>) which is a tree, and not “cardamom” (<span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">小豆蔻</span>) which is an herb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, “nutmeg” stands for the flower of the tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have, therefore, added “in bud” to render <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">豆蔻</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">梢頭</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>is translated literally as “at the tip of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a sprig of the tree”; and <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二月初</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(second;
month; beginning) is rendered as “in early March” as the lunar second month is
roughly the solar month of March.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">揚州路</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(Yangzhou;
road)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is taken to mean the roads and streets
in the city of <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">Yangzhou, not a road named Yangzhou or a road into or out of Yangzhou;
and <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">十里</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(10 ‘li’ = <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">roughly 3 miles) is taken to refer to the extent of the roads and streets
(and not the distance of <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">a particular road) and is rendered simply as “miles”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">十里揚州路</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>is, therefore, rendered as “On <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">the miles of streets of Yangzhou City”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春風</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(spring; wind) is rendered as “in vernal breezes <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">mild” with “mild” added for its “ai” sound to break, at line 3, the
“three (1) – tree (2) – thee (4)” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-char-indent-count: -3.0; text-indent: -.5in;">rhyme.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Line 4: <a name="_Hlk81570843"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk81570843;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">捲上</span></span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">珠簾</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>is translated rather literally as “with their bead-screens rolled
open” with “rolled open” to translate <span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">捲上</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>(rolled; up).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ZH-TW" style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">總不如</span><span lang="ZH-TW"> </span>is rendered as “Of all … none be equal to thee”, with “to
thee” (implied in the original) added to echo “thou” in line 1 and to make
plain the poem is addressed to the lady concerned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-82845874665498084162022-07-31T17:10:00.000+08:002022-07-31T17:10:20.353+08:00王昌齡 Wang Changling: 春宮曲 A Song of Spring in the Palace<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This was first posted on 23 June 2022, but was inadvertently deleted today (31 July 2022). Here, I am re-posting it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Wang Changling (698-757): A Song of Spring
in the Palace <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Last night, to Dew Pond
came vernal breezes, sending peach-blooms a-blow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Tonight, at the front of
Undying Palace, a full moon, from on high, shines so.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">The emperor’s sister’s song-dance
lady, now his majesty’s newfound love,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">For the odd spring chills
from out of the screens, a brocaded robe to bestow. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongda) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">15 October 2021 (revised 18.10.2021;
20.10.2021) (polished 20.6.2022)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">王昌齡</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春宮曲</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">昨夜風開露井桃</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">未央前殿月輪高</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">平陽歌舞新承寵</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">簾外春寒賜錦袍</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a 7-character quatrain with a
caesura after the fourth character. This
English rendition is in heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura after the
fourth beat. The rhyme scheme of the
original is AAxA which is followed in this English rendition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">風</span> <span lang="EN-US">(wind) is rendered as “came vernal breezes”, with “breezes” used and
“vernal” added to soften the winds and to state it is springtime. I suggest reading the word “came”
unstressed. The third character </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">開</span> <span lang="EN-US">(open) means </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">開花</span> <span lang="EN-US">(bloom or blow), and
the seventh character </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">桃</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(peach) refers to peach flowers (not peach trees nor their
fruits), thus, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">開</span><span lang="EN-US"> … </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">桃</span> <span lang="EN-US">is rendered as “sending peach-blooms a-blow”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">露井</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(uncovered, or dew; water well) is taken to refer to an
uncovered well, but which can be as extensive as a pond, hence, (i) uncovered?
and (ii) to collect dew and rainwater? I wonder! I have, therefore, decided to include in my
rendition the meaning of both “uncovered” and “dew”, and have turned the common
noun </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">露井</span> <span lang="EN-US">into a proper noun, not transliterated as “Lujing”, but rendered as
“Dew Pond”, with the word “Dew” to cover the meaning of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">露</span> <span lang="EN-US">as “dew” and with
the word “Pond” to hint at the meaning of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">露</span>
<span lang="EN-US">as “uncovered” because of the size of the uncovered well to be
named “Pond”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">未央</span> <span lang="EN-US">(no; demise) (pronounced “Weiyang”) is the name of a palace </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮</span><span lang="EN-US"> in the Han </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">漢</span> <span lang="EN-US">dynasty (BCE 206
-CE 220) and is rendered as “Undying Palace” rather than transliterated as
“Weiyang Palace”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">前殿</span> <span lang="EN-US">(front; chamber)
refers to the front chamber of the said palace and is rendered as “at the front
of (Undying Palace)”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月輪</span> <span lang="EN-US">(moon; wheel)
means “a full moon” (the moon is round like a wheel) and is rendered as such,
and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">高</span> <span lang="EN-US">(high) is translated literally as “from on high”. To begin the line, I have added “Tonight” to
clarify the poem’s 2-night timeframe as I see it. And to end the line, I have added “shines so”
(which meaning is implied) to fit the rhyme scheme.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:
This line, in effect the whole poem, is an allusion to the love story of
Emperor Wudi </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">武帝</span> <span lang="EN-US">(BCE 156-87) of the Han </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">漢</span><span lang="EN-US"> dynasty and the emperor’s sister’s songstress Wei Zifu </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">衛子夫</span> <span lang="EN-US">who was favoured
and called to the palace by the emperor. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">歌舞</span><span lang="EN-US"> refers not to “singing and dancing”, but to the person performing
the song and dance, and is rendered here as “song-dance lady”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">平陽</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(level; sun) refers to Princess Pingyang </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">平陽公主</span><span lang="EN-US"> who was Emperor
Wudi’s elder sister, the princess being married to the Marquis of Pingyang </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">平陽侯</span><span lang="EN-US">. For clarity, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">平陽</span><span lang="EN-US"> is here not transliterated as “Princess
Pingyang”, but rendered as “The emperor’s sister('s)”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">新承寵</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(newly; receiving; grace) is rendered as “now his majesty’s
newfound love” after considering “newfound mate”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">*Line
4: </span><a name="_Hlk85468255"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春寒</span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span lang="EN-US">(spring; cold) is translated
literally as “spring chills”. </span></span><a name="_Hlk85468241"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">簾外</span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span lang="EN-US">(screen; outside) is not taken
to mean “chills outside the screens” (= chills outdoors), but interpreted to
mean “chills from outside the screens” (= chills from outside coming indoors). </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">簾外春寒</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span lang="EN-US">is, thus, rendered as “For the
odd spring chills from out of the screens”, with “from” added to accord with
this interpretation, and “odd” (= irregular, hence, infrequent) added to heighten
the emperor’s grace. </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">賜錦袍</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span lang="EN-US">(bestow; brocade; robe) is
translated literally as “a brocaded robe to bestow”, with an unstressed
syllable “-ded” added between “brocade” and “robe”, to produce a better flow of
stressed and unstressed syllables.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-30461389708352759122022-07-31T16:52:00.001+08:002022-07-31T16:52:32.181+08:00杜牧 Du Mu: 將赴吳興登樂遊原一絕 Shall Proceed to Wuxing, I ascend the Leyou Heights: A Quatrain<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk88138476"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Today, I am posting my rendition of 杜牧 Du Mu's "Shall Proceed to Wuxing, I Ascend the Leyou Heights: A Quatrain". Differing interpretations of the poem abound. My own interpretation which is apparent in my rendition itself and the accompanying notes is: The poet regards himself as a man of ability, stuck in a junior position in officialdom, though enjoys his pastimes, longs to better serve the Empire. Now that he is being posted to the southeast of the Empire, he ascends the Leyou Heights to pledge his loyalty to the Empire symbolized by the tomb of the great Emperor Taizong.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I do hope you find my interpretation preferable and my rendition more beautiful. Here we go:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk88138476"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk88138476"><b><span lang="EN-US">Du Mu (803-852): Shall Proceed to
Wuxing, I Ascend the Leyou Heights: A Quatrain</span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">No duties on hand, I embrace my pastimes,
O do I lack ability?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Lone clouds I love, idling at ease, bonzes
I befriend for tranquility.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Now I am about to fly my banners, where
the sea and rivers meet,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">On the Leyou Heights, northwest I look,
to Mound Illuminantility. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated
by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">15
November 2021 (revised 18.11.2021; 23.11.2021; 25.11.2021) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated
from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">杜牧</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">:
</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">將赴吳興登樂遊原一絕</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">清時有味是無能</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">閒愛孤雲靜愛僧</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">欲把一麾江海去</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">樂遊原上望昭陵</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form,
Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a
7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span><span lang="EN-US">
with a caesura after the fourth character.
This English rendition is a heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura
after the fourth beat. The rhyme scheme
of the original is AAxA which is adhered to in this English rendition with the
perfect feminine rhyme of “-ility”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line
1: I have interpreted </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">清時</span><span lang="EN-US"> (clear; time) not as “in times of
peace” (late Tang dynasty was not that peaceful) but as “in a post in the
capital with nothing or not much to do”, the poet was in a junior post in the
Ministry of Personnel. I have, thus, rendered
it as “No duties on hand” after considering “no tasks on hand”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">有味</span><span lang="EN-US">
(possess; tastes or interests) is rendered as “I embrace my pastimes”, after
considering “I pursue my interests”. The
apparent statement </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">是無能</span><span lang="EN-US">
(is or am; no; ability) is interpreted to be a rhetorical question and is,
thus, rendered as “O do I lack ability?” to effectively say “not because I lack
ability”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2: The first word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">閒</span><span lang="EN-US"> (idle or free) is translated as “idling at
ease”. The fifth word </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">靜</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(still or silent) is
interpreted to mean “still” only, not “silent” and is, thus, rendered as “for </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">tranquility”. For the word </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">愛</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> (love) which appears twice in the line, the
first is translated </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">literally as “I love”, and the second is rendered as “I befriend”
for variety. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">孤雲</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> (solitary or </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">single; cloud) is interpreted to refer to scattered clouds (not numerically
one single piece of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">cloud) and is, therefore, rendered in the plural as “Lone clouds”.
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">僧</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(Buddhist monk) is </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">translated literally as “bonzes” which word, etymologically, came
from French “bonze” and </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">Portuguese “bonzo” originally came from Japanese </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">梵僧</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(pronounced) “bonso” which came </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">from Chinese </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">梵僧</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(pronounced) “fanseng”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3: The first word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">欲</span> <span lang="EN-US">is interpreted not to mean “wish or desire” but
to mean “it is </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">imminent” or </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">即將</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(immediate; shall) which echoes the </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">將赴</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> “Shall Proceed” in the title. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">It is, therefore, translated as “Now I am about to”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">把一麾</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(hold; one; banner) is taken to </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">mean “given the warrant to govern (a territory)” and is rendered
as “fly my banners”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">江海 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -36pt;">(river; sea) refers to the place the poet is posted to, i.e., “Wuxing”
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -36pt;">吳興</span><span style="text-indent: -36pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -36pt;">mentioned in the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -36pt;">title, which is present day Huzhou </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -36pt;">湖州</span><span style="text-indent: -36pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -36pt;">in Chejiang </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -36pt;">浙江</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -36pt;">
province on China’s Southeastern </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -48pt;">seaboard and which is where rivers and the sea meet. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -48pt;">去</span><span style="text-indent: -48pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -48pt;">(go to) is translated literally as “to” </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -48pt;">which is taken as covered by the “to” in “Now I am about to”, and </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -48pt;">江海去</span><span style="text-indent: -48pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -48pt;">is, thus, rendered </span><span style="text-indent: -48pt;">simply as “where the sea and rivers meet”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">樂遊</span> <span lang="EN-US">(pleasant; travel or visit) is transliterated as
“Leyou” while </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">原</span> <span lang="EN-US">(plain or </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">plateau) is rendered as “Heights” as </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">樂遊原</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">is a piece of elevated land, after considering </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">“plateau” and “highland”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">上</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">is translated literally as “On”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">昭陵</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(pronounced Zhaoling) is </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">the name of the royal tomb of the second emperor Taizong </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">太宗</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">of the Tang dynasty reputedly </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">the greatest of all Tang emperors.
The tomb is located at Jiuzong Shan </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">九嵕山</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">some 70 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">kilometres (source: https://baike.baidu.hk/item/</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">昭陵</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">/3849) to the northwest of the capital </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">Chang’an </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">長安</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(present day Si’an </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">西安</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">). The question arises as to whether the tomb
can be </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">seen from the Leyou Heights (on the southeast of Chang’an) which must
be more than 70 </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">kilometres away but, given the vast size of the grounds of the
tomb (about 200 kilometres </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">square, same source) and the peak behind it (elevation 1,188
metres, same source), I suppose it </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">is possible to establish the general direction of where the tomb
is.</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">I have, therefore, rendered </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">the word </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">望</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(look or gaze) (which follows </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">樂遊原上</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">)
as “northwest I look, to …”, spelling out </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">the direction to the tomb which is not on the Leyou Heights. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">昭陵</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(clear or bright; hill or </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">tomb) is rendered not in transliteration but as “Mound
Illuminantility” with </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">陵</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(hill or tomb) </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">rendered as “Mound” (= burial ground) and </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -24pt;">昭</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">(clear or bright) rendered as “Illuminantility”. </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">Please note, the word “Illuminantility” cannot be found in
dictionaries.</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">It is a word coined by </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">me by combining “illuminant” (lighting up, or something which
illuminates, source: Shorter </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">Oxford) and “-ility” (“-ty” as suffix = expressing the state or
condition something is in, same </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">source) to mean “in a state of illuminating”.</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">I suggest reading “Illuminantility” with
these 2</span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">syllables “-lu-“ and “-ti-“ stressed </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -24pt;">This coined word is needed to complete the
“-ility” rhyme.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-88261781803865767462022-05-18T13:23:00.002+08:002022-05-18T13:29:07.385+08:00葉清臣 Ye Qingchen - 寄調: 賀聖朝 Tune: He Shen Cao 題: 留別 Title: Farewell but Please Remain <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Today, I am posting my rendition of a "tune lyric" or "ci" 詞 by the Song dynasty poet Ye Qingchen 葉清臣. The "tune lyric" is a genre of Chinese poetry in lines of varying lengths and can be known as long-and-short-lined poems. To know a bit more about "tune lyric", please proceed to my first note below.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Robert Nicol's Rendition</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My rendition is done in response to Mr. Robert Nicol of Melbourne, Australia who, in April, sent me by email 2 versions of his rendition of the same poem. With his kind permission, I now reproduce below his version 2:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>"Congratulations to the Holy Dynasty and Farewell" - Ye Qingchen (English translation by Robert Nicol, Version 2 , 22 Apr 2022)</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>1 Dinner's fine wine was meant to ensnare you.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>2 Don't hasten home.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>3 I'm three parts spring, two parts sadness, one part wind and rain.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>4 How many flowers have bloomed and withered?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>5 But let's relax and sing, not talk of sad things.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>6 I know not where we can meet, come next year's peonies.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The original poem in Chinese is shown below after my rendition of the same. You will note that Mr. Robert Nicol's rendition is in 6 lines of varying lengths and is in unrhymed free verse. This is probably because he does not know the original is (a) written in 9 lines, and (b) features a rhyme scheme, which is hard to detect (even for native speaking Chinese) as sounds have changed through time. But it may also be due to his intent to be as concise as possible (as poetry is no prose) and to write in unrhymed free verse. In any case, Mr. Nicol has been able to fully cover the substance of the original. Below is my rendition.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Andrew Wong's Rendition</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Ye Qingchen (1000-1049)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Tune: He Shen Cao (Homage to the
Imperial Court) <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Title: Farewell but Please Remain<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">With my finest wine to
fill your cup, I urge you to please remain,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Not to unduly hasten to
leave, I pray.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Of the sweet springtime made
of three, two are tinged with sadness,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">And one, what’s more, all
bleak with wind and rain.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">5<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Flowers blossom, yet flowers
demise ---<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">6<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">How few, in all, are the
flowering days?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">7<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">So, aloud, let us sing!
