Chinese Classical Literature

Liu Changqing: Bidding Farewell to Grand Censor Li Returning to His Country House in Hanyang ~ 刘长卿·《送李中丞归汉阳别业》 with English Translations

刘长卿,唐河间(现属河北)人,一说宣城(现属安徽)人,河间为其郡望,字文房。这首诗是赠送退伍军人李中丞,赞扬他久经沙声,忠勇为国,感伤他老来流落的境遇。首联先写李氏曾是十万大军将帅,而老来流落;三、四两联写他廉洁奉公和忠心耿耿;末联写江汉茫茫,年纪老迈,将“欲何之”?全诗对久经沙场,晚沦江汉的老将,寄予无限的同情。 刘长卿·《送李中丞归汉阳别业》 流落征南将,曾驱十万师。 罢官无旧业,老去恋明时。 独立三边静,轻生一剑知。 茫茫江汉上,日暮欲何之。 Bidding Farewell to Grand Censor Li Returning to His Country House in Hanyang Liu Changqing Homeless has become a former general, who once On a southern expedition commanded a hundred thousand men. Relieved of office he no longer possesses a manor; In old age, he still cherishes these days […]

Liu Changqing: Bidding Farewell to Grand Censor Li Returning to His Country House in Hanyang ~ 刘长卿·《送李中丞归汉阳别业》 with English Translations Read More »

Liu Ji: The Silkworm ~ 刘基·《春蚕》 with English Translations

刘基(1311年7月1日-1375年5月16日)字伯温,谥曰文成,元末明初杰出的军事家、政治家、文学家,明朝开国元勋,汉族,青田县南田乡(今属浙江省文成县)人。故时人称他刘青田,明洪武三年(1370)封诚意伯,人们又称他刘诚意。武宗正德九年追赠太师,谥号文成,后人又称他刘文成、文成公。刘基通经史、晓天文、精兵法。他辅佐朱元璋完成帝业、开创明朝并尽力保持国家的安定,因而驰名天下,被后人比作诸葛武侯。朱元璋多次称刘基为:“吾之子房也。”在文学史上,刘基与宋濂、高启并称“明初诗文三大家”。 刘基·《春蚕》 可笑春蚕独苦辛,为谁成茧却焚身。 不如无用蜘蛛网,网尽蜚虫不畏人。 The Silkworm Liu Ji Why should the silkworm busy alone and forget It will be boiled when its cocoon is made one day? Why not imitate the spider spinning its net To catch all insects, careless of what people say?

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Xue Feng: Court Ladies ~ 薛逢·《宫词》 with English Translations

《宫词》是唐代诗人薛逢创作的一首七言律诗。这首宫怨诗描述了宫妃从早到晚盼望君王临幸的情景,表现了她们望幸不得的哀怨之情。首联点明人物身份和全诗主旨,领联描写宫中环境,颈联进一步描写宫纪们刻意打扮的情形,尾联写官妃窥见下级宫女正在打扫正殿御床而希望落空。此诗心理描写细腻真切,通过环境的描写演染凑凉气氛,生动形象。 薛逢·《宫词》 十二楼中尽晓妆,望仙楼上望君王。 锁衔金兽连环冷,水滴铜龙昼漏长。 云髻罢梳还对镜,罗衣欲换更添香。 遥窥正殿帘开处,袍袴宫人扫御床。 Court Ladies Xue Feng Hoping to see the lord from the Watching Tower, Ladies in morning dresses were astir all the bowers. The double golden knocker was mute and cold, The water-clock dripped away the long, boring hours. Dressing hair in crowning knots, they glanced into the mirror again,

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Li Shangyin: At the North Green Vine Hermitage ~ 李商隐·《北青萝》 with English Translations

《北青萝》是唐代诗人李商隐所写的一首五言律诗。这首诗首联写诗人寻访僧人之事;颔联写诗人寻访所经之路程、所见之景物;颈联写诗人黄昏时才寻到僧人,以精炼的笔墨描绘了僧人的简静生活;尾联写诗人获得了思想的启迪。诗所表达的是一种不畏辛劳艰险、一心追寻禅理、淡泊之怀面对仕途荣辱的愿望,既赞美了僧人清幽简静的生活,又表现出诗人对禅理的领悟,淡泊之怀面对现实、从容之心面对仕途荣辱。此诗语言凝炼,富于蕴藏,层次清晰。 李商隐·《北青萝》 残阳西入崦,茅屋访孤僧。 落叶人何在,寒云路几层。 独敲初夜磬,闲倚一枝藤。 世界微尘里,吾宁爱与憎。 At the North Green Vine Hermitage Li Shangyin As the sun sinks behind the hill in the west I seek the lone monk in the hut on the crest. Where is my friend amid the fallen leaves? Up to the cold clouds the footpath weaves. Alone, he is sounding

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Wang Anshi: On Zhuge Liang ~ 王安石·《论诸葛武侯》 with English Translations

王安石(1021年12月18日-1086年5月21日),字介甫,号半山,汉族,临川(今江西抚州市临川区)人,北宋著名的思想家、政治家、文学家、改革家。 庆历二年(1042年),王安石进士及第,历任扬州签判、鄞县知县、舒州通判等职,政绩显著。熙宁二年(1069年),任参知政事,次年拜相,主持变法。因守旧派反对,熙宁七年(1074年)罢相。一年后,宋神宗再次起用,旋又罢相,退居江宁。元祐元年(1086年),保守派得势,新法皆废,郁然病逝于钟山(今江苏南京),谥号“文”,故世称王文公。 王安石·《论诸葛武侯》 恸哭杨顒为一言,余风今日更谁传。 区区庸蜀支吴魏,不是虚心岂得贤。 On Zhuge Liang Wang Anshi You lamented Yang Yu’s death just for his one sharp word, Who has inherited your fine style of taking advice today? Small as it was, Kingdom of Shu could confront Wu and Wei, Without an open mind how could you win over the great talents?

