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December 2022

“古诗十九首” “The nineteen old poems" 18

From afar he sent 

Embroidered silk piece

Ten thousands of miles

Still old days' feelings

Yuan yang on the fabric*

Sewed into a quilt

Long brocade inside

With solid closure

When we make our mind

Who could divide us?

Note:

Yuanyang is a delicate bird symbolizing lasting love. The English dictionary calls it "mandarin duck". I decide not to translate, because of the sacred nature of the word.

19）

Under the clear moon

Songs of crickets

A sky full of stars

Alioth at Meng Dong (1)

White frost over grass

A whole new season

Cicada on trees

Xuan Niao fly away (2)

My old colleagues

Rosen to high clouds

Friendship forgotten

Reduced to traces

Nan Ji and Bei Dou (3)

Powerless is Qian Niu (4)

No stone relations

How vain is the fame?

Note:

Meng Dong 孟东, also called Li Dong 立冬, one of 24 solar terms, the first month of the winter, in the traditional calendar.

(2)  Xuan Niao 玄鸟, also called Yan Zi 燕子， legendary divine bird appearing frequently in literature and paintings through out of the history. The English dictionary names it as "swallow". I decide not to translate.

(3) Nan Ji 南箕, stars position indicating troubles caused by rumours; Bei Dou 北斗，stars position indicating fights and death, according to Taoists.

(4) Qian Niu 牵牛 (Altair)

November 2022

'"The Nineteen old poems"

(16)

So cold the year end

Crying moles at dusk

Does the traveller

Have warm clothes?

Silk linens left here

Wedding is farewell

Alone for long nights

He comes to my dream

Happy as before

Riding me in car

Hand in hand we laugh

On our way to home

Soon he disappeared

My room still empty

Lucky birds in wind

How could I fly? 

Looking at their wings

Sending my message

October 2022)

"The Nineteen old poems" (14)

The dead becomes far

How close when alive (1)

Out of the city

Abandoned graveyard

Crops growing on tombs

Cedars become logs (2) (3)

Birch leaves in the wind

What a chilling sound

Dream to return home

but where is the road

Notes:

1) In this pair of verses, there are parallels:

去者/日以/疏 verb used as noun / adv same word / adj

来者/日以/亲 verb used as noun / adv same word / adj

The second verse echoes the first with anti-theses: 

来者 vs 去者, 亲 vs 疏 

(2) Another parallel, but with synonym, instead of anti-these:

古墓/犁为/田  noun / verb transforming / noun

松柏/摧为/薪  noun / verb transforming / noun

(3) Cedars, evergreen trees symbolizing eternality, were planted near graveyard

September 2022

"The nineteen old poems" (12)

Long and high walls (1)

Circle sculptured roofs (2)  

Autumn wind rise strong

Plants all lost colour

Seasons keep changing

How fast a year passes! (3)

Sad songs of morning birds

And crying crickets

Let the feelings run

Why retain oneself!

A city full of

beautiful girls

Silk dresses in wind

With sounds of guitar

How sad their music

How intense the notes

My mind goes far

My paces slowed down

Swallows in couple (4)

Building their nest

Notes:

1)

The poem was made in front of a panorama of Luo Yang  (洛阳), capital city from Sang Epoch 1600 BCE to Sui Epoch 605 ACE.

2) 

逶迤: uneven line like a moving snake

3)

“岁(year, age)暮(dusk, sunset)”，a combined double word, difficult to describe its poetical content. Considered as visually beautiful from calligraphic point of vue. Still in use today in literary works and in songs.

4)

 燕 Swallows, is a symbol of true love since antiquity till now, presented frequently in poetry, paintings and songs. The calligraphic beauty of this word, as well as the connotation of its pronunciation, is not translatable with the English term.

August 2022

"The nineteen old poems" (10)

Far above he is (1)

How bright she is 2)

Such fine long fingers

Lasting sounds from loom

Yet nothing takes shape

Tears run down like rain

Over that shallow 

river of clear lights

What distance to cross

Silent loving eyes

Notes:

1)

In classical Chinese, the vocabulary is mostly monosyllabe. In this poem, is largely used the method of repeating  a monosyllabe adj or adv, (迢迢, 皎皎, 纤纤,  札札, 盈盈, 脉脉 in order to form a double syllabe word for its sonority and also to emphasize a state of being. This figure existes even today, sometimes, often in poetry and songs (慢慢地走 = 很慢地走 to walk very slowly, 甜甜地笑= 笑得很甜 to smile sweetly)

2) Legendary impossible love story between a cowherd from the earth and a weaver girl from heaven. They were only allowed to meet in the sky once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month (agricultural calendar), crossing the galaxy.