Of sad things, air no plaints!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">8<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Be merry, because we
know not, we, next year when peonies smile,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">9<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">O where, if ever, shall meet
each other again.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">23 March 2022 (revised 30.3.2022; 13.4.2022;
21.4.2022; 4.5.2022; 16.5.2022; 17.5.2022)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">葉清臣</span> <span lang="EN-US">- </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">寄調</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">賀聖朝</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">題</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">留別</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk99552618"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">滿斟</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk99552739"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">綠</span></b><a name="_Hlk100245013"><b><span face=""Microsoft JhengHei",sans-serif" style="color: #0f0f0f; mso-bidi-font-family: "Microsoft JhengHei";">醑</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk99554690"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">留君住</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk99555124"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">莫匆匆歸去</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk99981839"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">三分春色</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk99983642"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二分愁</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更一分風雨</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk100238643"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">5<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">花開花謝</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">6
<a name="_Hlk100240171"> </a></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">都來幾許</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">7
</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">且高歌休訴</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">8<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不知<a name="_Hlk100662461">來嵗牡丹時</a></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk100662769"><b><span lang="EN-US">9 </span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">再相逢何處</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a poem in the genre of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">詞</span><span lang="EN-US"> “ci” which are the
lyrics written to specific tunes which, their music being lost, should be
understood as “lyric patterns”. So, “To
the tune of …” means “To the lyric pattern of …”, and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">詞</span> <span lang="EN-US">“ci” can,
therefore, be translated into English as “tune lyrics”. As “tune lyrics” feature a mingling of long
and short verse lines, they can, therefore, be also referred to as “long-short-lined
verses”. The original is a tune lyric to
the tune of “He Shen Cao” which is a lyric pattern of 49 characters in two
stanzas (24 and 25 respectively). The
long-short-lined length pattern of the original is: 7 5/7 5// 4 4/5 7 5
(numerals stand for number of words, double slash for stanza break). This English rendition follows strictly the
same length pattern but with a count of feet or beats or stresses (not
syllables). I have, in addition,
provided a medial caesura or pause for all lines: after the fourth for 7-beat
lines, and after the second for 5- and 4-beat lines. The rhyme scheme of the original is: AA/xA //
xA/AxA, with both stanzas having the same rhyme. Although the characters in the original do
not sound like rhymes by current day pronunciation (in either Chinese Putonghua
or Chinese Cantonese), I think it worthwhile to emulate the original rhyme
scheme. Failing to find perfect rhymes,
I have, nonetheless, succeeded in using the assonance of the ‘ei’ sound in “remain”
(line 1), “pray” (line 2), “rain” (line 4), “days” (line 6), “plaints” (line
7), and “again” (line 9) to satisfy the rhyme scheme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">滿斟</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(full: pour) is rendered as “to fill your cup”, and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">綠</span><span face=""Microsoft JhengHei",sans-serif" style="color: #0f0f0f; mso-bidi-font-family: "Microsoft JhengHei";">醑</span> <span lang="EN-US">(green or black; wine), rendered as “With my finest wine”. Here, I have taken </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">綠</span> <span lang="EN-US">not to mean “green”
but to mean a colour close to “black”. I
have also taken </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">綠</span><span lang="EN-US"> to allude to a fine wine called </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">綠蟻</span> <span lang="EN-US">(green or black; ants), hence, a fine
wine, and is rendered as “with my finest
wine”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">留君住</span> <span lang="EN-US">(keep; you; stay) is rendered as “I urge
you to please remain”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:</span><span face=""Microsoft JhengHei",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f0f0f; mso-bidi-font-family: "Microsoft JhengHei";"> </span><a name="_Hlk99724181"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">莫</span></a><a name="_Hlk99724398"></a><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">匆<a name="_Hlk99556546">匆</a></span><a name="_Hlk99724540"></a><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">歸去</span> <span lang="EN-US">(do not;
hurry; hurry; return or go back; leave or away) is rendered as “Not to unduly
hasten to leave, I pray” , with “Not to” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">莫</span><span lang="EN-US">, “unduly hasten” to
render </span><a name="_Hlk99979425"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">匆匆</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, and “to leave” to render </span><a name="_Hlk99729542"></a><a name="_Hlk99729476"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">歸</span></a><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">去</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with “I pray” added. Please
note I have not been able to reproduce the reduplication of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">匆匆</span> <span lang="EN-US">in my translation
as I find genuine reduplications such as “Not to unduly hurry, hurry away” and
“Not to unduly hasten away in haste” less than satisfactory. On </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">歸去</span><span lang="EN-US">, as the poem is about the friend leaving without indicating whether
he is going back to his home or to his post (job), I have rendered </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">歸去</span><span lang="EN-US"> simply as “(unduly
hasten) to leave”, instead of “(unduly hurry) home (in haste)”, keeping the
destination unspecified. “I pray” is
added to produce the assonance rhyme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Lines 3 and 4: I have rendered </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">三分<a name="_Hlk100145838">春色</a></span> <span lang="EN-US">(three; parts; spring; colour) in line
3 as “Of the sweet springtime made of three”, with “the sweet springtime” to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春色</span><span lang="EN-US">, and “made of three”, to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">三分</span> <span lang="EN-US">to mean the three months of spring with
“parts” or “months” taken as understood. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二分愁</span> <span lang="EN-US">(two; parts;
sadness) which follows in line 3, is rendered as “two are tinged with sadness”
which says two-thirds of the 3-month springtime are tinged with sadness. </span><a name="_Hlk100148806"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更</span></a><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">一分風雨</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(more; one; part; wind; rain) in line 4 is rendered as “And
one, what’s more, all bleak with wind and rain”, with “what’s more” to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with “all bleak” added to depict the saddening effects of “wind
and rain”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Lines 5 and 6: Line 5 </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">花開花謝</span><span lang="EN-US"> is translated literally as “Flowers blossom, yet flowers demise”,
with “yet” added. Line 6 </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">都來</span> <span lang="EN-US">(tallying all: the
result of tallying [as in </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">醒來</span><span lang="EN-US"> wake up]) is simply rendered as “in all”. </span><a name="_Hlk100653308"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">幾許</span></a> <span lang="EN-US">(how many)
which follows, is a rhetorical question with “how many” to mean “how few” and
is rendered as such. Line 6 of the
original poem is silent on the “of what” (</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">甚麼</span><span lang="EN-US">) of either “in all” (</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">都來</span><span lang="EN-US">) or “how few” (</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">幾許</span><span lang="EN-US">). As line 6 is the second
line of a couplet the opening line of which (line 5) is on flowers, I have
taken the “of what” to be “days of flowers in bloom” and have, h<a name="_Hlk100329317">enc</a><a name="_Hlk100329142">e,</a> rendered line 6 </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">都來幾許</span> <span lang="EN-US">as “How few, in
all, are the flowering days”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 7:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">且高歌</span> <span lang="EN-US">(in the circumstances; loud; sing) is rendered as “So, aloud, let us
sing”, with “So … let us” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">且</span><span lang="EN-US">. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">休訴</span> <span lang="EN-US">(not, or stop;
complain, or talk) is rendered as “Of sad things, (let’s [omitted]) air no
plaints”, with “Of sad things” added to make sense of the line and to make it a
5-beat line.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 8:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不知</span> <span lang="EN-US">(not; know) is rendered in the first half line as “Be merry, because
we know not, we, …”, with (a) “we know not” to literally translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不知</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with (b) “Be
merry, because” added to link line 8 up to line 7 and down to line 9. I have also inserted in the line a second
“we” in “because we know not, we”. Technically,
it is moved up from line 9: “O where if ever, (we) shall meet each other again”. I suggest reading this second “we” in line 8,
stressed. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">來嵗牡丹時</span> <span lang="EN-US">(coming; year; peonies; time) is
rendered as “next year when peonies smile”, with “smile” chosen after
considering “bloom”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 22pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -22pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">*Line 9:
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">再相逢何處</span> <span lang="EN-US">(again; mutual; meet; where) is rendered as “O where, if ever, (we)
shall meet each other again”, with “we” moved to line 8, and with “if ever”
added. The addition of “if ever” is
crucial for a proper understanding of the state of mind of the poet. If he were simply wondering “where” they
would meet, he would have written </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">不知</span>
<span lang="EN-US">… </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">何處再相逢</span> <span lang="EN-US">(= don’t know … where we’ll meet again). But he had written </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">不知</span> <span lang="EN-US">… </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">再相逢何處</span> <span lang="EN-US">(= don’t know …
we’ll meet again, where), with </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">何處</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(where) placed at the end, somewhat like an afterthought to
the implied question of </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">不知</span>
<span lang="EN-US">… </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">是否</span> <span lang="EN-US">(yes or no) </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">再相逢</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(= don’t know … if we’ll ever meet again), and this state of
mind is best covered by the “O where, if ever, shall meet” formulation. For better effects, I suggest reading “if”
stressed and “ever” unstressed.</span></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-56469990873338671882022-04-29T10:43:00.007+08:002022-05-03T13:35:24.237+08:00劉方平 Liu Fangping: 月夜 A Night in Moonlight<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Today, I am posting a beautiful quatrain on the subject of a night in spring written by 劉方平 Liu Fangping, which I translated last (2021) September to October. I hope you will find my rendition faithful to the original in terms of both sense and sound. My notes on lines 1 and 2 are particularly informative. Let's first have a go on the poem in English:- </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Fangping (circa 758): A Night in
Moonlight<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Deep in the night, the
whitening moonlight, on our houses’ moonlit side;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">The Dipper-stars North,
a sky-high railing: the Dipper-stars South, subside.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">O tonight, ‘tis a night,
I am pleased to find, so warm, the breath of spring, <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">As crickets rise a-chirping
anew, through my window’s green gauze divide.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">7 September 2021 (revised 10.9.2021; 14.9.21;
20.9.2021; 24.9.2021; 30.9.2021; 5.10.2021; 8.10.2021; 14.10.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉方平</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月夜</span><a name="_Hlk82095047"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></a></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更深月色半人家</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">北斗<a name="_Hlk82438980">闌干</a>南斗斜</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">今夜偏知春氣暖</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><a name="_Hlk82095146"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">蟲聲新透綠窗紗</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
after the fourth character. This English
rendition is in heptameter (7 beats or feet) also with a caesura after the
fourth beat. The original’s rhyme scheme
is AAxA which is followed in this English rendition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更</span><span lang="EN-US"> does not mean “more”, and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更深</span>
<span lang="EN-US">does not mean “more deep = deeper”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更</span><span lang="EN-US"> is a two-hour night watch period based on the Chinese system of
dividing the whole day into 12 two-hour periods (which, incidentally, are also
called </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">時</span> <span lang="EN-US">= hours). Thus, we have for
the “night watches”: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">一更</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(First Watch) to cover 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二更</span> <span lang="EN-US">(Second Watch), 9
p.m. to 11 p.m., </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">三更</span> <span lang="EN-US">(Third Watch), 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. (with midnight in the middle), </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">四更</span> <span lang="EN-US">(Fourth Watch), 1
a.m. to 3 a.m., and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">五更</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(Fifth Watch), 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. There is no </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">六更</span> <span lang="EN-US">(Sixth Watch) as past 5 a.m., it is
already dawn and morning. Thus, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更深</span> <span lang="EN-US">means “deep into
the night watches or hours” and is translated literally as “Deep in the night”. To make sure it is much further on in the
night than just the Third Watch, I had considered rendering it as “Well/ Long
past midnight” but have rejected it for being less than faithful to the
original. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月色</span> <span lang="EN-US">(moon; colour) is rendered as “the
whitening moonlight” to give moonlight a colour to cover the word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">色</span><span lang="EN-US">, which word can just
mean “beautiful view/ scenery/ scene” as in </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">湖光山色</span> <span lang="EN-US">(= beautiful view of the lake and
hills). </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">人家</span> <span lang="EN-US">(men; homes) is rendered literally as “our
houses”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">半人家</span> <span lang="EN-US">is taken to depict a moon, before or
after passing the meridian, shining on one side of the houses facing the moon and
is, thus, rendered as “on our houses’ moonlit side” with the word “side” to translate
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">半</span> <span lang="EN-US">(half). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">北斗</span> <span lang="EN-US">(north; dipper or scoop) refers to an asterism </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">星群</span><span lang="EN-US"> of 7 stars (not
planets) in the constellation </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">星座</span>
<span lang="EN-US">of Ursa Major </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">大熊座</span><span lang="EN-US">in the northern sky. It
features a crooked line of 7 stars in the shape of a dipper (or scoop or ladle
or plough or wain) and is, therefore, known as the Big Dipper or just
Dipper. Here, I have rendered it as “the
Dipper-stars North”, with “-stars” added to make plain that this is a line
about stars (while line 1 is about the moon), and with “North” and
“Dipper-stars” inverted for a better rhythm.