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Lyrics from Tun-huang Tune: “Willow Branches” (Yang-liu-chih) ~ 无名氏·《杨柳枝》 with English Translations

杨柳枝,词牌名。此调源于北朝乐府横笛曲《折杨柳》。本篇来自《敦煌曲子词》。 无名氏·《杨柳枝》 春去春来春复春, 寒暑来频, 月生月尽月还新, 又被老催人。 只见庭前千岁月, 常在常存, 不见堂上百年人, 尽总化微尘。 Lyrics from Tun-huang Tune: “Willow Branches” (Yang-liu-chih) Anonymous Spring goes, spring comes, spring again will be spring; Cold and heat alternate constantly. The moon waxes, the moon wanes, then again the new moon returns. Age urges people on. What you see is the thousand-year-old moon

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Han Wo: Summer Night ~ 韩偓·《夏夜》 with English Translations

《夏夜》是唐朝诗人韩偓所作的一首七言绝句。诗中描写了一个夏日的夜晚里的风雨变化情景。风狂、电闪,天空布满了墨似的乌云;耸入云中的树木就发出莎莎暴雨声;夜已经很深了,风也停了,雨也止了;流动的月亮从云缝里斜洒出光明。 韩偓·《夏夜》 猛风飘电黑云生,霎霎高林簇雨声。 夜久雨休风又定,断云流月却斜明。 Summer Night Han Wo Wild wind, chaotic lightning—black clouds are born. Splashing, splashing in tall woods—the sound of dense rain. Night wears on, rain lets up—wind, too, is settled. Torn clouds—a floating moon once more slants down its light.

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Han Wo: Sent to a Ch’an Master ~ 韩偓·《寄禅师》 with English Translations

《寄禅师》是由唐朝诗人韩偓创建的一首七言律诗,是称颂守静味禅的。韩偓(约842年~约923年),晚唐五代诗人,乳名冬郎,字致光,号致尧,晚年又号玉山樵人。陕西万年县(今樊川)人。自幼聪明好学,10岁时,曾即席赋诗送其姨夫李商隐,令满座皆惊,李商隐称赞其诗是雏凤清于老凤声。 韩偓·《寄禅师》 从无入有云峰聚,已有还无电火销。 销聚本来皆是幻,世间闲口漫嚣嚣。 Sent to a Ch’an Master Han Wo From non-being into being: the cloud peaks gather; From being back to non-being: the lightening flash goes out. To gather or to disperse is all illusory: Only the meddlers keep up their useless jabbering.

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Wu Yuanheng: To a Nun ~ 武元衡·《赠道者》 with English Translations

《赠道者》是唐代大臣武元衡的诗作。此诗描绘是一个白衣女子让人倾倒的美丽容颜。诗人在着力描绘白衣女子漂亮的外貌与形态时,又用梅、莲等颇具风韵的花朵展示了白衣女子的高雅与纯洁。全诗意境优美,措辞巧丽,兼用了拟物与烘托双重手法,收到了很好的艺术效果。 武元衡·《赠道者》 麻衣如雪一枝梅,笑掩微妆入梦来。 若到越溪逢越女,红莲池里白莲开。 To a Nun Wu Yuanheng Hemp robe snow-white, a tender spray of mume; Lightly dressed and with a smile into my dream. Should you go to south and see the girls there, You’re a white pond lotus among red ones, I deem.

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Wang Anshi: Lament over the Oblivion of Zhongyong ~ 王安石·《伤仲永》 with English Translations

《伤仲永》是北宋文学家王安石创作的一篇散文。这篇文章讲述了一个江西金溪人名叫“方仲永”的神童因后天父亲不让他学习和被父亲当作造钱工具而沦落到一个普通人的故事。文章借仲永为例,告诫人们决不可单纯依靠天资而不去学习新知识,必须注重后天的教育和学习,强调了后天教育和学习对成才的重要性。这篇文章言简意深,说理严谨。 王安石·《伤仲永》 金溪民方仲永,世隶耕。仲永生五年,未尝识书具,忽啼求之;父异焉,借旁近与之,即书诗四句,并自为其名,其诗以养父母、收族为意,传一乡秀才观之。自是指物作诗立就,其文理皆有可观者。邑人奇之,稍稍宾客其父,或以钱币乞之。父利其然也,日扳仲永环谒于邑人,不使学。 余闻之也久。明道中,从先人还家,于舅家见之,十二三矣。令作诗,不能称前时之闻。又七年,还自扬州,复到舅家问焉。曰:“泯然众人矣!” 王子曰:仲永之通悟,受之天也。其受之天也,贤于材人远矣。卒之为众人,则其受于人者不至也。彼其受之天也,如此其贤也,不受之人,且为众人;今夫不受之天,固众人,又不受之人,得为众人而已邪? Lament over the Oblivion of Zhongyong Wang Anshi Fang Zhongyong, a Jinxi resident, has been farming for his entire life. Although he had never been taught how to use a writing tool, one day at the age of five, he suddenly cried for one. Amazed, his father borrowed one from

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