Year Sat, 2012-04-14 12:00 Translation Shen Quanqi (656?-713) 沈佺期 A Poem, Miscellaneous 雜詩 We’ve heard the pathof the Yellow Dragon garrison 聞道黃龍戍 And the many yearsthe troops have been tied down 頻年不解兵 Able to pitythe lady’s chamber inside, the moon 可憐閨裡月 Such a long time,the Han’s encampment 長在漢家營 Young wivesnow having spring thoughts of love 少婦今春意 But their husbands’nighttime passion past... 良人昨夜情 Who canhold the flag, beating the drum, 誰能將旗鼓 And all-at-oncetake the barbarian Hun’s Dragon City? 一為取龍城 Notes: 1. The poet, Shen Quanqi, of the Earlier Tang, has laid down the initial format of the Tang Dynasty’s metrical verses, especially in tone-matching and antithesis. It helped the poetry of the times to transition from ancient-style to the Tang Dynasty’s style. 2. In ancient scholars’ view, his personality as a bootlicker was disdained, but his metrical verses were much acclaimed. Original Chinese Traditional Simplified Pronunciation 沈佺期 沈佺期 Shěn Quán Qī 雜詩 杂诗 Zá shī 聞道黃龍戍， 闻道黄龙戍， Wén dào huáng lóng shù, 頻年不解兵。 频年不解兵。 Pín nián bù jiě bīng. 可憐閨裡月， 可怜闺里月， Kě lián guī lǐ yuè, 長在漢家營。 长在汉家营。 Cháng zài hàn jiā yíng. 少婦今春意， 少妇今春意， Shào fù jīn chūn yì, 良人昨夜情。 良人昨夜情。 Liáng rén zuó yè qíng. 誰能將旗鼓， 谁能将旗鼓， Shuí néng jiāng qí gǔ, 一為取龍城？ 一为取龙城？ Yī wéi qǔ lóng chéng? Literal Notes 沈佺期 Shen/sing/addicted Immortal/fairy Period=Shen Quanqi(656?-713) 雜詩 Mixed/miscellaneous poem 聞道黃龍戍， Hear/news/well-known/famous (people)say/path/road/way Yellow Dragon/emperor-symbol garrison/border-guard[Yellow Dragon=a place in Liaoning] 頻年不解兵。 Repetitious/many/frequently/again-and-again years not withdraw/untie troops[not withdraw also means do not understand, indissoluble, to be puzzled by] 可憐閨裡月， Have/may/can/possibly pity-on/pathetic/sympathize lady’s-chamber/women’s-quarter in/inside/within moon 長在漢家營。 Long-time/length at/be-at/in/on/consist-in Han/Chinese-people Family/house camp/barrack/encampment[Han Family= here refers to Tang Dynasty] 少婦今春意， Young/few/less/inadequate wife/married-woman today’s/now spring/wanton/love thoughts[spring thoughts= thoughts of love] 良人昨夜情。 Good/virtuous/respectable person yesterday/the-past/former-times night love/feeling/sentiment/emotion/passion[Good person = husband] 誰能將旗鼓， Who/whom/anyone can/be-able-to/ability hold/will/going-to banner/flag to-drum/beat/strike 一為取龍城？ One/only/whole action/attack/do take-over/capture/take/obtain Dragon City[Dragon City= the original city is now in Mongolia, where the Huns offered sacrifice to Heaven. Here broadly refers to the barbarians’ habitat.] Liane Rui of Shanghai, China assisted with the notes and character tables. Rating Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yet Rate