January 2023

Poetry of Mao Zedong | SNOW –to the tune of Chin Yuan Chun ~ 沁园春·雪

沁园春·雪 一九三六年二月 SNOW –to the tune of Chin Yuan Chun February 1936 北国风光, 千里冰封, 万里雪飘。 望长城内外, 惟馀莽莽; 大河上下, 顿失滔滔。 山舞银蛇, 原驰蜡象, 欲与天公试比高。 须晴日, 看红妆素裹, 分外妖娆。 North country scene: A hundred leagues locked in ice, A thousand leagues of whirling snow. Both sides of the Great Wall One single white immensity. The Yellow River’s swift current […]

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | MOUNT LIUPAN –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh ~ 清平乐·六盘山

清平乐·六盘山 一九三五年十月 MOUNT LIUPAN –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh October 1935 天高云淡, 望断南飞雁。 不到长城非好汉, 屈指行程两万。 The sky is high, the clouds are pale, We watch the wild geese vanish southward. If we fail to reach the Great Wall we are not men We who have already measured twenty thousand li 六盘山上高峰, 红旗漫卷西风。 今日长缨在手,

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | KUNLUN –to the tune of Nien Nu Chiao ~ 念奴娇·昆仑

念奴娇·昆仑 一九三五年十月 KUNLUN –to the tune of Nien Nu Chiao October 1935 横空出世, 莽昆仑, 阅尽人间春色。 飞起玉龙三百万, 搅得周天寒彻。 夏日消溶, 江河横溢, 人或为鱼鳖。 千秋功罪, 谁人曾与评说? Far above the earth, into the blue, You, wild Kunlun, have seen All that was fairest in the world of men. Your three million white jade dragons in flight* Freeze the sky with

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | THE LONG MARCH –a lu shih ~ 七律·长征

七律·长征(一九三五年十月) THE LONG MARCH –a lu shih October 1935 红军不怕远征难, 万水千山只等闲。 五岭逶迤腾巨浪, 乌蒙磅礴走泥丸。 金沙水拍云崖暖, 大渡桥横铁索寒。 更喜岷山千里雪, 三军过后尽开颜。 The Red Army fears not the trials of the March, Holding light ten thousand crags and torrents. The Five Ridges wind like gentle ripples And the majestic Wumeng roll by, globules of clay. Warm the steep cliffs lapped

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | THREE SHORT POEMS –to the tune of Shih Liu Tzu Ling ~ 十六字令·三首

十六字令·三首 1934-1935年 THREE SHORT POEMS –to the tune of Shih Liu Tzu Ling 1934-1935 其一 I 山,快马加鞭未下鞍。 惊回首,离天三尺三。 Mountains! I whip my swift horse, glued to my saddle. I turn my head startled, The sky is three foot three above me!* 其二 II 山,倒海翻江卷巨澜。 奔腾急,万马战犹酣。 Mountains! Like great waves surging in a crashing sea, Like

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | LOUSHAN PASS –to the tune of Yi Chin O ~ 忆秦娥·娄山关

忆秦娥·娄山关 一九三五年二月 LOUSHAN PASS –to the tune of Yi Chin O February 1935 西风烈, 长空雁叫霜晨月。 霜晨月, 马蹄声碎, 喇叭声咽。 Fierce the west wind, Wild geese cry under the frosty morning moon. Under the frosty morning moon Horses’ hooves clattering, Bugles sobbing low. 雄关漫道真如铁, 而今迈步从头越。 从头越, 苍山如海, 残阳如血。 Idle boast the strong pass is a wall of

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Poetry of Mao Zedong | HUICHANG –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh ~ 清平乐·会昌

清平乐·会昌 一九三四年夏 HUICHANG –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh Summer 1934 东方欲晓, 莫道君行早。 踏遍青山人未老, 风景这边独好。 Soon dawn will break in the east. Do not say “You start too early”; Crossing these blue hills adds nothing to one’s years, The landscape here is beyond compare. 会昌城外高峰, 颠连直接东溟。 战士指看南粤, 更加郁郁葱葱。 Straight from the walls of Huichang

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The Poems of Mao Zedong | TAPOTI –to the tune of Pu Sa Man ~菩萨蛮·大柏地

菩萨蛮·大柏地 一九三三年夏 TAPOTI –to the tune of Pu Sa Man Summer 1933 赤橙黄绿青蓝紫, 谁持彩练当空舞。 雨后复斜阳, 关山阵阵苍。 Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet– Who is dancing, waving this coloured ribbon against the sky? The sun returns slanting after the rain And hill and pass grow a deeper blue. 当年鏖战急, 弹洞前村壁。 装点此关山, 今朝更好看。 A furious battle

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Poems by Mao Zedong | AGAINST THE SECOND “ENCIRCLEMENT” CAMPAIGN –to the tune of Yu Chia Ao 渔家傲·反第二次大围剿

渔家傲·反第二次大围剿 一九三一年夏 AGAINST THE SECOND “ENCIRCLEMENT” CAMPAIGN –to the tune of Yu Chia Ao Summer 1931 白云山头云欲立, 白云山下呼声急, 枯木朽株齐努力。 枪林逼, 飞将军自重霄入。 The very clouds foam atop White Cloud Mountain, At its base the roar of battle quickens. Withered trees and rotten stumps join in the fray. A forest of rifles presses, As the Flying General

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Poems by Mao Zedong | AGAINST THE FIRST “ENCIRCLEMENT” CAMPAIGN –to the tune of Yu Chia Ao 渔家傲·反第一次大围剿

渔家傲·反第一次大围剿 一九三一年春 AGAINST THE FIRST “ENCIRCLEMENT” CAMPAIGN –to the tune of Yu Chia Ao Spring 1931 万木霜天红烂漫, 天兵怒气冲宵汉。 雾满龙冈千嶂暗, 齐声唤, 前头捉了张辉瓒。 Forests blaze red beneath the frosty sky, The wrath of Heaven’s armies soars to the clouds. Mist veils Lungkang, its thousand peaks blurred. All cry out in unison: Our van has taken Chang Hui-tsan!

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