Often, in this poetry, and also sometimes in contemporary songs, legendary tales, and historical anecdotes or events are used allusively, to tell author's own story and expresse his /her thoughts or feelings.

July 2022

"The nineteen old poems" (8)

A lonely bambu

settled near mountains

When married we were

cuscuta with usnea.

Plants do not last

our union is short

Far away from home

beyond vast hills

Youth lost in sorrow

where is the fancy car!

A cymbidium

with bright blossom

Left alone it will

faint with automne grass

Loyal as you are

how can I complain?

Notes:

1) A case of parallelism: 

"生有时“ verb - verb - noun used as adv 

Literal translation:

to be alive - has - limited time

"会有宜“ verb - verb - noun used as adv

Literal translation:

To be together - is determined by - circumstances

Musicality:

"Shen you shi" / "Hui you yi"

平仄平                 仄仄平

2）

The husband, like many at that time, went away to seek promotion. He is supposed to come back home successful, with a beautiful car.

3)

"君” (lord) is a very loving and respectful term to call one's own husband

    June 2022

      ”The nineteen old poems 古诗十九首“ 

（6）  

 Harvesting lotus (1) 

A lac of sweetgrass 

Pick up some for whom? 

The one far away 

Looking back to old town (2) 

But endless journey 

Hearts were teared apart (3) 

Aging in sorrow (4) 

 Notes: 

1) The first subject is a lady working in a lac to gather lotus roots for food. 

2) Change of subject here: a man on exil thinking about hometown 

3) In this "five syllabes poem (五言诗）”，every verse is of different syntax, except the last group of two verses sharing the same pattern:  

同心而离居， 

adv combined word "同心"/ adv coordination 连词 "而"/ verb serving as adv describing a state of action or being "离" / verb "居"  

忧伤以终老  

adv combined word 忧伤 / adv coordination 连词 "以" / verb serving as adv describing a state of action or being "终" / verb "老"  

However, as a rule that will be further developed in the following decades and centuries, in this group, the two verses follow the same grammatical pattern, but diverse themselves in the tones.   Ancient poetry was chanted. There were many tones for each and different words. There are left four tones in modern Chinese language: -, /, v, ` .  The first two tones are labelled as "Ping 平", the last two tones as "Ze 仄".   

The tones pattern here is therefore:  ping ping ze ping ping 平平仄平平/ ping ping ze ping ze  平平仄平仄  We shall have occasions to come back to this quite important characteristic  of the more and more codified variation of tones. 

4) The rime is all on the second verse of each group: 草 cao, 道 dao, 浩 hao, 老 lao.                                      

   May 2022     

The Nineteen old poems 古诗十九首

4)

Today's good party 

Unspeakable joies 

Guitar reaching far (1) 

New piece of music (2) 

Deep words in the songs 

The truth in the airs 3) 

Sharing same wishes 

Though nothing is said 

Duration of one life 

As floating dust 

Why not to climb 

Nor to aim spots? 

Why not to act ?

Humble hardship.  

Note: 

1) 奋 intense, strengthful  

2) 逸 piano, soft, flying far 

3) 入神 in extase, beyond life  

                                            April 2022

The Nineteen old poems 古诗十九首

2）

Green green river grass,* 

Heavy heavy is 

The garden willow. 

Lightly lightly she sits 

Nicely nicely at the window. 

Sweet sweet red powder, 

Slim slim white hands. 

Singer in the past, 

Married to an unstable, 

who is not returning. 

Difficult to keep  

The empty bed alone.   

Note:  

Here, the words "青”，“郁”，“盈”，“皎”，“娥” and “纤” are adjectifs used as adverbs, each repeated side by side to form a combined word describing an active state. The repetition also create a rythme. This method is commonly observed in Yue Fu 乐府 songs.

                                                             March 2022

Contemporary songs

Coolen fireworks

Words by Fang Wenshan 方文山

Music by Zhou Jielun 周杰伦

Noice of prosperity, 

Door to the empty room

Tiring so many

Dreams turn cold 

Already lifetime

How far indebted for love

If you silently accept, 

if you hopelessly wait

In that tower with floating images

how many broken floors 

Broken is whose soul

The pain runs straight

Towards a weak light

A crushed door in the mountain

Let me wait 

Till history again turns over

Till the wine tastes good

Till you play something

On an ancient guitar

Listening to the youth

The much envied laughters

That history book

Never tolerated tenderness

All is written with much cruelty

Fireworks are easy to kill

People and events, easy to divide

But you are asking if I am serious

A thousand years later

Feelings are accumulated

Who will still be waiting

And that blue book of history

how can it be wrong

Just as a book of Wei 

Found in the city of Luo Yang

You followed me

Crossing the gate of the other life

Into the red dust

Wandering always 

Under the fine rain

The grass is deep in our hometown

I was told you have still been alone

The city's gate has lost its paint

The root of an old tree remains nearby

On the stone paved street

I heard this: wait longer

Under the light rain

The grass has grown wild in our hometown

I was told you have been staying here

While everybody has left

An air of flute is floating outside the city

and then disappear into a remote village

Our destiny together is falling to the ground

And taking its root and becoming WE

We, in that dark blue temple, 

listen to the rain 

and hope to last

Note: 

- Wei (魏）Northern kingdom 403BCE-225ACE

- Luo Yang (洛阳）Capital city where the Kingdom of Jin 晋 settled in after having replaced Wei. Located in today's Henan Province.