I have done the same to </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">南斗</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(south; dipper) in the same line which is rendered as “the
Dipper-stars South”. In ancient Chinese
astronomy, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">南斗</span><span lang="EN-US"> refers to an asterism of 6 stars in the southern sky which also
features the shape of a dipper. These
south stars are in the constellation of Sagittarius </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">人馬座</span><span lang="EN-US"> but is not
referred to as an asterism in Western astronomy. (It may be of interest to note there exists
another asterism of 7 stars in the northern sky in the constellation of Ursa
Minor </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">小熊座</span><span lang="EN-US"> which is also shaped like a dipper and known as the Little Dipper, which
is not of our concern.) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">闌干</span><span lang="EN-US"> is translated
literally as “railing” (= a crooked “line” of 7 stars). I have not adopted the “horizontal” interpretation
as these north stars are circumpolar stars circling the North Star (Polaris) and
would appear as either largely horizontal or largely vertical (in fact, always
slanting) depending on the time of the day and the season of the year. They are never seen as rising and setting. To the word “railing”, I have added “sky-high”
to suggest the omni-presence of the Dipper-stars North in contrast to the
Dipper-stars South which are not omni-present, rising from south-south-east and
setting at south-south-west in the southern sky owing to earth’s self-rotation. I have used “subside” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">斜</span> <span lang="EN-US">(slanting), as these
south stars and other stars of the Sagittarius constellation, which are located
near the southern horizon and moving west, would appear to the viewer in the mid-latitudes
of the northern hemisphere (which is where China was and is) to be subsiding
westwards.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.0; text-indent: -12pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">今夜</span> <span lang="EN-US">(tonight) is
rendered as “O tonight, ‘tis a night” to create 2 beats for the 7-beat </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">line. </span><a name="_Hlk84253477" style="text-indent: -12pt;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">偏</span></a><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">知</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">(inclined or
prejudiced; know or aware) can reasonably be interpreted to mean </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">either (i) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">偏巧知道</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">“I happen to know”, or (ii) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">才</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">(</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">纔</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">知道</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">“only now I know”, or (iii) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">傾向於 </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">知道</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">“prone to knowing”, but all of these interpretations miss the
subtleties of the partiality of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">the word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">偏</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">particularly in </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">偏心</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">/</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">愛</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">/</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">寵</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">/</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">疼</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;"> which are all expressions of favouritism. I </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">suspect and I speculate that, in this context, the poet
has chosen the word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">偏</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">to say he “takes </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">special pleasure (in that spring has come)”. I have, therefore, rendered </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">偏知</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">as “I am pleased </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">to find”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">春氣暖</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">(spring; air;
warm) is rendered as “so warm, the breath of spring”, with </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-indent: -12pt;">氣 </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">rendered as “breath” rather than “air” or “wind”. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">*Line
4: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">蟲聲</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> is rendered as “As crickets rise a-chirping”, with
the much more appealing word “crickets” to translate </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">蟲</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(insects), and with the
onomatopoeic word “a-chirping” to render </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">聲</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(sound). The words </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">新透</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(new; through) are covered by “anew”
followed by “through”. </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">綠窗紗</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(green; window; gauze) is
rendered as “my window’s green gauze divide” with the word “divide” (understood
as the “screen” made of green gauze mounted on the window) deployed to complete
the “-ide” rhyme for lines 1, 2, and 4.</span></span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-32399549935115687382022-03-07T17:51:00.005+08:002022-03-09T12:57:37.106+08:00吳錦祥 Ng Kam-Cheung Stephen: 無題 Untitled<p>Today, I am posting a quatrain written by Stephen Ng Kam-Cheung (吳錦祥) together with 2 translations of the quatrain done by William Sit Yu (薛瑀) and my humble self. All 3 of us were residents of Ricci Hall in our undergraduate days at the University of Hong Kong. We call ourselves "Riccians". And in fact it is from messages in the WhatsApp chat-group "Riccians of the 1960s" of which all 3 of us are members, that I know of this poem and its translation. With the author's and translator's kind permission, I am posting here on my blog; (1) Stephen Ng's quatrain, (2)William Sit's translation, and (3) my own translation (3) as follows:-</p><p><br /></p><p>(1) Stephen Ng's original quatrain:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> 吳錦祥</span><span lang="EN-US">: <span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無題</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">晚霞如火耀窗前</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">日落天邊海欲眠</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朗月一輪隨夜上</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">無求無欲又明天</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(2) William Sit's translation:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Stephen Ng: Untitled</span></b></p><p>Twilight gilds panes on fire.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Sun woos skyline, dozy sea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As night falls, full moon’s higher.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>Urge not, want not, next day be.</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">(3) Andrew Wong's translation:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> Ng Kam-Cheung Stephen: Untitled<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk95756357" style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Evening clouds like on fire
aglow, dazzling my eyes, my window.</span></a></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk95756444"><span lang="EN-US">To the edge of the sky, the sun
retires, the sea soon restful also.<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk95756523"><span lang="EN-US">A wheel of a full and silvery
moon ascends as night descends.<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;">I seek not, covet not, rid of
desires: content, as ever, tomorr</span><a name="_Hlk95756661" style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">ow.</span></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Without venturing into a comparison of the merits and/or demerits of the 2 translations, which I will defer to readers' decision, I will simply make a general observation that, insofar as versification is concerned, William's style and mine are radically different. For prosody, William counts the number of syllables, his lines above are all hepta-syllabic (7 syllables), a prosody known as syllabic verse which accords well with a syllabic language like French. But as English is an accentual language, for prosody, it should be more natural to count the number of stresses or stressed syllables or beats, my lines are all in hepta-meter (7 feet or beats = 7 accented or stressed syllables), a prosody known as accentual verse. For a fuller exposition, please consult the Epilogue to my book "60 Chinese Poems in English Verse".</p><p><br /></p><p>I now return to my regular format and present to you my rendition of Stephen Ng's beautiful poem together with my translation notes. I hope you will enjoy it. </p><p><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Ng Kam-Cheung Stephen: Untitled</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk95756357"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Evening clouds like on
fire aglow, dazzling my eyes, my window.<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95756357;"></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk95756444"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">To the edge of the sky,
the sun retires, the sea soon restful also.<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95756444;"></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><a name="_Hlk95756523"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">A wheel of a full and
silvery moon ascends as night descends.<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95756523;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">I seek not, covet not, rid
of desires: content, as ever, tomorr</span></b></span><a name="_Hlk95756661"><b><span lang="EN-US">ow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95756661;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">14 February 2022 (revised 15.2.2022;
17.2.2022; 20.2.2022; 22.2.2022; 25.2.2022)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><a name="_Hlk95755572"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">吳錦祥</span><span lang="EN-US">: <span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無題</span></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><a name="_Hlk96088025"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">晚霞如火</span></b></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">耀窗前</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><a name="_Hlk96095089"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">日落天邊</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk96095228"></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk96095228;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">海欲眠</span></b></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><a name="_Hlk96095460"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朗月一輪</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk96095624"></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk96095624;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">隨夜上</span></b></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><a name="_Hlk96095750"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">無求無欲</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk96096397"></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk96096397;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">又明天</span></b></span><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk95755572;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
or pause after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This English rendition is in heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura
after the fourth beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme
of the original is AAxA which is followed in this English rendition not with
prefect rhyme words but with the assonance of the unstressed ‘ou’ sound.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">晚霞如火</span> <span lang="EN-US">(evening or night: rosy clouds; like; fire) is rendered as “Evening
clouds like on fire aglow’, with “aglow” to cover the reddish, rosy colour of
the evening clouds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the second half
line </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">耀窗前</span> <span lang="EN-US">(dazzle; window; before), I have translated </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">耀</span> <span lang="EN-US">literally as
“dazzling”, and have interpreted </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">窗前</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(= before my window) to be inclusive of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">眼前</span> <span lang="EN-US">(= before my eyes)
and have, hence, rendered it as “(dazzling) my eyes, my window”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This half line does not mean “brightening the
front of my window” but should be taken to mean “a dazzling sight before my
eyes viewed through my window”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">日落天邊</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sun; descend: sky; edge) is rendered as “To the edge of the sky,
the sun retires”, with “retires”, rather than “descends”, to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">落</span><span lang="EN-US">, saving the word “descends”
for its internal rhyme with “ascends” in the second half line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">海欲眠</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(sea; wish; sleep) is rendered as “the sea soon restful also”,
with “restful” (echoing “retires) to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">眠</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sleep), and with “also” added for the
“window (1)”, “also (2)”, “tomorrow (4)” assonance rhyme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, the sixth character </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">欲</span> <span lang="EN-US">should not be taken
to mean “wish” or “desire”, but to mean “about to” or “soon” or “on the verge
of” as in the saying </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">搖搖欲墜</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(= on the verge of falling).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">欲眠</span> <span lang="EN-US">is, therefore, rendered as “soon restful”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest reading “soon” unstressed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朗月一輪</span> <span lang="EN-US">(clear; moon; one; wheel) is rendered as “A wheel of a full and
silvery moon”, with “silvery” chosen to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朗</span> <span lang="EN-US">rather than “clear”.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">隨夜上</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(follow; night; rise) is translated literally as “ascends as
night descends”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.0; text-indent: -12pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4: <a name="_Hlk96698159"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk96698159;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">無求無欲</span></span> <span lang="EN-US">(no;
seeking; no; desiring) is rendered as “I seek not, covet not”, to which I </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">have added “rid of desires” to amplify “seek and covet
not”, hinting at the idea of 知足 "content", a </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">word used in the second half of my line in translation to link up the
2 half lines. This second half line </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -12pt;">又明</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -12pt;">天</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">(again or in addition or in continuation or also ; next; day) is
rendered as “content, as ever, to</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">morrow”, with “content” added to link up the 2 half
lines as explained earlier, and with “as </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">ever” used to render </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -12pt;">又</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">in the sense of “also or to continue”. Furthermore, “as ever” best </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">provides a link between the future “tomorrow” and the
present and past, at least the present </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">past, to mean that the state of mind of contentment is
to continue.</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-7116554025284408482022-02-04T18:16:00.000+08:002022-02-04T18:16:16.632+08:00顧況 Gu Kuang: 宮詞 五首 其二 Palace Poem, II of Five<p>Today, I am posting a quatrain by the Mid Tang dynasty poet 顧況 Gu Kuang --- No. 2 of his "Five Palace Poems" 宮詞 五首 其二 which is his only quatrain selected for the anthology "300 Tang Poems". It is obviously a plaint about life in the palace, a joyous party upstairs and the persona of the poem all alone, sleepless and engulfed by the shadows cast by the moon. Yet, no word of complaint nor of sadness is found in the poem, truly, a masterpiece of restraint and subtlety. I do hope you will enjoy it.</p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Gu Kuang (725-814): Palace Poem, II of
Five<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">From the grand tower halfway
up the sky, came songs and music gay <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">With the chattery laughter
of palace ladies, by the wind, all carried, my way.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Now shadows cast by the moon
extended, the water-clock’s drip-drops heard; <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">My crystalline blind, O
up I roll, to be close to the stars of the Milky Way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">14 January 2022 (revised 17.1.2022;
21.1.2022; 24.1.2022; 26.1.2022; 4.2.2022)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original -<b> </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">顧況</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮詞</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">五首</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">其二</span>
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">玉樓天半<a name="_Hlk93065613">起笙歌</a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk93065613;"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk93065613;"></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">風送<a name="_Hlk93066704">宮嬪</a><a name="_Hlk93066945">笑語</a>和</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月殿影開聞夜漏</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk93333467"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">水精簾捲近秋河</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk93333467;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in heptameter (7 feet of beats) with a caesura after the fourth
beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme in English is
AAxA, as in the original. .<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">玉樓</span> <span lang="EN-US">(jade or beautiful; tall building) is rendered descriptively as “the
grand tower”, rather than as a building named “Jade Tower”, with “grand” to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">玉</span><span lang="EN-US"> (in the sense of beautiful).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">天半</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sky; half) is literally translated as “halfway up the sky”, which I
have taken to qualify the building and not the music and songs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">起笙歌</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(rise; pipe; song) is rendered as “came songs and music gay”, with
“came” to render </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">起</span><span lang="EN-US"> (rise), “music” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">笙</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(the pipe, a woodwind musical instrument) which is taken to be
a synecdoche using one musical instrument to stand for music, and with “gay”
added for the “-ay” rhyme and for heightening the joy of those at the party to
hint at the grief of the persona of the poem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2: <a name="_Hlk93592339"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first 2 characters </a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk93592339;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">風送</span></span>
<span lang="EN-US">(wind; send or carry) which begin the line in Chinese, are
rendered as “by the wind, all carried, my way” to end the line in the English
rendition, with “all” and “my way” added to include the din of both the songs
and music (line 1) and the chatter and laughter (line 2) and to indicate that
the din of the party is being carried by the wind to the persona of the poem (=
“my way”) who is not at the party. <a name="_Hlk93507034"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next 4 characters in the middle of the
line </a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk93507034;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮嬪笑語</span></span> <span lang="EN-US">(palace; ladies or concubines;
laughter; chatter) are rendered as “the chattery laughter of palace ladies”,
with “chattery laughter” to literally translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">笑語</span> <span lang="EN-US">(laughing and chattering).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last character </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">和</span> <span lang="EN-US">(not the conjunction
‘and’, but the verb ‘to follow or echo or respond or reply or mingle or mix or
blend’) which ends the line in Chinese, is moved to begin the line in English
and rendered as the preposition “With”, which, in my view, sufficiently
suggests and covers, if not literally translates, the mingling of the chattery
laughter (line 2) with the songs and music (line 1). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole line</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">風送宮嬪笑語和</span> <span lang="EN-US">is, therefore, rendered as “With
the chattery laughter of palace ladies, by the wind, all carried, my way”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alternatively, the line can be rendered as “With
