Chinese Classical Literature

Zhong Xing: A Letter to Chen Meigong ~ 钟惺·《与陈眉公书》 with English Translations

万历四十五年丁巳(1617)八月,当时名震东南的华亭山人陈继儒(号眉公)过访南京,特地拜会了僦居金陵的竟陵派领袖钟惺,倾慕已久的两位文坛闻人仿佛都觉得这次历史性的订交终于没有让自己失望,因而各自庆幸不已。继儒归后,钟惺即修短简一封,表达对初次相见的感受和评价。 钟惺·《与陈眉公书》 相见甚有奇缘,似恨其晚。然使十年前相见,恐识力未有坚透处,心目不能如是之相发也。朋友相见,极是难事。鄙意又以为不患不相见,患相见之无益耳。——有益矣,岂犹恨其晚哉! ——《隐秀轩集》 A Letter to Chen Meigong Zhong Xing 1 A strange opportunity seemed to have brought about our chance meeting, which we thought to be too belated. However, if we had seen each other ten years ago, our insight into man’s character would not have been so penetrating, and our mutual understanding […]

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Yang Wan-li: Don’t Read Books ~ 杨万里·《书莫读》 with English Translations

杨万里(1127—1206),字廷秀,号诚斋,吉州吉水(今属江西省)人。绍兴二十四年(1154)进士,调赣州司户参军。后历官国子博士、东官侍读、江东转运副使等。卒谥文节。与范成大、陆游、尤袤合称为“中兴四大诗人”。其诗讲求活法,自成“诚斋体”。有《诚斋集》、《诚斋诗话》传世。 杨万里·《书莫读》 书诗莫吟。 读书两眼枯见骨,吟诗个字呕出心。 人言读书乐,人言吟诗好, 口吻长作秋虫声,只令君瘦令君老。 君瘦君老且勿论,傍人听之亦烦恼。 何如闭目坐斋房,下帘扫地自焚香。 听风听雨都有味,健来即行倦来睡。 Don’t Read Books Yang Wan-li Don’t read books Don’t chant poems When you read books your eyeballs wither away leaving the bare sockets When you chant poems your heart leaks out slowly with each word People say reading books is enjoyable People say chanting poems is

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Yang Wan-li: Reading by the Window ~ 杨万里·《雪晴窗开展唐诗,得一片桃花,帐然赋之》 with English Translations

《雪晴窗开展唐诗,得一片桃花,帐然赋之》是宋代诗人杨万里创作的一首五言绝句。杨万里(1127年~1206年)字廷秀,号诚斋。江西吉州人(今江西省吉水县黄桥镇湴塘村)。南宋大诗人。公元1154年(绍兴二十四年)进士。历任国子博士、太常博士,太常丞兼吏部右侍郎,提举广东常平茶盐公事,广东提点刑狱,吏部员外郎等。反对以铁钱行于江南诸郡,改知赣州,不赴,辞官归家,闲居乡里。在中国文学史上,与陆游、范成大、尤袤并称“南宋四家”、“中兴四大诗人”。杨万里作诗20000多首,只有少数传下来。 杨万里·《雪晴窗开展唐诗,得一片桃花,帐然赋之》 偶开诗卷雪窗晨,中有桃花片尚新。 却忆携诗花底看,回头又是一年春。 Reading by the Window Yang Wan-li I idly open a book of T’ang poems and find a petal of peach blossom, still fresh. I remember taking this book with me to read among the flowers and realize that another year has passed. (Jonathan Chaves 译)

Yang Wan-li: Reading by the Window ~ 杨万里·《雪晴窗开展唐诗,得一片桃花,帐然赋之》 with English Translations Read More »

Yang Wan-li: Listening to the Rain ~ 杨万里·《听雨》 with English Translations

《听雨》是宋代杨万里创作的一首七言绝句。杨万里(1127年~1206年)字廷秀,号诚斋。江西吉州人(今江西省吉水县黄桥镇湴塘村)。南宋大诗人。公元1154年(绍兴二十四年)进士。历任国子博士、太常博士,太常丞兼吏部右侍郎,提举广东常平茶盐公事,广东提点刑狱,吏部员外郎等。反对以铁钱行于江南诸郡,改知赣州,不赴,辞官归家,闲居乡里。在中国文学史上,与陆游、范成大、尤袤并称“南宋四家”、“中兴四大诗人”。杨万里作诗20000多首,只有少数传下来。 杨万里·《听雨》 归舟昔岁宿严陵,雨打疏篷听到明。 昨夜茅檐疏雨作,梦中唤作打篷声。 Listening to the Rain Yang Wan-li A year ago my boat, homeward bound, moored at Yen-ling- I was kept awake all night by the rain beating against the sails. Last night the rain fell on the thatched roof of my house. I dreamed of the sound of rain beating against the

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Yang Wan-li: Rising Early ~ 杨万里·《早起》 with English Translations

杨万里(1127年10月29日—1206年6月15日),字廷秀,号诚斋,自号诚斋野客。吉州吉水(今江西省吉水县黄桥乡椪塘村)人。南宋文学家、官员,与陆游、尤袤、范成大并称为南宋“中兴四大诗人”。 杨万里·《早起》 黄菊花繁依旧臞,牡丹叶落恰如枯。 霜中蚱蜢冻欲死,紧抱寒梢不放渠。 Rising Early Yang Wan-li Chrysanthemums in bloom-as gaunt as ever; peonies, leaves falling off; seem completely withered. A locust, frozen nearly to death, clings desperately to a cold branch. (Jonathan Chaves 译)