                                                          February 2022

"MuLin", seconde part (from Yue fu songs)

Running to battles fields far away, crossing the frontlines in the mountains as if wing-mounted. The northern wind bringing the midnight sounds of drum (1). The icy moonlight shining on solders' and generals' armour. Hundreds of battles, many lives lost. Heroes got home a decade later. 

His majesty received them in the palace. Rewards were distributed. One asked Mulin about her wishes. She did not want a high ranked position in the capital. Instead, she asked for a good horse, in order to quickly reach her hometown.

Having had the news of her return, Mulin's parents, in their old age, went out of the city to meet her. Her eldest sister started to put on make-up. Her youngest brother butchered a pig. Mulin went straight to her own rooms, sit on her bed. She took off her army gear, put on her old days' clothes. In front of her mirror near the window, she arranged her hairs soft as clouds, sticked a yellow flower on her forehead. 

At the gathering with her friends met in the battlefields, they were very surprised to discover that Mulin was a lady (2).

1) The gardiens at night walk around and through the city every a few hours, using a drum to mark the different blocs of nightly time.

2) Mulin needed to disguise herself as a man to be able to become a soldier.

Second part

The divorced lady went to see her mother. Everywhere she went, she carried the dishonour as her shadow. Her mother, not expecting this out-coming, clapped her hands with surprise: "I taught you weaver when you were thirteen. At fourteen you were able to make clothes. At fifteen you could play guitar. At sixteen you know rules and politeness. At seventeen I married you out very well, thinking you wouldn't disappoint your husband's family. What you have done there, so that you are sent back here, this way, without notice?" Lan-Zhi told her mother:" I am really innocent." Her mother then felt great sorrow.

A dozen of days after her return, the district leader sent them a matchmaker. According to her, his third son was about eighteen years' old, handsome, and already eloquent and well-versed. 

The mother told the daughter to deal with this mariage proposal herself.

Lan-Zhi answered with tears: "On the day of my departure, my husband reminded me again and again that we will never let ourselves separated. If I now break such a promise, I am afraid a new mariage will not bring me happiness. Please feel free to decline this proposal, and let us discuss later on."

Lan-Zhi's mother frankly told the person: "Our poor and humble family has such a daughter that she was juste sent back home from her husband's family. If she was unable to be a small mandarin's wife, how could she suit a district leader's son? Please inform yourself more widely. I cannot give a quick consent."

A few days later, came another matchmaker. He said he already proposed a girl from a titled family to the district leader's son. Then he informed Lan-Zhi's family that the mayor's fifth son was nice and still single: "Since the mayor wishes his son to marry Lan-Zhi, I come to your respectable door to deliver the good news."

Lan-Zhi's mother thanked him: "My daughter already made promise to someone. Me an old mother do not have a say on the matter." 

Lan-Zhi's eldest brother, when hearing this conversation, became very irritated. He turned to his sister, and said:"Why you do not think twice when making a decision! You married a small mandarin first, now you'll have the opportunity to marry a gentleman's son. This is a difference between the sky and the ground. What an honour to you! If you refuse such a mariage, what will be your future?"

Lan-Zhi raised her head and answered:"My brother is right. I left home to serve my husband's family. I didn't expect I would have to come back to live under my brother's roof. I want to behave well to the eyes of my brother. How dare I to be capricious? Although I have commitment with my former husband, our reunion will be impossible. You can right now give them the consent, I will remarry."

The matchmaker stood up and expressed his great satisfaction. He went back with this good news to the mayor his employer: "I, your humble worker, have well-accomplished the mission. The family reacted very positively, so there will be a happy union." (1) The mayor was very happy. He consulted the calendar and the book of fortunes, and found they should marry the two young people within the month, the six positions of both the sun and the moon being in harmony. The thirtieth would be the perfect day. It was already the twenty-seventh. The mayor asked the matchmaker to organize the wedding. Words were spread, everybody was hurrying, people, cars and boats running as floating clouds. Boats were painted blue et white birds, flags embroidered with dragons fluttering at their four corners. Golden cars with jade tires advanced in the wind. Horses with white and black hairs slowed their paces, golden tassels hanging down from the seats. Three million coins were attached by blue cords. Three hundreds rolls of colourful cotton. Delicacies from Guangzhou's market. Four to five hundred people gathered at the mayor's property. 