the ladies’ mingling (or echoing or blending) chattery laughter, by the wind, all
carried, my way”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This puts the verb
“Mingling” in place, but at the expense of the word “palace” (to qualify the “ladies”)
which should not be omitted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月殿</span> <span lang="EN-US">(moon; palace or court) is taken to refer to the moon or moonlight, not
the legendary Moon Palace on the moon, and is rendered here as “the moon”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">影</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(shadow) in </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">影開</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is interpreted to mean shadows on the ground made by
moonlight, and not the shadowy parts on the moon’s surface, and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">開</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(open or bloom) is rendered as “extended” which aptly
describes the lengthening of the shadows as the moon moves west, slanting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月殿影開</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is, therefore, rendered as “Now shadows cast by the moon extended”,
with “cast by” added to make my interpretation of shadows as “shadows on the
ground” unambiguous, and with “Now” added to alert the reader to my framing
lines 1 and 2 in the past tense (earlier: in the evening or night) and lines 3
and 4 in the present tense (later: deep in the night).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please note line 3 is in the present tense as
“extended” is a contraction of “have (‘ve) extended”, and “heard”, of “are (‘re)
heard”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">聞夜漏</span> <span lang="EN-US">is rendered as “the water-clock’s drip-drops
heard”, with “heard” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">聞</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(hear), and “the water-clock’s drip-drops” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">夜漏</span> <span lang="EN-US">(night; leak or
drip) which refers to the chronometric instrument </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">更漏</span> <span lang="EN-US">(water-clock or
clepsydra) whose drippings are audible deep in the night. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of drippings, I have chosen to use “drip-drops”
to produce the alliteration of “dr-” in “drip-drops” and the assonance of “-clock’s”
and “-drops”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest reading “-clock’s”
unstressed to contain in one beat the 3 syllables in “water-clock’s”, and to
keep the hemistich (half line) “the water-clock’s drip-drops heard” within 3
beats. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">秋河</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(autumn; river) is one of the many names in Chinese of the
“Milky Way”, and is rendered as such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(Other names in Chinese include </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">銀河</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">天河</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">星河</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">天漢</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">銀漢</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">河漢</span><span lang="EN-US">, the first of which being commonly used while the others are often
found in literary writings, particularly poems.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">近</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(adjective ‘near’, or verb ‘to approach’) is rendered as “to
be close to”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question arises
whether the poet wishes to be close to the (by definition, starry) Milky Way as
a whole? or to specific but un-named stars of the Milky Way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have chosen the latter for its ambiguity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">近秋河</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is, therefore, rendered as “to be close to the stars of the
Milky Way”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">水精簾捲</span> <span lang="EN-US">(water; crystal;
blinds; roll) is rendered as “My crystalline blind, O up I roll”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest reading the last word “Way” unstressed
to contain in one beat the 3 syllables in “Milky Way”, and to keep the
hemistich “to be close to the stars of the Milky Way” within 3 beats.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-22762657760113042232022-01-10T15:27:00.003+08:002022-01-10T15:29:55.622+08:00白居易 Bai Juyi: 春詞 Song of Spring<p>Following my English rendition of 劉禹錫 Liu Yuxi's 春詞 和樂天 "Song of Spring: In Reply to Bai Juyi" posted here on 13 December 2021 (the last post), I am, today, posting my English rendition of 白居易 (style name 樂天) Bai Juyi's original poem 春詞 "Song of Spring". </p><p>You will have noticed that: (1) I have failed to use the same English words to end the rhymed lines, in my translation of the line-end Chinese characters 樓, 愁 and 頭 in both poems. For Liu's poem, I have used "descending", "tending" and "ascending", and for Bai's poem, "lodging", "showing" and "perching"; and (b) insofar as this (Bai's) poem is concerned, I have even failed to produce perfect feminine rhymes. The first should not be regarded as a failure as it is well nigh impossible to achieve in translation. The second failure can be excused if, in search of perfect rhymes, sense is found to be sacrificed. I believe one should be prepared to accept assonance (same vowel sound) as near rhymes. </p><p>I do hope you will find this, my English rendition of Bai Juyi's "Song of Spring" enjoyable.</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk92290804"><b><span lang="EN-US">Bai Juyi
(772-846): Song of Spring<o:p></o:p></span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Flowerbeds in blossom, trees,
a green sheen: her boudoir, a dainty lodging.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Though spring is in the heart
of her brows, her two eyes, a sadness showing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">She stands by the
railing, sidewise leaning, her back to the parrot stand,<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Pondering on why she
turns not her head, to face the bird, there, perching.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk92290804;"></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">28 December 2021 (revised 1.1.2022; 7.1.2022)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">白居易</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春詞</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">低花樹映小妝樓</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">舂入眉心两點愁</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk91687257"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">斜倚欄杆</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk91687752"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91687752;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">背鸚鵡</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk91687752;"></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk91688609"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">思量</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">何事不回頭</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura after the fourth
beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original’s rhyme scheme is
AAxA which is followed in this English rendition, not in the perfect rhyme
words, but in the assonance of the unstressed “-ing”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">低花</span> <span lang="EN-US">(low; flower) is rendered as “Flowerbeds in blossom” with the word
“bed” added to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">低花</span>
<span lang="EN-US">as flowers blooming on the ground level, hence, in flowerbeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">樹映</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(tree: reflection of light or image of something in the light)
is rendered as “trees, a green sheen”, with “sheen” to literally translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">映</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with “green”
added to give the trees the colour of their leaves in the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">小妝樓</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(little; put on make-up; building) is rendered as “her boudoir,
a dainty lodging”, with “boudoir” and “lodging” to cover </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">妝樓</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with “dainty”
(= small and elegant) to cover </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">小</span>
<span lang="EN-US">and to add a sense of elegance to the building concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春入</span> <span lang="EN-US">(spring; enters) is rendered as “Though spring is in” with “Though”
added to lead to </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">愁</span> <span lang="EN-US">“sadness” at the end of the line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I suggest reading “Though spring is in” with “spring” and “in” stressed
(i.e., as 2 iambs, as daDum daDum).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">眉心</span> <span lang="EN-US">(eyebrows; heart)
is translated literally as “the heart of her brows”, rather than the academically
proper word “glabella” (= the gap between the 2 eyebrows), in order to keep in
this English rendition the emotive word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">心</span>
<span lang="EN-US">“heart”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">愁</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sorrow) is
rendered as “a sadness showing”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">两點</span> <span lang="EN-US">(two; dots), in this
context, obviously refers to the pupils of the two eyes, and not just two dots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">两點愁</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is, therefore, rendered as “her two eyes, a sadness showing ”,
with “eyes” used rather than “pupils” and with “showing” added to complete the
meaning..<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">斜倚欄杆</span><span lang="EN-US"> (slant; lean; railing) is rendered as “She stands by the railing,
sidewise leaning” with the verb “stands” added to make it a 4-beat half-line;
and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">背鸚鵡</span> <span lang="EN-US">(back; parrot) is rendered as “her back to the parrot stand” with
the noun “stand” (= a stand to hold the parrot) added to make the second
half-line a 3-beat half-line, and to make a whole line of 7 beats, consistent
with the other lines.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">思量何事不回頭</span> <span lang="EN-US">(think; consider; what; business; not; turn; head) is rendered as “Pondering
on why she turns not her head”, after considering “Pondering for what …”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this, although the meaning of the line
is complete, this rendition falls far short of the 7-beat line-length
requirement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have, therefore, added
“to face the bird, there, perching” to end the line and the poem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you will find this addition neutrally
descriptive of what is implied in the context, e.g.., my “to face” is more
neutral than “to greet” or “to meet”, and my “perching”, more neutral than
“talking’, “chattering”, or “waiting”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Alternative Rendition:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the interest of satisfying the AAxA rhyme
scheme requirement, I have attempted an alternative rendition using the perfect
feminine rhyme of “-elling”, with “dwelling” instead of “lodging” to end line
1, “telling” instead of “showing” to end line 2, and “yelling” instead of
“perching” to end line 4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This I have
abandoned as I find the line 4 rhyme word “yelling” a little contrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parrots naturally squawk and screech and
learn to talk and chatter through frequent exposure to human speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose they might well learn to yell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But t</span>he question is: would “yelling” be as normal
as “chattering” and, even less so, as “perching”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-20712933042239566702021-12-13T16:32:00.004+08:002022-01-10T13:15:10.012+08:00劉禹錫 Liu Yuxi: 春詞 和樂天 Song of Spring: In Reply to Bai Juyi<p>Today, I am posting my rendition of 劉禹錫 Liu Yuxi's 7-character quatrain 春詞 "Song of Spring". This was written in reply to 白居易 Bai Juyi's original quatrain of the same title and the same end-rhyme (in fact, the same end-line characters). For ready reference, I reproduce below the original poem by Bai Juyi (772-846) (which I have not translated) and Liu Yuxi's harmonizing reply:</p><p>白居易: 春詞 劉禹錫: 春詞 和樂天</p><p>低花樹映小妝樓 1 新妝宜面下朱樓 </p><p>春入眉心兩點愁 2 深鎖春光一院愁</p><p>斜倚欄杆背鸚鵡 3 行到中庭數花朶</p><p>思量何事不回頭 4 蜻蜓飛上玉搔頭</p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Yuxi (772-842): Song of Spring: In Reply to
Bai Juyi<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Rouged and powdered befitting
her face, from her crimson bower descending. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">A scenic springtide locked
deep in the courtyard, therein to a sadness, tending.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Strolling the courtyard,
on arriving mid-court, she stops to count the flowers.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Ah, there flies a darting,
hovering dragonfly, to her hairpin of jade ascending.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">3 December 2021 (revised 6.12.2021;
7.12.2021 9.12.2021; 10.12.2021; 11.12.2021; 13.12.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉禹錫</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春詞</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">和樂天</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">新妝宜面下朱樓</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">深鎖春光一院愁</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">行到中庭數花朶</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">蜻蜓飛上玉搔頭</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura after the fourth
character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English rendition is in
heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura after the fourth beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme of the original is AAxA
which is adhered to in this English rendition with the perfect feminine rhyme
of “-ending”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Title:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春詞</span> <span lang="EN-US">(spring; verse) is rendered as “Song of Spring”. The word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">和</span> <span lang="EN-US">(harmonize) when
placed before the name of another poet indicates it is a poem written to
harmonize with a poem written by the other poet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The harmonizing poem shares with the original
poem the same title and rhyme. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">樂天</span> <span lang="EN-US">(pronounced “letian”,
meaning “optimistic”) is the style or courtesy name of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">白居易</span>
<span lang="EN-US">Bai Juyi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">和樂天</span> <span lang="EN-US">is, hence,
rendered as “In Reply to Bai Juyi”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">新妝</span> <span lang="EN-US">(new; makeup) should, in my view, be taken to mean “just finished
putting on her makeup” rather than “putting on a new dress” and is, therefore,
rendered here as “Rouged and powdered” with the past participle tense to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">新</span> <span lang="EN-US">(new). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宜面</span> <span lang="EN-US">(suit; face) is
translated literally as “befitting her face”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">下</span> <span lang="EN-US">(go down) is rendered as “from … descending”, to begin the “-ending”
rhyme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朱樓</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(red; building with at least one more floor upstairs) is taken
to mean her room (hence, bower) is upstairs in the red (hence, crimson)
building and is, therefore, rendered as “her crimson bower”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春光</span> <span lang="EN-US">(spring; light or scenery) is taken not to mean ”light”, but “scenery”
as in the phrase </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">湖光山色</span> <span lang="EN-US">(lake; light; mountain; colour) where the words </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">光</span> <span lang="EN-US">(light) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">色</span> <span lang="EN-US">(colour) are used
to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>refer to the beautiful scenery of the
lake and the mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春光</span> <span lang="EN-US">is, therefore,
rendered as “A scenic springtide”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">深鎖</span> <span lang="EN-US">(deep; lock) is
translated literally as “locked deep”, after considering “locked fast”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also, for this phrase, considered but
abandoned coining a word “y-locked”, with the prefix “y-“ to give the past
participle “locked” a perfective and intensifying force making “y-locked” to mean
the same as “locked fast” or “locked deep”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have, however, chosen to be more literal; and to my “locked deep”, I
have added “in the courtyard” to indicate the location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">一院愁</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(one or whole; courtyard; sad) is rendered as “therein to a sadness, tending” with “therein” to translate</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">一院</span> <span lang="EN-US">without repeating “courtyard”, and with
“to a sadness, tending” (= tending to a kind of sadness without naming it) to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">愁</span> <span lang="EN-US">and for the
“-ending” rhyme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">行到中庭</span> <span lang="EN-US">(walk; reach; middle; courtyard) is rendered as “Strolling the
courtyard, on arriving mid-court”, with “Strolling” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">行</span><span lang="EN-US">, “arriving” to translate
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">到</span><span lang="EN-US">, “mid-court” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">中庭</span><span lang="EN-US">, and the addition of “the courtyard” after “Strolling”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">數花朶</span><span lang="EN-US"> (count; flower) is rendered as “she stops to count the flowers”,
with “stops” added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.0; text-indent: -12pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">蜻蜓</span> <span lang="EN-US">(dragonfly) is
rendered as “a darting, hovering dragonfly” with </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">“darting, hovering” </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">added to make it possible for the line to be of 4 beats followed
by 3 beats. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -12pt;">飛上玉搔頭</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">(fly; up; </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">jade; hairpin) is rendered as “flies … to her hairpin of
jade ascending”.</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">The addition of the 2 </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">words “darting” and “hovering” is not simply for their
being descriptive of the dragonfly’s ability </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">to fly fast and to hover.</span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">My rendition of the whole line as “Ah, there
flies a darting, hovering </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">dragonfly, to her hairpin of jade ascending” gives a
motion-picture-like scene: “A dragonfly </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">flying quickly and slowly to the flowers and the
persona, hovering over the flowers, then </span><span style="text-indent: -12pt;">ascending to the persona’s jade hairpin.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.0; text-indent: -12pt;"><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.0; text-indent: -12pt;"><span style="text-indent: -12pt;"><br /></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-79342717114129922612021-11-10T17:27:00.001+08:002021-11-10T17:29:35.941+08:00朱慶餘 Zu Qingyu: 宮中詞 A Verse on Life Inside the Palace <p>Here is my latest English rendition of Tang dynasty quatrains on the theme of life in the imperial palace. The original is clearly a palace plaint 宮怨 but subtly made through the words of a third person who simply describes the situations the 2 ladies concerned are in --- (i) line 2: in a small, splendid side-hall, (ii) line 1: no one comes to their flowering courtyard-garden whose gates are closed, (iii) lines 3 and 4: wishing to talk about palace affairs but dare not in the presence of the parrot. I have, in my English rendition, added the words "their plaints" to make plain this poem is a palace plaint.</p><p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Zhu Qingyu (early 800’s): A Verse on
Life Inside the Palace<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Quiet, so quiet, the flowering
garden, its doors and gates all closed.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Two beauties, there stand
side by side, in a small, splendid side-hall.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Feelingly wishing to fully
share --- their plaints of palace affairs,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">But before the mimicry, chattery parrot, they dare not speak at all.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">26 October 2021 (revised 28.10.2021;
1.11.2021; 9.11.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original: </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">朱慶餘</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮中詞</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">寂寂花時閉院門</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">美人相並立瓊軒</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">含情欲說宮中事</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">鸚鵡前頭不敢言</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in heptameter (7 feet or beats) with a caesura after the fourth
beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original’s rhyme scheme is
