Su Shi Poem: The Moon over the West River – 苏轼《西江月·照野弥弥浅浪》

西江月 苏轼 顷在黄州,春夜行蕲水中,过酒家饮,酒醉,乘月至一溪桥上,解鞍曲肱,醉卧少休。及觉已晓,乱山攒拥,流水锵然,疑非尘世也。书此语桥柱上。 照野弥弥[1]浅浪, 横空隐隐层霄。 障泥未解玉骢骄, 我欲醉眠芳草。 可惜一溪风月, 莫教踏碎琼瑶。 解鞍欹枕绿杨桥, 杜宇一声春晓。   注释: [1]弥弥:水盛大的样子。 The Moon over the West River Su Shi Wavelet on wavelet glimmers by the shore; Cloud on cloud dimly appears in the sky. Unsaddled is my white-jadelike horse; Drunk, asleep in the sweet grass I’ll lie. My horse’s hoofs may break, […]

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Translation of “悲慨” in English – Melancholy and Resentment

bēikǎi  悲慨 By “key concepts in Chinese thought and culture” we mean concepts and keywords or phrases the Chinese people have created or come to use that are fundamentally pertinent to Chinese philosophy, humanistic spirit, way of thinking, and values. Melancholy and Resentment 悲伤愤慨。慨,感慨,愤慨。是晚唐诗人司空图所概括的诗歌的二十四种风格之一。主要指诗作中所表现出的悲剧性情结。当诗人命途多舛或身处困境,或面对壮阔景观或大的事件而自觉力量渺小,会产生忧愁、悲哀、感伤、激愤的情绪,投射到诗歌创作中则形成“悲慨”风格。这一术语看似近于西方文学理论的“悲剧”范畴,实质上受道家思想影响较大,而最后往往趋于无奈或趋于旷达。 Melancholy and resentment, which here refers to a sense of helplessness

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Wang Anguo Poem: Pure Serene Music Later Spring – 王安国《清平乐 春晚》

清平乐 春晚 王安国 留春不住。 费尽莺儿语。 满地残红宫锦[1]污, 昨夜南园[2]风雨。 小怜[3]初上琵琶。 晓来思绕天涯。 不肯画堂朱户, 春风自在杨花[4]。   注释: [1]宫锦:宫中特用的锦缎。 [2]南园:泛指园囿。 [3]小怜:北齐后主高纬宠妃冯淑妃之名;冯天资聪慧,能弹琵琶。这里泛指歌女。 [4]杨花:又作“梨花”。 Pure Serene Music Later Spring Wang Anguo Spring cannot be retained, Though orioles have exhausted their song. The ground is strewn with fallen reds like brocade stained, The southern garden washed by rain all the night long. For

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Wang Anshi Poem: Pride of Fishermen – 王安石《渔家傲·平岸小桥千嶂抱》

渔家傲 王安石 平岸小桥千嶂抱。 柔蓝一水萦花草。 茅屋数间窗窈窕[1]。 尘不到。 时时自有春风扫。 午枕觉来闻语鸟。 欹眠似听朝鸡早。 忽忆故人今总老。 贪梦好。 茫然忘了邯郸道。   注释: [1]窈窕:深邃的样子。 Pride of Fishermen Wang Anshi Surrounded by peaks, a bridge flies from shore to shore; A soft blue stream flows through flowers before the door. A few thatched houses with windows I adore. There comes no dust, The place is

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Ouyang Xiu Poem: Gathering Mulberry Leaves (III) – 欧阳修《采桑子·群芳过后西湖好》

采桑子 欧阳修 群芳过后西湖好, 狼藉[1]残红。 飞絮濛濛。 垂柳阑干尽日风。 笙歌散尽游人去, 始觉春空。 垂下帘栊。 双燕归来细雨中。 注释: [1]狼藉:散乱的样子。 Gathering Mulberry Leaves (III) Ouyang Xiu All flowers have passed away, West Lake is quiet; The fallen blooms run riot. Catkins from willow trees Beyond the railings fly all day, fluffy in breeze. Flute songs no longer sung and sightseers gone, I begin

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Ouyang Xiu Poem: Gathering Mulberry Leaves (II) – 欧阳修《采桑子》