The mother asked the daughter: "The mayor just sent us a letter. Tomorrow they will come to assist your departure and your journey to your new home. Why you are not yet preparing your dress? Please do not fail the matter!"

The daughter said no word, covered her face with a handkerchief, her tears falling as rain. She moved her chair decorated with coloured glaze to the front window. She took scissors and a rule in her left hand, a big piece of silk in her right hand. In the morning she made a double layer skirt. In the evening she finished a very thin shirt. The sun was retreating more and more. She kept crying about the upcoming event.

Le former husband of Lan-Zhi, having heard the news, asked for a leave. When he arrived close to Lan-Zhi's home, his horse started to neigh sadly. The wife recognized the horse's voice, she put on shoes and hurried out. With a heavy heart she looked afar, knowing who was coming. When her husband approached, she raised her hand to tap the horse. "Since my husband left me, she said with a deep sigh, too many things happened, not as I wished before, and yet my husband cannot know the details. I have my parents, plus my brothers pushed me hard. They promised me to another man. What else can you hope?"

The husband said to his young wife: "Congratulations for your moving up. The big stone is still heavy, it will remain a thousand years. The reed can be resistant for a moment, but it gives in fast. You will become a noble lady, and I will alone face the yellow stream (2)!"

The wife exclaimed: "Why you speak this way! We are both unable to control our fate. If you go to the yellow stream, so will I. Let us meet down there. Do not forget our words today!" They hold each other's hands for a moment, then parted away to their own home. What a farewell between a couple so young, and yet already under the shadow of death. They found no word to express their despair. Their only wish now was to quit this world, and to never try to survive without dignity. 

The husband went to announce his decision to his mother: "Today the wind is cold, the cold wind is destroying trees. Heavy frost is damaging the orchid in our garden. Today your son, like dusk, will soon be gone, leaving behind his longly mother. I made the plan myself, please no longer blame ghosts and gods. I hope your destiny will be as solid as a southern mountain stone, and your health very good."

The mother's tears were running when the son spoke. "You are son of an honourable family, you have a position in the municipality. Absolutely do not take your own life away just for a woman. You and that woman are not of same rank, it is not wrong for you to leave her. Our east side neighbour has a good daughter. Her beauty is famous in the city. Let your mother go to ask her to marry you, the answer will arrive within a day."

The son prostrated and withdrew. His long sigh resonated in his empty room. Then he made his mind. He looked around his room, in very tensed mood.

On the wedding day, horses and cattle screamed. Lan-Zhi was guided into a blue tent (3). At the sunset, the quiet was back. "My destiny ends today, she thought, my soul will leave even if my body remains!" She took off her silk shoes, and holding her skirt, she went down to the clear water in the pond.

When her husband heard the news, he understood there would be no more hope. He wondered for some time under a tree in his garden. Then he chose a south-est facing (4) branch to hang himself.

The families agreed to bury the young couple together, and to settle them near the mountain Hua. Parasol trees were planted at both sides. Their branches meets, their leaves are connected. A couple of birds came to reside on the trees. Their names are Yuan and Yang (5). They sing to each other every day, till mid night. People passing here would stop, to listen to the birds. Widows would have their mind confused by the song. Thanks to the coming generations, to keep the lesson unforgotten.

1. 有缘（ you yuan）, here used in its popular meaning "get along well, as if dictated by some supernatural force". The word is originated from buddhist teaching: all relations are predetermined by a supernatural order, a fondamental element of a whole philosophical spirituality.

         2) 黄泉 （huang quan), place to live after life, for the non-enlightens.

         3) From late Han dynastie to Tang time, in the Northern regions, people celebrated weddings in a blue tent set up beside the house.

         4) The young wife's family lives south-est of the husband's city. South-est, for Feng Shui (风水) believers, is also considered a positive and hopeful direction.

         5) This sort of bird is considered as love bird, still today.

My seasons full of 

Tears and songs, when

departing on my phoenix

Moonlight covers the galaxy

The automne wind rises

bringing fresh joy

Free from the clouds

I run to the moon

- Romantic legend of the cowherd (牛郎）and the weaving girl (织女). They are both gods in the sky, and they can be seen as two stars. The weaving girl is a granddaughter of the celestial keen. After she met with the cowherd, she stopped to weave clothes made of clouds for the keen. The keen separated the couple with galaxy, allowing them reunion only on the seventh day of the seventh month each year, according to Chinese agricultural calendar. 

This day is still celebrated today among other traditional holidays. 

- Both songs seem to be written by a woman who might be expressing her own sorrows and joys through the legend of the weaving girl.