xAxA which is followed in the English rendition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The reduplication of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">寂</span><span lang="EN-US"> (quiet) is rendered as “Quiet, so quiet<span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">" </span></span><span lang="EN-US">after considering “Quietly quiet”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">花時</span><span lang="EN-US"> (flower; time or season) is rendered simply as “flowering” (after
considering “blossoming” and “blooming”) with the present continuous tense to
cover the idea that this is </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">花時</span><span lang="EN-US"> the flowering season. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">院</span><span lang="EN-US"> (courtyard) is an
enclosed open space outside the building(s) which can serve as “garden” and is
rendered as such. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half line </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">閉院門</span><span lang="EN-US"> (close;
courtyard; doors) is, thus, rendered as “the … garden, its doors and gates all
closed”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">美人</span> <span lang="EN-US">(beautiful; human) is rendered as “Two beauties”, with “Two” added
which is implicit in the context.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">相並</span> <span lang="EN-US">(mutual; together)
is literally translated as “side by side”, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">立</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(stand) also literally, as “there stand”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a name="_Hlk86318677">The word </a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk86318677;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">瓊</span></span>
<span lang="EN-US">(fine jade) in </span><a name="_Hlk86323770"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">瓊軒</span> </a><span lang="EN-US">comes from </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">玉</span> <span lang="EN-US">(jade) but used as
an adjective to mean beautiful, resplendent, exquisite, etc., to qualify the
architectural structure called </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">軒</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(a room/ chamber/ hall which is smaller in size and is not the
main one , or a long corridor/ passage way). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, I have rendered </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">瓊軒</span> <span lang="EN-US">as “in a small, splendid side-hall”, after considering “in a splendid chamber, small”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the context of (i) two ladies (not many
ladies), (ii) standing side by side, (iii) chatting or about to chat, and (iv)
in the presence of a parrot (probably caged or chained), my interpretation of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">軒</span> <span lang="EN-US">as “small room/ chamber/
hall” makes better sense than “long corridor/ passage way”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">含情</span> <span lang="EN-US">(have; feelings) is literally translated as “Feelingly”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">欲說</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(wish or want; speak) is rendered as “wishing to fully share”,
with “share” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">說</span><span lang="EN-US">, and with “fully” added to heighten the </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">情</span> <span lang="EN-US">feelings in their
hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮中事</span> <span lang="EN-US">(palace; middle or inside; matters or
affairs) is rendered as “their plaints of palace affairs”, with “palace
affairs” to translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">宮中事</span>
<span lang="EN-US">and with “their plaints” added, as complaints must be part, if
not the whole, of what they wish to talk about on palace affairs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had originally considered to deploy words
like “gossips” and “rumours”, but have decided that these are all covered by “palace
affairs”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不敢言</span> <span lang="EN-US">(not; dare; speak) is translated literally as “they dare not speak
at all” to complete the “side-hall (line 2)” – “all (line 4)” rhyme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">鸚鵡前頭</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(parrot; front; head) is rendered as “But before the mimicry, chattery
parrot”, with “mimicry, chattery” added to lay bare why “they dare not speak at
all” and to make the line a 7-beat line.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-26591729256941689762021-10-18T18:23:00.003+08:002021-10-18T18:28:41.535+08:00李益 Li Yi: 夜上受降城聞笛 At Night, Ascending the Walls of Victory City and Hearing a Pipe in Tune<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here is a border song that subtly conveys anti war sentiments. Victorious or defeated, the men on both sides, for home and homeland, pining! I hope you like the poem and my rendition of it. Here we go:-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Li Yi (748-829): At Night, Ascending the
Walls of Victory City and Hearing a Pipe in Tune</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Beyond the Peak of Happy
Returns, the desert, white as snow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Outside the walls of Victory
City, the moon, frostily, shining.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Know not whence goes a
pipe of reed, in tune so sadly sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">O ‘tis a night, we
warriors all, for home and homeland, pining. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">24 September 2021 (revised 8.10.2021;
14.10.2021; 18.10.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">李益</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">夜上受降城聞笛</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">迴樂峰前沙似雪</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">受降城外月如霜</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不知何處吹蘆管</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">一夜征人盡望鄉</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Note</span></b><span lang="EN-US">s:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
after the fourth character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in heptameter (7 beats or feet) with a caesura after the fourth
beat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme of the original
is xAxA which is faithfully followed in this English rendition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please note “shining (line 2)” and “pining (line
4)” are perfect feminine rhymes, i.e., rhyming as “-ining” with the last
syllable “-ing” unstressed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Lines 1 and 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the names of places, instead of
transliterating the sound, I have rendered them in comprehensible English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">迴樂峰</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(return; happy; peak) in line 1 is literally translated as
“Peak of Happy Returns”; and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">受降城</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(accept; surrender; city) in line 2 is semantically rendered
as “Victory City”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">沙</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sand) in line 1 is
taken to mean </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">沙漠</span> <span lang="EN-US">(desert).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although “desert”
can also be expressed in English as “sands”, I have decided to render it as
“the desert” (rather than “the sands”) to make it unambiguous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">月如霜</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(moon; like; frost) is rendered as “the moon, frostily
shining”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">吹</span> <span lang="EN-US">(blow or play) is rendered as “in tune”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have added “so sadly sweet” (which is not
in the original) to bring out the hidden meaning that the pipe of reed makes a
sad sound, and to make it a 7-beat line consistent with the form of this
quatrain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suggest reading the first
hemistich (half line) “Know not whence goes a pipe of reed” with the word “goes”
read unstressed, thus read as “Dumda Dumda daDum daDum” or “Dumda Dum dadaDum
daDum”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">征人</span> <span lang="EN-US">(expedition; men) is literally translated as “we warriors”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">盡望鄉</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(all; look to or long for; homeland) is rendered as “… all, for
home and homeland, pining”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-69545936569818321822021-09-17T17:53:00.001+08:002021-09-17T17:53:41.382+08:00劉方平 Liu Fangping: 春怨 A Plaint on the Passing of Spring<p>Here is my most recent rendition of quatrains. This is a quatrain by Liu Fangping 劉方平 of the High Tang 盛唐 period (713-766). After failing to join officialdom through the imperial examinations, Liu Fangping decided to live like a hermit, and is lauded by posterity as a master of the quatrain. </p><p>In my last post (in early September 2021), I announced I have published a book entitled "60 Chinese Poems in English Verse". A more accurate description of the content of the said book is "60 Tang Dynasty Quatrains Translated in English Verse". Although this quatrain is not in that collection, I still hope you will find time to acquire a copy and leaf through the pages. </p><p><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Fangping (circa 758): A Plaint on the
Passing of Spring</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Through my gauzed window,
a setting sun, evening O now nearing;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">In my gilded quarters, my
lord absent, tears on my face appearing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Still and desolate, the
deserted courtyard, spring is about to pass;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Fallen pear-flowers aground
abound, no one, to my door, is coming.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">30 August 2021 (revised 31.8.2021; 1.9.2021;
2.9.2021; 3.9.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉方平</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春怨</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk81231670"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">紗窗日落</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk81231764"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">漸黃昏</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk81232484"></a><a name="_Hlk81231956"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">金屋</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk81232919"></a><a name="_Hlk81232389"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">無人</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">見</span></b><a name="_Hlk81234129"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">淚痕</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk81234815"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">寂寞</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">空庭<a name="_Hlk81235422">春欲晚</a></span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><a name="_Hlk81236543"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">梨花滿地</span></b></a><a name="_Hlk81236686"></a><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">不開門</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Note</span></b><span lang="EN-US">s:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a 7-character quatrain </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">七言絕句</span> <span lang="EN-US">with a caesura
(pause) after the fourth character. This
English rendition is in heptameter (7-beat lines) with a caesura after the
fourth beat. The original’s rhyme scheme
is AAxA which is followed in this English rendition although only in the
assonance of the “-ing” syllable and not in perfect rhymes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">紗窗日落</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is translated rather literally as “Through my gauzed window, a
setting sun”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">漸黃昏</span> <span lang="EN-US">(gradually; evening) is rendered as “evening O now nearing”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">金屋</span> <span lang="EN-US">(gold; house), translated literally as “In my gilded quarters”,
refers to the persona’s well-appointed living quarters. This is an allusion to the quarters of a queen/
concubine, attributed to Emperor Wu Di </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">武帝</span>
<span lang="EN-US">of the Han dynasty, which can be extended to the quarters of a
lover/ mistress. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無人</span> <span lang="EN-US">(no; man) should
be read as part of the first half-line (hemistich) of </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">金屋無人</span> <span lang="EN-US">which is followed
by a pause (caesura), and then by the remaining </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">見淚痕</span> <span lang="EN-US">half-line. It is a phrase which stands alone and is not
part of a possible phrase </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無人見</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(no man sees) which ignores the presence of a caesura between </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">人</span> <span lang="EN-US">and </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">見</span><span lang="EN-US">. Hence, </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無人</span><span lang="EN-US"> should be taken to mean “alone, in no one’s presence”, and not “no
one sees”. To make it well suited to the
“gilded quarters”, I have made the lack of presence specific, and have rendered
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">無人</span> <span lang="EN-US">as “my lord absent”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">見</span> <span lang="EN-US">(see, or appear),
which begins the </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">見淚痕</span> <span lang="EN-US">hemistich, is taken to mean </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">現</span><span lang="EN-US"> (appear) and is rendered as “appearing” which ends the English line. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">淚痕</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(tears; traces or stains) is rendered as “tears on my face” (after
considering “traces of my tears”), with </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">痕</span>
<span lang="EN-US">rendered as “on my face” rather than “traces” or “stains”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:
I have used “Still and desolate” to translate </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">寂寞</span><span lang="EN-US"> to cover its two
meanings of (a) “quiet” and (b)
“lonesome”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">空庭</span> <span lang="EN-US">is translated
literally as “a deserted courtyard”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">欲</span> <span lang="EN-US">in </span><a name="_Hlk81236268"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">春</span></a><a name="_Hlk81235483"></a><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">欲</span><a name="_Hlk81236166"></a><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">晚</span>
<span lang="EN-US">should, in context, be taken to mean “is about to” or “is just
going to”, and not “wish” or “desirous”. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">春</span><span lang="EN-US">and </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">晚</span><span lang="EN-US">, in the same context, should be taken to mean “late” and “spring”. This half line </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">春欲晚</span><span lang="EN-US"> is, hence, rendered as “spring is
about to pass”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">*Line
4: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">梨花滿地</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">is rendered as “Fallen pear-flowers
aground abound” with (a) the choice of “aground” – “abound” for the “-ound”
internal rhyme, and (b) the addition of “Fallen” for the “f” alliteration of
“Fallen” - “-flowers”. </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不開門</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(not; open; door) is taken to
mean “</span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不<a name="_Hlk81403549">用開門</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(no need to open the door). My interpretation of “</span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” as “</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不用</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">”, though speculative, is based on the usage of
“</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” for “</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不用</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">”, such as in “</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不謝</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” which means “</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不用謝</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">” (no need to thank me = you are welcome). As for why there is no need to open the door,
the context of the poem (line 2: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">無人</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“my lord absent”; line 3: </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">空</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“deserted”) dictates it is because
no one will come. So, to say</span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不用開門</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“no need to open the door” is
to subtly say </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">無人會來</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">”no one will come”. </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">不開門</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">is, thus, taken to mean </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">無人會開門進來</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">and rendered as “no one, to my
door, is coming”.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-76145592309373117392021-08-28T14:42:00.008+08:002022-03-31T15:44:31.816+08:00My recent publication --- "60 Chinese Poems in English Verse" 《英韻唐詩六十首》<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0of0qz3im9Y/YSnZzeW10wI/AAAAAAAAJzo/Xu_bU5VRIVIrdHWrRL_2OTyT5ixSdok8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s365/9789887534204-250x365.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0of0qz3im9Y/YSnZzeW10wI/AAAAAAAAJzo/Xu_bU5VRIVIrdHWrRL_2OTyT5ixSdok8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/9789887534204-250x365.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">To order, please go to <a href="https://cup.cuhk.edu.hk/60ChinesePoems" target="_blank">The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Brief</b> <b>Description </b></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">This book by Andrew W.F. Wong (the last President of Hong Kong's Legislative Council before sovereignty reverted in 1997 to China) is a collection of 60 Tang dynasty (618–907) Chinese quatrains (4-line poems) he has rendered into English in verse form. These are all new translations, never published before in book form.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">The English verse form he has chosen is that of “accentual verse” (much like that of hymns, ballads, and nursery rhymes) which counts only the stressed syllables both for the rhythm and for the length of the poetic lines. This has made his renditions melodious to the English ear --- English being an accentual language. And so, accentual, must verse in English be.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">Melody and rhythmicity are further enhanced by his end-rhyming lines 1, 2, and 4 or just lines 2 and 4, as the case may be in the original, and by the provision of a caesura or pause in or near the middle of the line.</span></p><p><span style="text-align: center;">Just listen to his reading of any of these poems, particularly ones of 6-beat or 7-beat lines, to experience the music of this poetry. Please use the QR Code on the top right-hand corner of the poem to gain access to his reading. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="background-color: #f4f5f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.95); font-family: "Fira Sans", "Noto Sans TC", "Noto Sans SC", "Open Sans", "Microsoft JhengHei", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: start;" /></div></div><br /> <p></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-40044420168479977172021-08-20T15:57:00.001+08:002021-08-20T15:57:23.772+08:00權德輿 Quan Deyu: 玉臺體 十二首 其十一 A Poem in the Jade Terrace Style, XI of Twelve<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Today, I am posting my rendition of the last of the thirty-seven 5-character quatrains 五言絕句 in the most popular anthology "300 Tang Dynasty Poems" 唐詩三百首. This poem is by Quan Deyu 權德輿, a Mid-Tang poet, and is the only poem by him collected in the anthology. Hope you like it, Here we go:-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Quan Deyu (759-818): A Poem in the Jade
Terrace Style, XI of Twelve<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US"> Last night, in sleep, my nightwear’s girdle came
loose, <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US"> Now dawn, come ladybirds --- be omens of bliss,
I pray.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US"> My rouge, my powders: my make-up I shan’t neglect,
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US"> ‘Cos my man is returning and may well be home
today.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">6 July 2021 (revised 7.7.21; 8.7.21; 9.7.21;
13.8.21; 16.8.21; 18.8.21; 19.8.21)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original -<b> </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">權德輿</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">玉臺體 十二首</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">其十一</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">昨夜裙帶解</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">今朝蟢子飛</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">鉛華不可棄</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">莫是<a name="_Hlk79760655">藁砧</a>歸</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a 5-character Chinese
quatrain (or jueju</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">絕句</span><span lang="EN-US">) with a caesura after the second character. The 4 lines are rhymed xAxA. This English rendition is a quatrain in
5-beat lines with a caesura after the second beat and rhymed as in the
original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">*Lines 1 and 2: These 2 lines in the original simply depicts
two omens of bliss. At the end of line 2
of this English rendition, I have added “be omens of bliss” (not in the
original) to make them readily understood as such. To end the line, I have further added “I pray”
which heightens the persona’s expectation.
