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Translation
Zhang Jie | 張籍 |
An Old Friend Missing in Tibet | 沒蕃故人 |
Two years ago the army marched to Tibet; | 前年戍月支 |
Outside the city walls, all the troops were lost. | 城下沒全師 |
From Tibet to China, news was severed, | 蕃漢斷消息 |
As life and death are far apart. | 死生長別離 |
The camp abandoned, no one gathered; | 無人收廢帳 |
Returning horses knew our broken banners. | 歸馬識殘旗 |
I want to sacrifice—but wonder if you are there; | 欲祭疑君在 |
I weep now at heaven’s shore. | 天涯哭此時 |
Commentary
After the Mid-Tang period, the Tang Dynasty frequently fought against the Tibetan Empire in the western frontier and suffered many losses. The Tibetans also manged to ransack the capital of China many times.
This poem was dedicated to the author’s friend who was missing in a battle. The Tang army was completely destroyed in this battle, so he assumes that his friend is dead, but does not know for sure. In the last two lines, the poet wants to sacrifice for his friend, but wonders if he is really dead.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, Artist: Yu Ninjie
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
張籍 | 张籍 | Zhāng Jí |
沒蕃故人 | 没蕃故人 | Mò bō gù rén |
前年戍月支， | 前年戍月支， | Qián nián shù yuè zhī， |
城下沒全師。 | 城下没全师。 | Chéng xià méi quán shī。 |
蕃漢斷消息， | 蕃汉断消息， | Fán hàn duàn xiāo xī， |
死生長別離 | 死生长别离。 | Sǐ shēng cháng bié lí。 |
無人收廢帳， | 无人收废帐， | Wú rén shōu fèi zhàng， |
歸馬識殘旗。 | 归马识残旗。 | Guī mǎ shí cán qí。 |
欲祭疑君在， | 欲祭疑君在， | Yù jì yí jūn zài， |
天涯哭此時。 | 天涯哭此时。 | Tiān yá kū cǐ shí。 |
Translation Notes
張籍 | Stretch Record [=Zhang Jie (767-830)] |
沒蕃故人 | Die Tibet old person [“Die” means “disappear” or “missing” in this context.] [The character for “Tibet” is an abbreviation for Tubo, the ancient Tibetan Empire, and literally means “foreign things.”] [“Old person” means “old friend.”] |
前年戍月支， | Preceding year garrison Moon Disperse [“Preceding year” means the year before the last.] [“Garrison” means “go on a campaign”] [“Moon Disperse” is pronounced Yuezhi or Rouzhi and was originally a nomadic people living in the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty (see upper left corner of the picture above). Here it refers to Tibet.] |
城下沒全師。 | City below sink whole army [“Sink whole army” means the whole army was annihilated.] |
蕃漢斷消息， | Tibet Chinese-people cut-off vanish/die-out end/cease [“Vanish end” means message, information, or news.] |
死生長別離 | Die life long apart depart [“Apart depart” means “to take leave of” or “separation.” |
無人收廢帳， | No man gather-together discarded/abandoned tents/camp |
歸馬識殘旗。 | Returned horse understand broken/ruined flag |
欲祭疑君在， | Desire sacrifice suspect you there [“Sacrifice” means to hold a memorial ceremony and sacrifice to the deceased.] |
天涯哭此時。 | Heaven shore weep/cry this season [“Heaven shore” means “the other end of the world” or “a far away place.”] [“This season” means “now” or “this moment”] |
Year:
2012
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