This poem tells the story of Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. After the Kingdom of Yue lost a war with the the Kingdom of Wu, it became a vassal state, having to give tribute to Wu. The humiliated king of Yue devised a plan to overturn Wu: send him beautiful women as presents to distract him from state affairs.
The plan worked and the King of Wu fell madly in love with Xi Shi, forgetting about running the state, and killing his chief advisor at her behest. After the Kingdom of Yue revolted and defeated the army of Wu, the king killed himself.
A note on the last stanza—in ancient China, a woman was thought to be at the peak of her beauty when frowning because it was reminiscent of the painful ecstasy a man feels during the peak of love-making.
My Translation
Wang Wei (701-761 AD) | 王維 |
Song of Xi Shi | 西施詠 |
The whole world values beauty | 艷色 天下 重 |
Xi Shi was docile and, for a long time, nothing | 西施 寧 久微 |
One morning she was just a Yue washing woman | 朝為 越 溪女 |
But by evening she became a Wu palace concubine | 暮作 吳宮 妃 |
In her lowly days, how was she different from the masses? | 賤日 豈 殊眾 |
Her value came to be perceived as rare | 貴來 方悟 稀 |
Now the maids assist with her makeup | 邀人 傅 脂粉 |
And she doesn’t choose and put on her clothes by herself | 不自 著羅 衣 |
The Ruler’s love increases her seductive and charming manner | 君寵 益 嬌態 |
He sympathizes regardless of right or wrong | 君憐 無 是非 |
While her silk-washing companions | 當時 浣紗 伴 |
Cannot in the same carriage return | 莫得 同車 歸 |
Grasp this lesson, neighborhood girls: | 持謝 鄰家子 |
You may imitate her frown, but you will only be striving to repeat her beauty | 效顰 安可 希 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
王維 | 王维 | Wáng Wéi |
西施詠 | 西施咏 | Xī Shī Yǒng |
艷色天下重， | 艳色天下重， | Yàn sè // tiān xià zhòng, |
西施寧久微？ | 西施宁久微？ | Xī shī // níng jiǔ wēi? |
朝為越溪女， | 朝为越溪女， | Zháo wèi // yuè xī nǚ, |
暮作吳宮妃。 | 暮作吴宫妃。 | Mù zuò // wú gōng fēi. |
賤日豈殊眾？ | 贱日岂殊众？ | Jiàn rì // qǐ shū zhòng? |
貴來方悟稀。 | 贵来方悟稀。 | Guì lái // fāng wù xī. |
邀人傅脂粉， | 邀人傅脂粉， | Yāo rén // fu zhī fěn, |
不自著羅衣， | 不自着罗衣， | Bù zì // zhe luó yī, |
君寵益嬌態， | 君宠益娇态， | Jūn chǒng // yì jiāo tài, |
君憐無是非。 | 君怜无是非。 | Jūn lián // wú shì fēi. |
當時浣紗伴， | 当时浣纱伴， | Dāng shí // huàn shā bàn, |
莫得同車歸。 | 莫得同车归。 | Mò dé // tóng chē guī. |
持謝鄰家子， | 持谢邻家子， | Chí xiè // lín jiā zi, |
效顰安可希？ | 效颦安可希？ | Xiào pín // ān kě xī? |
Literal Translation
王維 | King Preserve [Wang Wei (701-761 AD)] |
西施詠 | West Bestow Sing [west bestow = Xi Shi ~450 BC, one of the Four Legendary Beauties, given by King Gou Jian of Yue as a concubine to the King of We as part of a succession plan to destroy Wu] |
艷色天下重， | Beautiful form sky under attach-importance [beautiful form = beauty/glamor/voluptuousness; sky under = land under heaven, the whole world] |
西施寧久微？ | West bestow peaceful long-time tiny [west bestow = Xi Shi] |
朝為越溪女， | Morning as beyond creek woman [beyond = Yue state] |
暮作吳宮妃。 | Evening made Wu palace concubine |
賤日豈殊眾？ | Lowly day how different masses? |
貴來方悟稀。 | Valuable come direction become-aware rare |
邀人傅脂粉， | Request person assist oil face-powder [oil face-powder = cosmetics] |
不自著羅衣， | Not self wear gather clothes |
君寵益嬌態， | Ruler love increase seductive+loveable manner [seductive+loveable manner = charming attitude, lascivious pose] |
君憐無是非。 | Ruler sympathize not-to-have is oppose [is oppose = right and wrong, quarrel] |
當時浣紗伴， | Undertake time wash silk companion [undertake time = then, at that time, while] |
莫得同車歸。 | Cannot permit same carriage return/belong-to |
持謝鄰家子， | Grasp thank neighborhood house child [house child = household, family] |
效顰安可希？ | Imitate scowl peaceful may strive-for/rare [peaceful may = encore] |
Year:
2011
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