Yuan Ming and Qing Poetry

Dun Min Poem: To Cao Xueqin – 敦敏《赠曹雪芹》

赠曹雪芹 [清]敦敏 碧水青山曲径遐[1], 薜萝[2]门巷足烟霞。 寻诗人去留僧舍[3], 卖画钱来付酒家。 燕市狂歌悲遇合[4], 秦淮残梦忆繁华。 新愁旧恨知多少, 一醉酕醄[5]白眼斜。 注释: [1]遐:远。 [2]薜萝:薜荔和女萝,蔓生植物,这里指门巷用茅草修成。 [3]留僧舍:指曹雪芹常留宿于僧舍。 [4]遇合:意外的相逢。 [5]酕醄:大醉的样子。 To Cao Xueqin[1] Dun Min[2] A long, long winding path leads to green hill and rill; Ivy leaves and rainbow clouds veil your cottage still. Gone for poetic verve, in temple cell you stay; With money earned by pictures […]

Dun Min Poem: To Cao Xueqin – 敦敏《赠曹雪芹》 Read More »

Zhao Yi Poem: On Poetry – 赵翼《论诗》

论诗 [清]赵翼 李杜诗篇万口传, 至今已觉不新鲜。 江山代有才人出, 各领风骚[1]数百年。 注释: [1]领风骚:领,领导,这里指起主要作用。风骚,这里指文学。风,指《诗经》中的《国风》;骚,指屈原的《离骚》。 On Poetry Zhao Yi Li Bai and Du Fu’s verse[1] is read from mouth to mouth, But now it cannot arouse our emotion new. Talents emerge from age to age, from north to south, To lead in verse for hundred years each has his due. 注释: [1]Li Bai

Zhao Yi Poem: On Poetry – 赵翼《论诗》 Read More »

Jiang Shiquan Poem: Written on a Picture – 蒋士铨《题画》

题画 [清]蒋士铨 不写晴山写雨山, 似呵明镜照烟鬟[1]。 人间万象模糊好, 风马云车[2]便往还。 注释: [1]似呵明镜照烟鬟:这句是说雨山好像明镜被呵上一层气后所照见的女子美丽的发髻那样,具有一种朦胧之美。 [2]风马云车:神仙所乘的马和车。 Written on a Picture Jiang Shiquan I’d paint hills not on sunny but on rainy days; A beauty would in moistened mirror fix her gaze. No other view than a dim one would better please; Immortals come and go on wings of cloud or breeze.

Jiang Shiquan Poem: Written on a Picture – 蒋士铨《题画》 Read More »

Ji Yun Poem: On River Rich Spring – 纪昀《富春至严陵》

富春至严陵 [清]纪昀 沿江无数好山迎, 才出杭州眼便明。 两岸蒙蒙空翠合, 琉璃镜里一帆行。 On River Rich Spring Ji Yun Along the river hill on hill enchants the eye; I’ve just come out of Hangzhou when my heart is light. The mist-veiled emerald peaks mingle with the sky; On a mirror of glaze is floating a sail white.

Ji Yun Poem: On River Rich Spring – 纪昀《富春至严陵》 Read More »

Yuan Mei Poem: Elegy on My Wise Mistress – 袁枚《哭聪娘》

哭聪娘 [清]袁枚 记得歌成《陌上桑》, 罗敷身许嫁王昌。 双栖吴苑三秋月, 并走秦关万里霜。 羹是手调才有味, 语无心曲不同商。 如何二十多年事, 只抵春宵一梦长。 Elegy on My Wise Mistress[1] Yuan Mei I still remember her singing “Mulberry Song”, And the wedding of her beauty with my renown. In autumn we enjoyed the southern moon for long; In winter severed by west mountains snowflakes crown. I relished no rich soup

Yuan Mei Poem: Elegy on My Wise Mistress – 袁枚《哭聪娘》 Read More »

Yuan Mei Poem: On Pushing Open the Window – 袁枚《推窗》

推窗 [清]袁枚 连宵风雨恶, 蓬户[1]不轻开。 山似相思久, 推窗扑面来。 注释: [1]蓬户:用蓬草编成的门户,形容住所简陋,亦具有野人之趣。 On Pushing Open the Window Yuan Mei All night long rain fell thick; Doors closed, I stay inside. At dawn hills come love-sick; Through windows opened wide.