In line 1, I have translated </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">裙</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(skirt) as “nightwear” which is more appropriate for the
occasion. In the same line, I have added
“in sleep” (not in the original) to make clear the persona did not consciously
loosen her girdle as, if she did, it no longer qualifies as an omen. In my translation of line 2, I have abandoned
the imagery of </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">蟢子</span> <span lang="EN-US">(a long-legged spider) as, although </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">蟢</span> <span lang="EN-US">sounds the same as </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">喜</span> <span lang="EN-US">(happiness), a
literal translation of it as “spider” may give rise to unpleasant
connotations. I have, therefore, changed
the imagery to “ladybirds” (= ladybugs) which is an omen of good luck in
English. The last word </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">飛</span> <span lang="EN-US">(fly) is rendered
as “come”. This is based on my
interpretation of this second omen as the good luck insects “fly to come” to
the persona” in which interpretation, the implicit “coming” is much more meaningful
than the aimless “flying”. Further, I
suggest reading the word “come” unstressed to keep the line within 5 beats.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">鉛華</span> <span lang="EN-US">(face powder made of white lead) is rendered as “My rouge, my
powders: my make-up”, with “rouge” and “make-up” added. Here, </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">棄</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is not taken to literally mean “throw away” or “discard”, but
understood as “put aside” or “not put to use”.
Hence, </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">不可棄</span><span lang="EN-US"> means “must not be put aside” or “must be put to use” and is
rendered as “I shan’t neglect”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4: </span><a name="_Hlk80204111"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">藁砧</span></a> <span lang="EN-US">is an allusion
to an ancient quatrain in the anthology </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">玉臺新詠</span><span lang="EN-US"> “New Songs from the Jade Terrace” compiled by </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">徐陵</span> <span lang="EN-US">Xu Ling (507-583). The quatrain is a riddle in which </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">藁砧</span>
<span lang="EN-US">in line 1 stands for “husband”, and I have rendered it here as
“my man”. In the context of lines 3 and
4, I have interpreted the phrase</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">莫是</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(not; is) as identical, in both meaning and phrasing, to </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">要不是</span> <span lang="EN-US">(if not for or
but for) in Modern Chinese. It can,
therefore, be best understood as </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">因為</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(because), either with “Because” or “For” or “’Cos” to begin
the line, or even without the word.
Briefly, these 2 lines convey this message: I must not neglect my
make-up all because my man is coming home soon.
Line 4 is, therefore, rendered as “’Cos my man is returning and may well
be home today”, with “and may well be home today” (not in the original) added
to make it a 5-beat line and to complete the “I pray (line 2) – today (line 4)”
rhyme. I had originally considered the
more literal alternative of “No, my man is returning and may well be home today”,
with the word “No” to translate “</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">莫</span><span lang="EN-US">” and to echo “I shan’t” in line 3, and with the word “is” to translate
“</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">是</span><span lang="EN-US">”, but have rejected it as the word “No”, even if read unstressed,
distracts and detracts. </span> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-70355242874148427782021-07-25T16:58:00.000+08:002021-07-25T16:58:07.029+08:00劉長卿 Liu Changqing: 送方外上人 Farewell to the Venerable Buddhist Monk<p class="MsoNormal">Here is another beautiful little poem (a 5-character quatrain) by Liu Changqing. I hope you will enjoy both the original poem and my rendition of it. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Changqing (714-790): Farewell to the
Venerable Buddhist Monk<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">A solitary cloud, a
crane in the wild,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">How would you ever, among
folks, abide?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">I pray you buy not: the
hills in Wozhou<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Where folks profane, already
reside. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">28 June 2021 (revised 29.6.2021; 2.7.2021)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉長卿</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">送方外上人</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">孤雲將野鶴</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">豈向人間住</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">莫買沃洲山</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">時人已知處</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: The original is a 5-character quatrain with a
semantic pause after the second character.
This English rendition is in tetrameter (4 feet or beats) with a medial
caesura (or pause) after the second beat.
The rhyme scheme is xAxA as in the original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Title:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">方外</span> <span lang="EN-US">means “not of (outside) the secular world” and is rendered as “Buddhist
Monk”. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">上人</span> <span lang="EN-US">(upper; man) is rendered as “the
Venerable”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">將</span> <span lang="EN-US">is taken to be the conjunction “and”, and not the verb “to carry”. It is simply rendered with a comma between
“cloud” and “crane”, which obviates the word “and”. Both the “cloud” and the “crane” are
metaphors referring to the Buddhist Monk (the “you” in line 2). Line 1 can also be rendered as “You’re a
solitary …” discarded for brevity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">*Lines
3 and 4: In line 3, I have rendered </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">沃洲山</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(Wozhou; mountain) as “the
hills in Wozhou”. In line 4, I have
rendered </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">時人</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(men of the current time) as “folks
profane”, with “of the current time” taken as understood and not translated,
and with “profane” (which means “secular, lay, common” -- Shorter Oxford) added. </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">已</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">and </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">知</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">in line 4 are readily
understood respectively as “already” and “know”. </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">處</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">in line 4 can be understood as
either the noun “place” or the verb “to dwell, live, or inhabit”. Taking </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">處</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">as “place”, the advice in
lines 3 and 4 can be interpreted as: (i) Don’t buy those “places” in Wozhou
which are already known to men of the world! or (ii) Don’t buy any hill in
Wozhou, as Wozhou is a “place” already known to men of the world! The key word in these 2 interpretations of
line 4 is the word </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">知</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“know” which does not seem to
fit into the context of the poem which is about </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">住</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“to abide” or “to dwell” (see
line 2). Now, taking </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">處</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">as “to dwell”, the advice in
the same two lines can be interpreted as: (iii) Don’t buy those hills in Wozhou
which are already (known to and) inhabited by men of the world! or (iv) Don’t
buy the hills of Wozhou, as Wozhou is already (known to and) inhabited by men
of the world! For this rendition, I have
decided for (iii) and have rendered line 4 as “Where folks profane, already
reside” without translating the word </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">知</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“know” as “to reside” presumes
and embodies “to know”. </span></span> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-29903990444106715342021-06-25T16:27:00.003+08:002021-06-25T18:09:51.371+08:00劉長卿 Liu Changqing: 逢雪宿芙蓉山主人 In Snow, Lodged at Hibiscus Hill, by Courtesy of the Master<p>What follows is my latest rendition of a five-character quatrain by the Tang poet Liu Changqing. I take the poem to be more than just a statement of the poet's plight, but a note subtly expressing the poet's gratitude to the poverty-stricken master of the house for his hospitality without using a single word of thanks. The magic lies in the ambiguity of the poet's word 歸 in line 4 which suggests 賓至如歸 (guests treated to feel as if at home) and my use of the word "home" to translate 屋 (house) in line 2 (home away from home?) </p><p><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Changqing (714-790): In Snow, Lodged
at Hibiscus Hill by Courtesy of the Master</span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">The day waning, the green
hills, a long way away;</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">The weather freezing, a simple,
poor home, I sight. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">At its twiggen gateway, a
dog is heard a-barking;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">In wind, in snow, I come
to be lodged for the night.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">黃宏發</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">24 June 2021</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉長卿</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">逢雪宿芙蓉山主人</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">日暮蒼山遠</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">天寒白屋貧</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">柴門聞犬吠</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">風雪夜歸人</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -24pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Form, Metre, and Rhyme: This English rendition is a quatrain
(4-liner) in pentameter (5 feet or beats) with a medial caesura after the
second beat to emulate the original Chinese which is a 5-character quatrain
with a semantic pause after the second character. The rhyme scheme is xAxA as in the original.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1:
I have taken </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">蒼山</span>
<span lang="EN-US">, literally “green hills”, to be the destination of the poet
as sojourner, hence, </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">遠</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(far) is rendered as “a long way away” (rather than “still
seem far”) to highlight the sojourner’s situation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">白屋</span> <span lang="EN-US">(white; house) does not mean white house. </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">白</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(white) should be taken to mean </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">空白</span> <span lang="EN-US">(blank or empty). As from the outside one can only find the
house (</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">屋</span><span lang="EN-US">) unadorned, simple, or plain, it is, hence, rendered as “plain”. I have used “home” (which also means house or
abode) instead of “house” to render </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">屋</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(house), as “poor house” sounds the same as “poorhouse” which
is where poor people on public charity are housed. I have added “in sight” (which is implied in
the situation) for the “sight … night” rhyme in lines 2 and 4 respectively.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:
</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif;">柴門</span> <span lang="EN-US">(door made of faggots or twigs) is rendered as “twiggen gateway”.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">*Line
4: </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">歸</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">in </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">夜歸人</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(night; return; man) should
not be taken to mean “return” as if line 4 says: the master of the house returning
in wind and snow late at night. It
should, instead, be taken to mean </span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">向往</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">(proceed to or inclined to), and
in the context of the title “Lodged at (</span></span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">宿</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">) … by Courtesy of the Master (</span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">主人</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">)” and the flow of the poem itself, it should
mean </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; font-size: 12pt;">入宿</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span lang="EN-US">“come to be lodged”. Hence, line 4 refers to the sojourner in wind
and snow coming at dusk to be lodged for the night. </span></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-91715662182659793582021-05-29T17:20:00.000+08:002021-05-29T17:20:06.035+08:00陶潛 Tao Qian: 飲酒 二十首 其五 (首四句) Drinking Wine, V of Twenty (first 4 lines)<p>Recently, I had been asked by a friend of mine to translate a 2-line Chinese saying which reads: <b>小隱隱於野 大隱隱於市. </b>To this, there is a 3-line contender which turns the second line into 中隱 and adds a third line of 大隱隱於朝 which I do not quite appreciate. I have attempted a translation which reads:</p><p> <b>Lesser hermits seek seclusion in only the wild,</b></p><p><b> The great hermit finds reclusion even in towns.</b></p><p>I must say this is inspired by another great poet of even older vintage than the Tang dynasty masters. This is Tao Qian or better known as Tao Yuanming of the Jin dynasty, a few hundred years before Tang, who is known as the Grand Hermit.</p><p>Below are four of Tao's numerous lines which have to do with hermitage and reclusion. I hope you will enjoy both his lines and my rendition. Here we go:</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Tao Qian (365-427): Drinking Wine, V of
Twenty (first 4 lines)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I make my abode in the realm of men,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unperturbed by the din of a bustling borough.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You ask: “How could it ever be so?”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A recluse at heart, my abode, likewise remote.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">29 May 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">陶潛</span><span lang="EN-US">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">飲酒</span>
</b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">二十首</span> </b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">其五</span><span lang="EN-US"> (</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">首四句</span><span lang="EN-US">)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">結廬在人境</span> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">而無車馬喧</span> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">問君何能爾</span> <span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">心遠地自偏</span> </b><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Form, Meter and Rhyme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is a 10-line poem, translated
here are the first 4 lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in accentual verse of 4-beat (tetrameter) lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhyme scheme is xAxA as in the original,
but in assonance of the vowel ‘ou’ in “borough” (line 2) and “remote” (line 4).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">車馬</span> <span lang="EN-US">(carts; horses) which represent the activities of “the realm of men”
(line 1), a town, hence rendered as a synecdoche of a “borough”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">喧</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(noise) is rendered as “din of a bustling …”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">而無</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(and/but; no) is clarified as “Unperturbed by”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">心遠</span> <span lang="EN-US">(heart; far away) is rendered as “A recluse at heart”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">地</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(ground, place) is rendered as “my abode”, and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">自偏</span> <span lang="EN-US">(self; remote) as “likewise
remote”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-58532914933853681832021-04-30T17:18:00.008+08:002021-05-11T12:16:20.522+08:00劉長卿 Liu Changqing: 送靈澈上人 On Parting with the Buddhist Master Ling Che<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Below is my latest rendition. Lately, I have been busy compiling for publication 60 of my quatrain renditions and can spare no time translating new ones. The task is now more or less complete, and I am glad I will be back to normal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I hope you will enjoy this beautiful little poem. Cheers!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Liu Changqing (714-790): On Parting with
the Buddhist Master Ling Che</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US"><b>1</b><span style="font-size: 9.33333px;"> </span></span><b><span lang="EN-US">O green, so green: your
Bamboo Forest Temple,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">From afar, come faintly:
its bell’s evening tolls.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Broad hat on your back, while
the sun is yet to set,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Alone you return to your
distant green hills abode.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">29 April 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">劉長卿</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">送靈澈上人</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">蒼蒼竹林寺</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">杳杳鐘聲晚</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">荷笠帶斜陽</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 30pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; text-indent: -30pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">青山獨歸遠</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Title, Form, and Rhyme: The poem is interpreted to refer to the
Buddhist Master Ling Che of the Bamboo Forest Temple visiting the poet Liu
Changqing. They were dear friends, and
on parting, the poet penned this quatrain, hence, the title “On Parting with …” The Temple must be some distance away (line
4), but manageable on foot as bell tolls can be heard albeit faintly (line
2). My English rendition is in pentameter
(5 beats or feet) with a medial caesura (pause) after the second beat or
foot. The original’s rhyme scheme is
xAxA which I have followed in my rendition, however, not in perfect rhymes but
in the ‘ou’ sound “acconance” (should read "assonance") of “tolls” (line 2) and “abode” (line 4).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 1: The reduplication of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">蒼</span> <span lang="EN-US">is rendered as “O
green, so green”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 2:
The reduplication of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">杳</span>
<span lang="EN-US">is emulated by the ‘f’ alliterations in “From afar, come
faintly”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">*Line 3:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">帶斜陽</span> <span lang="EN-US">is rendered as “while the sun is yet to set” rather than “in the
slanting sun” for the “yet”—“set” internal rhyme.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">*Line
4:</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">I have added “abode” after “green
hills” to end the line and the poem. </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-64802456268226835492021-03-22T14:41:00.003+08:002021-04-29T17:27:27.738+08:00祖詠 Zu Yong: 终南望餘雪 Viewing the Snow Tops of Mount Zhongnan<p> <b><span lang="EN-US">Zu Yong
(699-746): Viewing the Snow Tops of Mount
