Sikong Shu's "The Rebels Put Down, I See Off My Friend on His Return North" (300 Tang #149)
by Frank Watson
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Translation

Sikong Shu (720-790)
司空曙
The Rebels Put Down,
I See Off My Friend on His Return North
賊平後送人北歸


When the chaos came, we fled together to the south;
世亂同南去
Now that it is peaceful, you return alone to the north.
時清獨北還
In a foreign land, our hair grows white,
他鄉生白髮
But in our motherland, you will see the mountains green.
舊國見青山
The morning moon will cross the broken fortress walls
曉月過殘壘
And you will rest on a mountain pass beneath an array of stars.
繁星宿故關
All around are birds of winter and withered grass—
寒禽與衰草
And care is your constant companion.
處處伴愁顏


Commentary

During the An Lushan Rebellion, Sikong Shu and his friend went south to flee as refugees. The turbulence lasted so long that they grew white hairs while living in an alien land. After the rebellion was put down, his friend went back to their hometown. Sikong saw off his friend and wrote the poem. In this poem, the author imagined the deserted and ruined scenes his friend would see on the journey. These scenes reflected the disastrous consequences brought by the rebellion and showed the author’s desolation and grief too.


Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation



司空曙
司空曙
Sī Kōng Shǔ
賊平後送人北歸
贼平后送人北归
Zéi píng hòu sòng rén běi guī



世亂同南去，
世乱同南去，
Shì luàn tóng nán qù，
時清獨北還。
时清独北还。
Shí qīng dú běi huán。
他鄉生白髮，
他乡生白发，
Tā xiāng shēng bái fā，
舊國見青山。
旧国见青山。
Jiù guó jiàn qīng shān。
曉月過殘壘，
晓月过残垒，
Xiǎo yuè guò cán lěi，
繁星宿故關。
繁星宿故关。
Fán xīng sù gù guān。
寒禽與衰草，
寒禽与衰草，
Hán qín yǔ shuāi cǎo，
處處伴愁顏。
处处伴愁颜。
Chǔ chǔ bàn chóu yán。

Translation Notes

司空曙
Manage Empty Dawn [=Sikong Shu (720-790)]
賊平後送人北歸
Traitor peaceful after send-off man north return
[Traitor peaceful = put down the traitor = the An Lushan Rebellion was put down]


世亂同南去，
World state-of-chaos/upheaval together-with south depart
時清獨北還。
Times pure/clear/peaceful/just-and-honest/stable alone/single north return
他鄉生白髮，
Another country grow white hair
[Another country = an alien land]
舊國見青山。
Ancient/former/past nation/country see green mountains
[Ancient nation = hometown]
[Note: this line is the author’s imagination that his friend will see the green mountains when he reaches his hometown. Since the war destroyed their hometown, maybe the only thing has not changed is the green mountains.]
曉月過殘壘，
Dawn moon passes/crosses-over broken/destroyed/savaged fortress/military-wall
繁星宿故關。
Many star/point-of-light lodge/rest ancient/old/former mountain-pass/frontier-pass
[Note: the last four lines are the author’s imagination about his friend’s journey.]
寒禽與衰草，
Cold/wintry birds and/with decline/weaken/become-feeble grass
處處伴愁顏。
Place place companion worry-about facial-appearance
[Place place = everywhere]

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2012