January 2023

Poems by Mao Zedong | MARCH FROM TINGCHOW TO CHANGSHA –to the tune of Tieh Lien Hua 蝶恋花·从汀州向长沙

蝶恋花·从汀州向长沙 一九三零年七月 MARCH FROM TINGCHOW TO CHANGSHA –to the tune of Tieh Lien Hua July 1930 六月天兵征腐恶, 万丈长缨要把鲲鹏缚。 赣水那边红一角, 偏师借重黄公略。 In June Heaven’s armies chastise the corrupt and evil, Seeking to bind roc and whale with a league-long cord. Red glows the far side of the Kan, Thanks to our wing under Huang Kung-lueh. 百万工农齐踊跃, […]

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Poems by Mao Zedong | ON THE KUANGCHANG ROAD –to the tune of Chien Tzu Mu Lan Hua 减字木兰花·广昌路上

减字木兰花·广昌路上 一九三零年二月 ON THE KUANGCHANG ROAD –to the tune of Chien Tzu Mu Lan Hua February 1930 漫天皆白, 雪里行军情更迫。 头上高山, 风卷红旗过大关。 The whole wide world is white, Through the snow eagerly we press on. Crags loom above our heads, We cross the great pass, red flags waving in the wind. 此行何去? 赣江风雪迷漫处。 命令昨颁, 十万工农下吉安。 Where

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Poems by Mao Zedong | NEW YEAR’S DAY –to the tune of Ju Meng Ling 如梦令·元旦

如梦令·元旦 一九三零年一月 NEW YEAR’S DAY –to the tune of Ju Meng Ling January 1930 宁化、清流、归化, 路隘林深苔滑。 今日向何方? 直指五夷山下。 山下山下, 风展红旗如画。 Ninghua, Chingliu, Kueihua– What narrow paths, deep woods and slippery moss! Whither are we bound today? Straight to the foot of Wuyi Mountain. To the mountain, the foot of the mountain, Red flags stream in

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Poems by Mao Zedong | THE DOUBLE NINTH –to the tune of Tsai Sang Tzu 采桑子·重阳

采桑子·重阳 一九二九年十月 THE DOUBLE NINTH –to the tune of Tsai Sang Tzu October 1929 人生易老天难老, 岁岁重阳。 今又重阳, 战地黄花分外香。 Man ages all too easily, not Nature: Year by year the Double Ninth returns. On this Double Ninth, The yellow blooms on the battlefield smell sweeter. 一年一度秋风劲, 不似春光, 胜似春光, 寥廓江天万里霜。 Each year the autumn wind blows fierce,

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Poems by Mao Zedong | THE WARLORDS CLASH –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh 清平乐·蒋桂战争

清平乐·蒋桂战争 一九二九年秋 THE WARLORDS CLASH –to the tune of Ching Ping Yueh Autumn 1929 风云突变, 军阀重开战。 洒向人间都是怨, 一枕黄粱再现。 Sudden veer of wind and rain Showering misery through the land, The warlords are clashing anew– Yet another Golden Millet Dream. 红旗跃过汀江, 直下龙岩上杭。 收拾金甄一片, 分田分地真忙。 Red banners leap over the Ting River Straight to Lungyen and Shanghang.

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Poems by Mao Zedong | CHINGKANGSHAN –to the tune of Hsi Chiang Yueh 西江月•井冈山

西江月•井冈山(1928年秋) CHINGKANGSHAN –to the tune of Hsi Chiang Yueh Autumn 1928 山下旌旗在望, 山头鼓角相闻。 敌军围困万千重, 我自岿然不动。 Below the hills fly our flags and banners, Above the hilltops sound our bugles and drums. The foe encircles us thousands strong, Steadfastly we stand our ground. 早已森严壁垒, 更加众志成城。 黄洋界上炮声隆, 报道敌军宵遁。 Already our defence is iron-clad, Now our wills unite

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Poems by Mao Zedong | YELLOW CRANE TOWER –to the tune of Pu Sa Man 菩萨蛮·黄鹤楼

菩萨蛮·黄鹤楼 一九二七年春 YELLOW CRANE TOWER –to the tune of Pu Sa Man Spring 1927 茫茫九派流中国, 沉沉一线穿南北。 烟雨莽苍苍, 龟蛇锁大江。 Wide, wide flow the nine streams through the land, Dark, dark threads the line from south to north. Blurred in the thick haze of the misty rain Tortoise and Snake hold the great river locked. 黄鹤知何去, 剩有游人处。

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Poems by Mao Zedong | CHANGSHA –to the tune of Chin Yuan Chun 沁园春·长沙

沁园春·长沙 一九二五年 CHANGSHA –to the tune of Chin Yuan Chun 1925 独立寒秋, 湘江北去, 橘子洲头。 看万山红遍, 层林尽染; 漫江碧透, 百舸争流。 鹰击长空, 鱼翔浅底, 万物霜天竞自由。 怅寥廓, 问苍茫大地, 谁主沉浮? Alone I stand in the autumn cold On the tip of Orange Island, The Hsiang flowing northward; I see a thousand hills crimsoned through By their serried woods deep-dyed, And a