Zhongnan</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;">This is the last of the quatrains I translated some 10 years ago which were never posted on this blog but posted in the Forum website of the Hong Kong Economic Journal. For the records, this rendition was posted there on 21 January 2011.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;">I do hope you will like it too:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Zu Yong: Viewing the Snow Tops of Mount Zhongnan</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Fair is the north face of Mount Zhongnan,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Its emergent snow tops floating on clouds. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">The sky now cleared, the forests glisten, </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 21.0pt; text-indent: -21.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">But by dusk the city, a coldness enshrouds.</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated
by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黃宏發</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:date day="14" month="6" w:st="on" year="2010"><span lang="EN-US">14<sup>th</sup> June 2010</span></st1:date><span lang="EN-US"> (revised 18.6.10; 21.6.10;
22.6.10; 18.1.11; 19.1.11) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated
from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">祖詠</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">终南望餘雪</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">1 </span></b><b><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">终南陰嶺秀</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">2 </span></b><b><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">積雪浮雲</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">端</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">3 </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">林表明霽色</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">4 </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">城中增暮寒</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes</span></b><span lang="EN-US">:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* This English rendition is in tetrameter (4
metrical feet) while the original is in 5-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-para-margin-left: 2.0gd;"><span lang="EN-US">character lines. The rhyme scheme is xAxA as in the original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Title and lines 1 and 2: Zhongnan </span><span lang="ZH-CN" style="font-family: SimSun; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">终</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">南</span><span lang="EN-US">(ultimate, south) is a mountain range south
of the capital city Chang-an </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">長安</span><span lang="EN-US">. I had considered translating it
as “South End”, “South Side” or “Due South”, but have decided for the
transliteration “Zhongnan”. I have taken
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">餘雪</span><span lang="EN-US"> in the title and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">積雪</span> <span lang="EN-US">in line 2 to have the same
meaning and had originally translated them into “snow caps” but have now
decided for “snow tops”. I have not
ascertained if there are indeed many tops/peaks; but then, if not, I can simply
delete the “s” from “tops”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 1:
I had considered “north slope/side/range” but had decided for “north
face” for alliteration with “fair”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 2:
I have deleted “With” which I had originally used to begin the
line. I had also originally used the
more literal “Its emergent snow tops floating atop/above the clouds” to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">浮雲端</span><span lang="EN-US"> but have
found it one beat/foot too long and now decided for “Its emergent snow tops floating
on clouds”, with “emergent” to mean both “rising above” and “coming into view
(appearing)”, and with “floating” to mean both “afloat continuously” and “floating
in the eyes (appearing).”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 3:
The 2 words </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">霽</span> <span lang="EN-US">(means
precipitation has stopped as in</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">雨</span><span lang="EN-US">/</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">雪霽</span> <span lang="EN-US">rain/snow
has stopped) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">色</span><span lang="EN-US"> (means brightness in this context, not colour) are translated as “The
sky now cleared”. I had considered but
rejected both “Now that the sky clears” and “The sky now clears”. I had originally translated </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">林表</span><span lang="EN-US"> literally as “tree-tops”, but
have decided for “the forests” to contrastingly parallel “the city” in line
4. I have translated </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">明</span><span lang="EN-US"> simply as “glisten”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">* Line 4:
For</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">暮</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> I had considered and rejected “at nightfall”
and “by evening”, then adopted “come evening”, but have now decided for “by
dusk”. For </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">寒</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> I had considered “cold air” and “a cold veil”, but have
decided for “a coldness”. I have taken </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">增</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;"> not to strictly mean “to add” but to roughly mean “to layer
over” and have translated it as “enshrouds” for the rhyme. </span>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-53016866985702621482021-02-24T17:30:00.002+08:002021-02-25T18:02:57.692+08:00元稹 Yuan Zhen: 菊花 Chrysanthemum Flowers<p>POSTSCRIPT (25.2.21): On further consideration, I would like to have "like Tao Qian's" in the middle of line 1 reverted to "like Tao Qian". The post is accordingly amended.</p><p>ORIGINAL POST: Here is yet another rendition not posted on this blog. It was posted on the HK Economic Journal's "Forum" website on 2 October 2010. I have only made a few slight amendments. In line 1, "like Tao Qian" now read "like Tao Qian's", and in line 3, "my dear chrysanthemum" now read "O dear Chrysanthemum". I do hope you like it.</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Yuan
Zhen (779-831): Chrysanthemum Flowers<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Around my cottage, like Tao Qian, autumn flowers I grow,</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Along the hedges I amble, till the slanting sun sinks low.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Of flowers, O dear Chrysanthemum, not that I love you best,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just that once you are gone, there is no other flower
to follow.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated
by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黃宏發</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:date day="12" month="5" w:st="on" year="2010"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">12<sup>th</sup> May 2010</span></st1:date><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> (revised 13.5.10; 14.5.10;
15.5.10; 9.9.10; 24.2.21)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Translated
from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">元稹</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">菊花</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">秋叢繞舍似陶家</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">遍繞籬邊日漸斜</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">不是花中偏愛菊</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">此花開盡更無花</span></b><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*This English
rendition is in hexameter (6 feet) while the original is in 7-character line. The
rhyme scheme is AAxA as in the original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*Lines 1 and 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am grateful to Xu Yuanchong (XYZ) for the
rhyme of “grow-low” in his translation of the same poem entitled “Chrysanthemums”
on p. 471 of his “Bilingual Edition 300 Tang Poems”, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Beijing</st1:city></st1:place>: Higher Education Press, 2000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tao is the </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">晉</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> Jin Dynasty poet Tao Yuanming </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">陶淵明</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> or Tao Qian </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">陶潛</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> (365-427) who, in recluse, loved
the chrysanthemum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have translated </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">陶家</span><span style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> <span lang="EN-US">as “Tao Qian” to pave
the way to end the line with the rhyme word “grow”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have chosen not to translate </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">叢</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> as “bushes/plants” but as “flowers”
which chrysanthemums are.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*Lines 3 and 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have changed the third person “chrysanthemum”
in the original to the second person in this English rendition which, I hope,
makes it much more personal as if the poet is addressing this flowering plant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had considered “not that I love/favour you
most” and “not that on you I dote”, and have decided for “not that I love you
best”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 24pt; mso-char-indent-count: -2.0; text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">*Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had considered “Once past your prime, you’re
gone”, “Once past your prime and gone”, “Once time is up, you’re gone”, “Once
your prime is spent”, “Just that once you’re spent”, “Just that you once gone”
and “Only once you’re gone”, but have decided for “Just that once you are gone”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had considered the stronger rhyme “blow”
(e.g., “no other flower will blow”), but have decided for the weaker “follow”
so as to end the line (and the poem) on a falling tune suggestive of a passive
acceptance of nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have chosen “follow”
also for its ambiguity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this context,
“follow”, which can mean either and both of (a) no flowers to come after
(follow) in sequence of time or </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">無花再開</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">, and (b) no flowers to go after (follow) as an admirer or </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">再無花可賞</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The word “follow” aptly translates </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">再無花</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-57687287496443042282021-01-25T18:04:00.069+08:002021-02-10T13:12:11.458+08:00金昌緒 Jin Changxu : 春怨 A Springtime Plaint<p>Here is yet another rendition of mine which I had forgotten to post here on the Classical Chinese Poems in English blog. (It was posted on the Hong Kong Economic Journal's Forum web on 22 July 2011.)</p><p> </p><p>I am sure you will at once notice I have added quite a lot of words which are not in the original. I have done that for various purposes. For rhyme: I have added "I say" in line 1, "all day" in line 2, "a long way away" in line 4. For metre (the 5 feet or beats pentameter): I have added all of the above, plus "willow" in line 2, "I fear" and "abrupt" in line 3, and "my man, in" in line 4. At least some of these additions elucidate the meaning of the line concerned, e.g., line 5's "cannot reach Liaoxi" <b style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">不得到遼西 must have </span></b>meant to meet the female persona's lover, hence, "Reach not my man, in Liaoxi ..." in my rendition. I hope you will find the other additions equally elucidating. </p><p><br /></p><p>This is a pretty little poem. Please enjoy reading it out loud. </p><p> </p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Jin Changxu (800’s): A Springtime Plaint</span></b></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">O shoo away those yellow
birds, I say,</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Not to trill on the willow twigs all day.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Their trills will, I fear, my dream disrupt abrupt,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Reach not my man, in Liaoxi, a long way away.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黃宏發</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">10<sup>th</sup> November 2009 (revised
12.11.09; 16.11.09; 23.11.09; 26.11.09; 27.11.09; 12.1.10; 2.6.10; 19.7.11;
22.9.11)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">金昌緒</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">春怨</span></b><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">打起黃<a name="_Hlk62485951">鶯兒</a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">莫教枝上啼</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">啼時驚妾夢</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">不得到遼西</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">* This English
rendition is in pentameter (5 feet or beats) while the original is in
5-character lines. The rhyme scheme is
AAxA while the original is xAxA.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">* Line 1: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -18pt;">打起</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">mean chase away. I have
decided for “shoo away” after consideration “flush away”. For </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -18pt;">黃鶯兒</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">, I have chosen “yellow birds” instead of “golden orioles” as these
birds are the cause of the complaint and should be shorn of beauty. I have interpreted the line to be an
instruction to her maids or servants, hence, I have added “I say” (or “I pray”
if more genteel, neither in the original) to end the line. This is done to make line 1 also rhyme (originally
not rhymed).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">* Line 2: For </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -18pt;">啼</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">, I had considered “twitter” and “chirp” but have decided for “trill”
as this is how orioles sing. I have
added “willow” to echo “Springtime” in the title (willows, by convention,
indicate spring). I have also added “all
day” to make clear my interpretation that the persona’s wish is to doze off or
take a nap during daytime to dream of her man (= husband).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">* Line 3: The word</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-indent: -18pt;">妾</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -18pt;">should not be literally translated as “concubine”; its correct
meaning is “first person feminine”, i.e., “I” or “my” in the feminine gender. This is how a woman refers to herself. In the context of this poem, the persona is most
likely the wife, although she can be a “concubine” or just a “lover”, hence,
the addition of “my man” instead of “my husband” in line 4.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">* Line
4: For </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">不得到</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> <span lang="EN-US">(cannot reach …), I have decided for “Reach not my man”
with the addition of “my man”, after considering “See not …” and “Meet not …”. </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">遼西</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> <span lang="EN-US">which means “West Liao” (the western part of Liao) is
transliterated as “Liaoxi”. This has
nothing to do with the idea of “west” in most frontier poem, Liaoxi being the
north, north-eastern frontier. I had
originally translated it as “at the frontier” but have decided for the
transliteration. I had originally added “far
away” to close the poem, but have now decided for “a long way away”.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-37337643162242436102020-12-03T17:44:00.003+08:002021-02-23T13:56:34.511+08:00趙嘏 Zhao Jia: 舊感 Nostalgia/ 江樓有感 Brook Tower Nostalgia<p>Here is a quatrains by Zhao Jia 趙嘏 which I translated some 12 years ago. It had never been posted/ published anywhere. </p><p>The original is a 7-character quatrain with a caesura (pause) after the fourth character. This English rendition is in hexameter (6 feet or beats) with a caesura (pause) in the middle (i.e. after the third foot or beat).</p><p>This is a poem about friendship expressed in a most subdued and subtle manner. Here the poem goes:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Zhao Jia (806-875):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nostalgia/ Brook Tower Nostalgia<o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-US">Alone, I ascend the Brook Tower, to afar my sentiments fly.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The moon still shines on the
water, the water mirrors the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">O w</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">here tonight is my friend, together the moon we embraced?)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><b> O where tonight is my fellow with whom the moon we embraced? </b>(revised 23.2.21) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></b><span lang="EN-US"><b>Same but paled is the scenery,
to the scene of the year gone by.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">:
</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黄宏發</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:date day="12" month="11" w:st="on" year="2008"><span lang="EN-US">12<sup>th</sup> November 2008</span></st1:date><span lang="EN-US">
(revised 14.11.08; 17.11.08; 18.11.08)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">趙嘏</span><span lang="EN-US">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">舊感</span><span lang="EN-US">/ </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">江樓有感</span></b> <span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">獨上江樓思渺然</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">月光如水水如天</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">同來望月人何處</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">風景依稀似去年</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Notes:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The original is
in 7-character lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This English
rendition is in hexameter (6 metrical feet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rhyme scheme is AAxA as in the original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Line 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">悄然</span> <span lang="EN-US">“silently or sadly” version of
line 1. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prefer the </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">渺然</span> <span lang="EN-US">“afar”
version as the poem is a subtle one with sadness pervading, without it ever
mentioned.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Line 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">如</span> <span lang="EN-US">(like) should be taken to mean </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">往</span><span lang="EN-US"> or </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">赴</span> <span lang="EN-US">(to go to)
as in </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">如廁</span> <span lang="EN-US">(to go to the toilet).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have, therefore, abandoned possible lines such as “The moonlight is like the
water, the water like the sky”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line
is rendered as “The moon still shines on the water, the water mirrors the sky”,
with the word “still” added to show the poet is reflecting on the past.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Line 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word “tonight”, which is not in the
original but can be reasonably inferred, is added for clarity and for the extra
foot needed to complete the 6-beat line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">望</span> <span lang="EN-US">(gaze at, behold) I had considered “we gazed” but have decided for “we embraced” to paint a picture of "we embracing the moon" and "the moon embracing us"..<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Line 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Same but paled … to the scene of …” is not a
precise translation of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">依稀</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(vaguely) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">似</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(similar), but I find it much more poetic than lines such as “Faintly/
Vaguely/ Hazily similar … to that of …”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my rendition, I have also played on the difference between “scenery”
which is </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">景</span><span lang="EN-US"> and ”scene” which includes both </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">景</span> <span lang="EN-US">(scenery) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">情</span> <span lang="EN-US">(sentiments).