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Niu Chiao: “Dreaming of the South”(2) (Meng chiang-nan) ~ 牛峤·《梦江南·其二》 with English Translations

这首词借鸳鸯之情深笃定来反衬负心人之无情,用鸳鸯的两两不离不弃流露对负心人的谴责,同时也体现出主人公对情感背叛者的愤恨,用语浅显而情意真切。宋姜白石《白石词》:“牛松卿《望江南》词,咏鸳鸯,是咏物而不滞物者也。词家当法此。” 牛峤·《梦江南·其二》 红绣被, 两两间鸳鸯。 不是鸟中偏爱尔, 为缘交颈睡南塘, 全胜薄情郎。 “Dreaming of the South”(2) (Meng chiang-nan) Niu Chiao On a red embroidered quilt, Mandarin ducks parade, pair after pair. It isn’t that I like them better than other birds, But throats entwined, dozing on the southern bank, They care more than that heartless man! (Lois Fusek 译)

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Niu Chiao: “Dreaming of the South”(1) (Meng chiang-nan) ~ 牛峤·《梦江南·其一》 with English Translations

牛峤以词著名,是花间词派的一位重要词人,其词风格类似温庭筠,题材丰富而有特色。闺怨词情感真挚充沛,善于通过对各种动作神态的描写来展现人物复杂的内心世界。中国历来重视中庸之道,“喜怒哀乐之未发谓之中,发而皆中节谓之和”(《中庸》),即凡事都要有合适的度,这种思想在文学中通常会得以表现。文人在表达情意时并不完全喜好直白地倾诉内心世界,而是善于借助已经在长久的文化积淀中形成的固定意象,委婉地诉说内心或喜悦或悲伤的情愫。这些意象的建立通常需要长期的民族文化心理的沉淀,唯有如此,方能达成不言而喻的共识,才可以在品读带有这种意象的作品时能够心领神会而形成情感上的共鸣。这首《梦江南》就是借助在古典诗词中常常出现的燕子意象表述主人公内心的情感。 牛峤·《梦江南·其一》 衔泥燕, 飞到画堂前。 占得杏梁安稳处, 体轻唯有主人怜, 堪羡好姻缘。 “Dreaming of the South”(1) (Meng chiang-nan) Niu Chiao A swallow, mud in its beak, Flies to the front of the painted hall. It has found a safe and secure haven in the beams. The fragile swallow has stirred the master’s pity. One can only envy this fortunate union!

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Zhou Wenzhi: Title Lost to the tune of Light Pink ~ 周文质·《小桃红·失题》 with English Translations

周文质(?-1334),元代文学家。字仲彬,建德(今属浙江)人,后居杭州。与钟嗣成相交二十余年,两人情深意笃,形影不离,故《录鬼簿》对他有详细的记载:“体貌清癯,学问渊博,资性工巧,文笔新奇。家世儒业,俯就路吏。善丹青,能歌舞,明曲调,谐音律。性尚豪侠,好事敬客善绘画,谐音律。所作杂剧今知有四种。现仅《苏武还乡》(或称《苏武还朝》)存有残曲。散曲存有小令四十三首,套数五套,多男女相思之作。 周文质·《小桃红·失题》 当时罗帕写宫商, 曾寄风流况。 今日樽前且休唱, 断人肠。 有花有酒应难忘, 香消夜凉, 月明枕上, 不信不思量。 Title Lost to the tune of Light Pink Zhou Wenzhi Remember then I wrote on the silk handkerchief the song, Describing our love affair. Now singing before the wine pot is wrong, How is it heart-breaking to bear! Unforgettable is the past meeting, facing the

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Zhou Wenzhi: Ode to the Gnarled Plum To the tune of Plucking Laurel ~ 周文质·《折桂令·咏蟠梅》 with English Translations

《折桂令·咏蟠梅》见《乐府群玉》卷三。蟠梅,一种根干如龙盘蛇曲的梅树。在这首《咏蟠梅》小令中,周文质通过表现蟠梅耐寒的性能及其独特的造型,歌颂了它的高洁品格,从而使本曲成为蟠梅的礼赞。 周文质·《折桂令·咏蟠梅》 梨雪旋绕东风, 谁屈冰梢, 怪压苍松? 绿萼含香, 枯根层结, 春信重封。 清味远嫌蝶妒蜂, 老枝寒舞凤蟠龙。 夜月朦胧, 疏蕊纵横; 瘦影交加, 碎玉玲珑。 Ode to the Gnarled Plum To the tune of Plucking Laurel Zhou Wenzhi Dancing with wind are clouds like pear flowers, Ice of various shapes, Cover the pines green. Sweet is calyx green, Roots twist and turn, No sign shows the

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Zhou Wenzhi: Tune: Song of Frontier ~ 周文质·《寨儿令》 with English Translations

《寨儿令》是元朝周文质的散曲,周文质的《寨儿令》共十首,写的都是爱情,有的写女子思念男子,有的写男子思念女子,这首《寨儿令·挑短檠》属于后者,全曲通过人物的动作和心理表达了男子真切的思念之情。 周文质·《寨儿令》 挑短檠, 倚云屏, 伤心伴人清瘦影。 薄酒初醒, 好梦难成, 斜月为谁明? 闷恹恹听彻残更, 意迟迟盼杀多情。 西风穿户冷, 檐马隔帘鸣。 叮, 疑是佩环声。 Tune: Song of Frontier Zhou Wenzhi Turning up candlelight, Standing by cloudy screen, Heart-broken, I’m accompanied by shadow lean. Awakened from thin wine, For vain sweet dreams I pine. Why should the slanting moon be bright? I’m gloomy and depressed all

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