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The Kite by Lu Xun~《风筝》(鲁迅) with English Translations

风筝 鲁迅  杨宪益、戴乃迭译 北京的冬季,地上还有积雪,灰黑色的秃树枝丫叉于晴朗的天空中,而远处有一二风筝在浮动,在我是一种惊异和悲哀。 故乡的风筝时节,是春二月,倘听到沙沙的风轮生,仰头便能看见一个淡墨色的蟹风筝或嫩蓝色的蜈蚣风筝。还有寂寞的瓦片风筝,没有风轮又放地很低,零丁地显出憔悴可怜模样。但此时地上的杨柳已经发芽,早的山桃也多吐蕾,和孩子们的天上的点缀相照应,打成一片春日的温和。我现在在哪里呢?四面都还是严冬的肃杀,而久经诀别的故乡的久经逝去的春天,却就在这天空中荡漾了。 但我是向来不爱放风筝的,不但不爱,并且嫌恶它,因为我以为这是没有出息孩子所做的玩艺。和我相反的是我的小兄弟,他那时大概十岁内外罢,多病,瘦得不堪,然而最喜欢风筝,自己买不起,我又不许放,他只得张着小嘴,呆看着空中出神,有时至于小半日。远处的蟹风筝突然落下来了,他惊呼;两个瓦片风筝的缠绕解开了,他高兴得跳跃。他的这些,在我看来都是笑柄,可鄙的。 有一天,我忽然想起,似乎多日不很看见他了,但记得曾见他在后园拾枯竹。我恍然大悟似的,便跑向少有人去的一间堆积杂物的小屋去,推开门,果然就在尘封的什物堆中发现了他。他向着大方凳,坐在小凳上;便很惊惶地站了起来,失了色瑟缩着。大方凳旁靠着一个胡蝶风筝的竹骨,还没有糊上纸,凳上是一对做眼睛用的小风轮,正用红纸条装饰着,将要完工了。我在破获秘密的满足中,又很愤怒他的瞒了我的眼睛,这样苦心孤诣地来偷做没出息孩子的玩艺。我即刻伸手折断了胡蝶的一只翅骨,又将风轮掷在地下,踏扁了。论长幼,论力气,他是都敌不过我的,我当然得到完全的胜利,于是傲然走出,留他绝望地站在小屋里。后来他怎样,我不知道,也没有留心。 然而我的惩罚终于轮到了,在我们离别得很久之后,我已经是中年。我不幸偶而看到一本外国的讲论儿童的书,才知道游戏是儿童最正当的行为,玩具是儿童的天使。于是二十年来毫不忆及的幼小时候对于精神的虐杀这一幕,忽地在眼前展开,而我的心也仿佛同时变了铅块,很重很重的堕下去了。 但心又不竟堕下去而至于断绝,他只是很重很重地堕着,堕着。 我也知道补过的方法的:送他风筝,赞成他放,劝他放,我和他一同放。我们嚷着,跑着,笑着。— 然而他其时已经和我一样,早已有了胡子了。 我也知道还有一个补救的方法的:去讨他的宽恕,等他说,“我可是毫不怪你呵。”那么,我的心一定就轻松了,这确是一个可行的方法。有一回,我们会面的时候,是脸上都已添刻了许多“生”的辛苦的条纹,而我的心很沉重。我们渐渐谈起儿时的旧事来,我便叙述到这一节,自说少年时代的胡涂。“我可是毫不怪你呵。”我想,他要说了,我即刻便受了宽恕,我的心从此也宽松了罢。 “有过这样的事么?”他惊异的笑着说,就像旁听着别人的故事一样。他什么也不记得了。 全然忘却,毫无怨恨,又有什么宽恕之可言呢?无怨的恕,说谎罢了。 我还能希求什么呢?我的心只得沉重着。 现在,故乡的春天又在这异地的空中了,既给我久经逝去的儿时的回忆,而一并也带着无可把握的悲哀。我倒不如躲到肃杀的严冬中去罢,— 但是,四面又明明是严冬,正给我非常的寒威和冷气。 The Kite A Peking winter dismays and depresses me: the thick snow on the ground and the bare trees’ ashen branches thrusting up towards the clear blue sky, while in the distance one or two skies are floating.

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On Time by Xi Murong~《时间》(席慕蓉) with English Translations

时间 On Time 席慕蓉 Xi Murong (李运兴 译) 一锅米饭,放到第二天,水气就会干了一些,放到第三天,味道恐怕就有问题了。第四天,我们几乎可以发现,它已经变坏了。再放下去,眼看就要发霉了。 A pot of cooked rice, if left out overnight, will become a bit dry because of loss of water. On the third day, it may not taste as good; and on the fourth day, as you’ll discover, it becomes sour. If kept even longer, it will

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