<o:p></o:p></span></p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-49674432239885854722020-11-03T15:59:00.064+08:002020-11-03T17:51:53.542+08:00王建 Wang Jian: 十五夜望月/ 寄杜郎中 Beholding the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth/ Sent to Secretary DuHere is yet another poem I translated years ago, posted on the HKEJ 信報 website on 17 September 2010 but never posted here on blogspot. I have now somewhat polished it. Here we go: <div><br /></div><div><b>Wang Jian (766?-830?): Beholding the Moon on the Night of the Fifteenth/ Sent to Secretary Du</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>1 The ground in mid-yard whitens, tree boughs, crows embower, </b></div><div><b>2 Dewdrops stealthily gather, dampening the osmanthus flower. </b></div><div><b>3 Tonight, the moon shines bright, for one and for all to behold, yet </b></div><div><b>4 I know not my autumn feelings are shared in who else’s bower.</b></div><div><b> </b></div><div><b>Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa) 譯者: 黃宏發</b> </div><div>24th March 2009 (revised 25.3.09; 26.3.09; 3.4.09; 8.6.09; 10.6.09; 19.6.09; 9. 9.10; 3.11.2020)</div><div>Translated from the original - <b>王建: 十五夜望月/ 寄杜郎中 </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>1 中庭地白樹棲鴉 </b></div><div><b>2 </b><b>冷露無聲濕桂花 </b></div><div><b>3 今夜月明人盡望 </b></div><div><b>4 不知秋思落誰家 </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Notes:</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>* The original is in 7-character lines. This English rendition is in hexameter (6 feet or beats). The rhyme scheme is AAxA as in the original.
* Title and Line 4: The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of the 8th lunar month on which night the moon is the fullest, brightest. This has been taken to symbolize: (a) full union for those who are together which calls for celebration, and (b) yearning for reunion for those who are apart. This, I hope, explains the “autumn feelings” in line 4.
</div><div><br /></div><div>* Line 1: I have coined “mid-yard” to translate 中庭 in line with common usage of “backyard”, “back yard”, “rear yard”, “front yard”, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>* Line 2: I have chosen “stealthily” over the literal “silently”. I have dropped the word 冷 in the translation because “dew” is by nature “cold” and because expressions like “cold dew” or “cool dew” sound odd. I have added the word “gather”, which implies that the night is getting cooler or colder, to partially compensate for the loss of the word “cold”. I had used “moisten” but have now decided for the harder and colder word “dampen”. I think “osmanthus” is the correct name for 桂花 and not “cassia” which is 桂皮.</div><div> </div><div>* Lines 3 and 4: I have changed the expression “for one and all” which means “all” or “everyone” into “for one and for all” to quicken the pace of the line and to subtly (less than subtle would be “for me and for all”) pave the way to my interpreting line 4 not as a simple question of “whose” but as “who else’s”, i.e. in addition to the poet’s family reunion sentiments. I had originally used “Who knows” to translate 不知 in line 4, but have now decided to use the literal “I know not”. For 秋思, I had used “autumn yearnings/ sentiments” but have now decided for “autumn feelings”. For 落, I had considered “fall ”, “descend” and even “shower” (which rhymes with “bower” but, unfortunately, it seldom rains in autumn), and have decided to render it as “are shared in”.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-78132487221230600512020-10-03T17:26:00.007+08:002020-11-03T16:04:15.530+08:00張泌 Zhang Bi: 寄人 To Someone<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Here is yet another old rendition of mine not posted on this blog. (It was first posted in the "Forum" website of the "Hong Kong Economic Journal" 信報網站 on 8 October 2010.) Here we go:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Zhang Bi (Tang Dynasty, years unknown):
To Someone</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-para-margin-left: 0gd; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Departed, I return in
dream, to linger at your house once more ---<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Turning, merging, zigzagging: that same balustrade corridor.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">O none but the moon so loving, o’er the autumn courtyard shines,<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">Still shines for me, the absentee, on the flowers lie fallen
a-floor.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">:</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黃宏發</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:date day="19" month="4" w:st="on" year="2010"><span lang="EN-US">19<sup>th</sup> April 2010</span></st1:date><span lang="EN-US">
(revised 20.4.10; 21.4.10; 22.4.10; 16.9.10; polished 22.9.2020)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">張泌</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">寄人</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">別夢依依到謝家</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">小廊迴合曲闌斜</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">多情只有秋庭月</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">猶為離人照落花</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Form, Metre and
Rhyme: This English rendition is in
hexameter (6 metrical feet) while the original quatrain is in 7-character
lines. The rhyme scheme is AAxA as in
the original.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 1: I have taken </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">依依</span> <span lang="EN-US">to mean </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">依依不舍</span> <span lang="EN-US">which
means reluctant, cannot bear to be separated and have used “return … to linger
at (after considering “to cling to”) … once more” to convey this meaning. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">謝家</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(Xie house) refers to the abode of the addressee’s family and
is rendered simply as “in your house”. It
may be of interest to note that </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">謝</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(Xie) could have been used by the poet to allude to the high
and mighty Xie family of the Eastern Jin (</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">東晉</span><span lang="EN-US">) dynasty (317-420) to suggest it was the lady’s powerful and rich
family (with Xie to stand for high social standing) and not the lady herself
who rejected the poet’s marriage proposal.
In my view, this poem as a whole should be taken as a lament of love
unrequited for whatever cause, and not of the evil of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">門當户對</span> <span lang="EN-US">(well-matched
in social status) marriages which is only obliquely alluded to in the one
single word Xie. I believe my decision
to omit this possible allusion is entirely reasonable. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 2: I have taken </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">小廊</span> <span lang="EN-US">(little corridor) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">闌</span> <span lang="EN-US">(railing) to
mean a covered passageway with railings connecting the buildings and/or the gardens
and grounds, hence, rendered as “that same balustrade corridor”. I have taken the remaining 4 characters: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">迴</span> <span lang="EN-US">(go round,
turn) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">合</span> <span lang="EN-US">(join, merge) </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">曲</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(crooked, angular) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">斜</span>
<span lang="EN-US">(slant), to refer to a zigzag or crisscross pattern advancing
diagonally and have decided for “Turning, merging, zigzagging” after
considering “Parting, joining, zigzagging” and “Diverging, merging,
crisscrossing”. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 3: </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">多情</span><span lang="EN-US"> is not taken to mean amorous, but caring, full of love, etc.,
hence, rendered as “in empathy”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">* Line 4:
For </span><span style="font-family: PMingLiU, serif; text-indent: -12pt;">落花</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -12pt;">, I had considered “flowers strewn/ scattered” and have decided for “flowers
lie fallen”. I have coined the word “a-floor”
to mean on the ground or floor, which is added for the ‘-or’ end rhyme.</span> </p>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3395481176873249475.post-87105318466739601352020-09-10T13:15:00.002+08:002020-09-15T11:44:31.620+08:00岑参 Cen Shen: 磧中作 Written in the Desert<p>Here is another old rendition of mine which had not been posted on this blog. (It was posted on the "Forum" website of the "Hong Kong Economic Journal" 信報論壇 on 25 February 2011.) This is Cen Shen's "Written in the Desert" which, in plain and simple language, gives one a picture of the west as sky-high (line 1), as 2 months' distance away (line 2), as resting in tents if not the open air (line 3), and as a vast, uninhabited desert. Here we go: </p><p><b><span lang="EN-US">Cen Shen (715-770): Written in the
Desert</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">To the west I’ve come on
horseback, to this a sky-high terrene;</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">E’er since I left my homestead, the moon, twice full, has been.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">I know not where, tonight, shall we camp and rest for the night;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-US">‘Tis a land of sands so boundless, no human dwellings be seen.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang
Hongfa) </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">譯者</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">黄宏發</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:date day="21" month="1" w:st="on" year="2009"><span lang="EN-US">21 January 2009</span></st1:date><span lang="EN-US">
(revised 22.1.09; 23.1.09; 18.2.09; 23.2.11; 11.6.12; 27.3.13; polished
10.9.2020)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Translated from the original - </span><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">岑参</span><span lang="EN-US">: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">磧中作</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">1<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><b style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">走馬西來欲到天</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">2<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">辭家見月兩回圓</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">3<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">今夜未知何處宿</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 18.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US">4<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">平沙萬里絕人煙</span><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US"> </span></b><b><span lang="EN-US">Notes:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* The original is
a quatrain in 7-character lines. This
English rendition is in hexameter (6 metrical feet). The rhyme scheme is AAXA as in the
original. The English rhyme of “terrene”,
“been” and “seen” is fortuitously close to the Putonghua pronunciation of the
Chinese rhyme of </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">天</span><span lang="EN-US">, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">圓</span><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">煙</span><span lang="EN-US">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 1: I have added “terrene” </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">地</span><span lang="EN-US"> not just for
the rhyme, but also to meet common sense. I had originally penned “to find
this/a sky-high terrene”. But the word </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">欲</span><span lang="EN-US">, in this
context, does not mean “wish to” but “about to”, e.g. </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">搖搖欲墜</span> <span lang="EN-US">“so
precarious that it is about to fall”, hence, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">欲到天</span><span lang="EN-US"> actually means “to reach a land
which is about to reach the sky” or simply “sky-high” .<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 2: To begin the line, I had considered “From
when”, “Since when” and “O since” but have now decided for “E’er since”. For the word</span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">見</span><span lang="EN-US">, please note </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">見</span> <span lang="EN-US">(see) and </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">現</span> <span lang="EN-US">(appear)
have the same root in Chinese and are often used rather interchangeably. Although the original line reads </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">見月</span> <span lang="EN-US">“I’ve seen
the moon” and not </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">月見</span> <span lang="EN-US">“the moon has appeared”, I have changed the literally correct “I’ve
seen” to “has been” meaning “has appeared”, for not wishing to repeat “seen”
which I need to end line 4. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-char-indent-count: -1.5; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US">* Line 3: I have used two words “camp” and “rest” to
translate </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">宿</span><span lang="EN-US"> in order to complete the hexameter and to make clear in the English
rendition the fact that the poet was on an army expedition to the west. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;">* Line
4: The word “sands” (in plural) here
means “sandy or desert wastes” (Shorter Oxford). I have used “boundless” to translate the
hyperbole </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">萬里</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> <span lang="EN-US">“10,000 li (or 3,000 miles)”.
I had originally used “sign” or “trace” to loosely translate </span></span><span lang="JA" style="font-family: "MS Mincho"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">煙</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> (literally “smoke”, but in this context, smoke
from cooking and/or heating in human homes), but have now come to consider
these 2 words inferior to “homes” or “dwellings”. Instead of “no sign/ trace of man be seen”, </span><span style="font-family: "PMingLiU",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">無人煙</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> is
now rendered as “no human dwellings be seen”. </span>Andrew W.F. Wong 黃宏發http://www.blogger.com/profile/13042865467544530221noreply@blogger.com1