Yuan Mei Poem: On Pushing Open the Window – 袁枚《推窗》 Read More »

Yuan Mei Poem: On Verse Writing – 袁枚《遣兴》

遣兴 [清]袁枚 爱好由来下笔难, 一诗千改始心安。 阿婆还似初笄女[1], 头未梳成不许看。 注释: [1]初笄女:古代女子15岁加笄,初笄女指刚成年的女子。笄:古代妇女盘头用的簪子。 On Verse Writing Yuan Mei It’s hard to make a verse which could afford delight; I cannot feel at ease till I write and rewrite. An old beauty should make up like a maiden fair; She would not show herself unless she’s dressed her hair.

Yuan Mei Poem: On Verse Writing – 袁枚《遣兴》 Read More »

Yuan Mei Poem: On Lady Yang – 袁枚《马嵬》

马嵬[1] [清]袁枚 莫唱当年长恨歌[2], 人间亦自有银河。 石壕村里夫妻别, 泪比长生殿[3]上多。 注释: [1]马嵬:马嵬坡,在今陕西兴平市西。安史之乱时,唐玄宗逃到这里,在随军将士的胁迫下,勒死杨贵妃。 [2]长恨歌:白居易写的一首关于唐玄宗、杨贵妃爱情悲剧的叙事长诗。 [3]长生殿:华清宫的一座殿。唐玄宗和杨贵妃有感于牛郎织女被银河分隔,七月七日在殿里海誓山盟,表示永世不分。 On Lady Yang[1] Yuan Mei Sing not of Lady Yang’s regret of days gone by! The Silver River severs on earth as on high. In Stone Moat Village when the man parted from his wife, More tears were shed than in the Palace of Long

Yuan Mei Poem: On Lady Yang – 袁枚《马嵬》 Read More »

Cao Xueqin Poem: Lin Daiyu’s Elegy on Flowers – 曹雪芹《黛玉葬花辞》

黛玉葬花辞 [清]曹雪芹 花谢花飞飞满天, 红消香断有谁怜? 游丝[1]软系飘春榭[2], 落絮轻沾扑绣帘。 闺中女儿惜春暮, 愁绪满怀无着处; 手把[3]花锄出绣帘, 忍踏落花来复去。 柳丝榆荚[4]自芳菲, 不管桃飘与李飞; 桃李明年能再发, 明年闺中知有谁。 三月香巢初垒成, 梁间燕子太无情; 明年花发虽可啄, 却不道人去梁空巢也倾。 一年三百六十日, 风刀霜剑[5]严相逼; 明媚鲜妍[6]能几时, 一朝漂泊难寻觅。 花开易见落难寻, 阶前愁杀葬花人; 独把花锄偷洒泪, 洒上空枝见血痕。 杜鹃无语正黄昏, 荷锄[7]归去掩重门; 青灯照壁人初睡, 冷雨敲窗被未温。 怪侬[8]底事[9]倍伤神, 半为怜春半恼春; 怜春忽至恼忽去, 至又无言去不闻。 昨宵庭外悲歌发, 知是花魂与鸟魂; 花魂鸟魂总难留, 鸟自无言花自羞。 愿侬此日生双翼, 随花飞到天尽头; 天尽头,何处有香丘? 未若锦囊收艳骨, 一抔[10]净土掩风流; 质本洁来还洁去, 不教污淖[11]陷渠沟。 尔[12]今死去侬收葬, 未卜[13]侬身何日丧? 侬今葬花人笑痴, 他年葬侬知是谁? 试看春残花渐落, 便是红颜老死时。 一朝春尽红颜老, 花落人亡两不知! 注释: [1]游丝:飘浮在空气中的柳丝。

Cao Xueqin Poem: Lin Daiyu’s Elegy on Flowers – 曹雪芹《黛玉葬花辞》 Read More »