采桑子 欧阳修 画船载酒西湖好, 急管繁弦, 玉盏催传, 稳泛平波任醉眠。 行云却在行舟下, 空水澄鲜[1], 俯仰流连, 疑是湖中别有天。 注释: [1]空水澄鲜:语出谢灵运《登江中孤屿》:“云日相晖映,空水共澄鲜。”指天空与湖水都是澄清明净的。 Gathering Mulberry Leaves (II) Ouyang Xiu West Lake is fine for us in painted boat loaded with wine. From pipes and strings comes music fast; From hand to hand jade cups soon passed, Secure on calming waves, drunk we lie. Fleeting clouds seem

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Ouyang Xiu Poem: Gathering Mulberry Leaves (I) – 欧阳修《采桑子·轻舟短棹西湖好》

采桑子 欧阳修 轻舟短棹[1]西湖好, 绿水逶迤。 芳草长堤。 隐隐笙歌处处随。 无风水面琉璃滑, 不觉船移。 微动涟漪[2]。 惊起沙禽掠岸飞。 注释: [1]棹:船桨。 [2]涟漪:形容船移动时,水面细波粼粼,微微荡漾。 Gathering Mulberry Leaves (I) Ouyang Xiu Viewed from a light boat with short oars, West Lake is fair. Green water winds along The banks overgrown with sweet grass; here and there Faintly we hear a flute song. The water surface is smooth

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Zhang Xian Poem: Peonies Cut Down Hear the Music of Double-pipa in the Boat – 张先《剪牡丹·舟中闻双琵琶》

剪牡丹·舟中闻双琵琶 张先 野绿连空, 天青垂水, 素色溶漾都净[1]。 柳径无人, 堕絮飞无影。 汀洲[2]日落人归, 修巾薄袂[3], 撷香拾翠相竞[4]。 如解凌波[5], 泊烟渚[6]春暝。 彩绦朱索[7]新整。 宿绣屏、 画船风定。 金凤响双槽[8], 弹出今古幽思谁省[9]。 玉盘大小乱珠迸。 酒上妆面, 花艳眉相并。 重听。 尽汉妃一曲[10], 江空月静。 注释: [1]“素色”句:素色,指白茫茫的江水。溶漾,水波荡漾的样子。 [2]汀洲:水边平地。 [3]“修巾”句:修巾,长长的带子。袂,衣袖。 [4]“撷香”句:撷香,采花。撷,采。拾翠,泛指女子游春。 [5]“如解”句:解,能。凌波,踏水而行。 [6]烟渚:烟水迷蒙的江边平地。 [7]彩绦朱索:指女子身上漂亮的衣带。 [8]“金凤”句:金凤,指琵琶。槽,琵琶上架弦的格子。 [9]省:懂。 [10]汉妃一曲:指王昭君所弹《昭君怨》曲。汉妃,汉元帝时宫女王昭君。   Peonies Cut Down Hear the Music of Double-pipa in the Boat Zhang Xian The green plain extends far and wide,

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Song Qi Poem: Spring in Jade Pavilion – 宋祁《玉楼春·春景》

玉楼春 宋祁 东城渐觉风光好。 縠[1]皱波纹迎客棹[2]。 绿杨烟外晓寒轻, 红杏枝头春意闹。 浮生[3]长恨欢娱少, 肯爱千金轻一笑。 为君持酒劝斜阳, 且向花间留晚照。 注释: [1]縠:绉纱类丝织品。此处比喻水的波纹。 [2]棹:船桨。 [3]浮生:指飘浮不定的短暂人生。 Spring in Jade Pavilion Song Qi The scenery is getting fine east of the town; The rippling water greets boats rowing up and down. Beyond green willows morning chill is growing mild; On pink apricot branches spring is running wild. In

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Zhang Xian Poem: Spring in Painted Hall – 张先《画堂春·外湖莲子长参差》

画堂春 张先 外湖莲子长参差[1], 霁山[2]青处鸥飞。 水天溶漾画桡迟[3], 人影鉴[4]中移。 桃叶[5]浅声双唱, 杏红深色轻衣。 小荷障面避斜晖, 分得翠阴归。 注释: [1]参差:长短不齐的样子。 [2]霁山:雨后的山。 [3]“水天”句:溶漾,水波荡漾的样子。画桡,指画船。迟,行驶缓慢。 [4]鉴:镜。此处指如镜的湖面。 [5]桃叶:指《桃叶歌》。东晋王献之有爱妾桃叶,王献之为其作《桃叶歌》。 Spring in Painted Hall Zhang Xian The lotus blooms in outer lake grow high and low; After the rain over green hills fly the gulls white. The painted boats on rippling water slowly go; Our shadows move on mirror

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