Year
Qu Yuan (343-278 B.C)
The morning sun arises from the east
To shine at my door the light of an ancient land,
To stroke my horse in peaceful spur,
To clear away the night in morning light.
I fly the dragon and ride the thunder,
Carrying the clouds in a banner, throwing off snakes;
Resting at length before I rise again,
Hesitating, my heart down low,
Looking back every now and then.
Hearing a mountain tune with pleasure—
Quiet, serene—I forget to return.
Harp strings and striking drums,
Sighing bells and chiming jade—
A flute lets out its bamboo cry,
Blown through the wind of an ancient reed:
This man—this virtue—the spirits defend.
Kingfishers flit and fly,
Revealing a verse as they gather to dance,
Following the festive tunes
Until the spirits bring down the sun,
Covered by darkened clouds.
The Eight Immortals descend
In rainbow clothes,
To raise their lengthy arrows
And shoot the Sky Wolf:
I steer my bow and let it fly,
Helping the northern fight.
Serving cinnamon wine, a spicy broth,
I write of camels soaring high
In the dark and gloomy night
And go onward to the east.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
九歌東君 | 九歌东君 | jiǔ gē dōng jūn |
暾將出兮東方， | 暾将出兮东方， | tūn jiāng chū xī dōng fāng ， |
照吾檻兮扶桑； | 照吾槛兮扶桑； | zhào wú jiàn xī fú sāng ; |
撫余馬兮安驅， | 抚余马兮安驱， | fǔ yú mǎ xī ān qū ， |
夜皎皎兮既明； | 夜皎皎兮既明； | yè jiǎo jiǎo xī jì míng ; |
駕龍辀兮乘雷， | 驾龙辀兮乘雷， | jià lóng zhōu xī chéng léi ， |
載雲旗兮委蛇； | 载云旗兮委蛇； | zài yún qí xī wěi shé ; |
長太息兮將上， | 长太息兮将上， | cháng tài xī xī jiāng shàng ， |
心低徊兮顧懷； | 心低徊兮顾怀； | xīn dī huái xī gù huái ; |
羌聲色兮娛人， | 羌声色兮娱人， | qiāng shēng sè xī yú rén ， |
觀者儋兮忘歸； | 观者儋兮忘归； | guān zhě dān xī wàng guī ; |
緪瑟兮交鼓， | 緪瑟兮交鼓， | gēng sè xī jiāo gǔ ， |
蕭鐘兮瑤簴； | 萧钟兮瑶簴； | xiāo zhōng xī yáo jù ; |
鳴篪兮吹竽， | 鸣篪兮吹竽， | míng chí xī chuī yú ， |
思靈保兮賢姱； | 思灵保兮贤姱； | sī líng bǎo xī xián kuā ; |
翾飛兮翠曾， | 翾飞兮翠曾， | xuān fēi xī cuì zēng ， |
展詩兮會舞； | 展诗兮会舞； | zhǎn shī xī huì wǔ ; |
應律兮合節， | 应律兮合， | yīng lǜ xī hé jié ， |
靈之來兮敝日； | 灵之来兮敝日； | líng zhī lái xī bì rì ; |
青雲衣兮白霓裳， | 青云衣兮白霓裳， | qīng yún yī xī bái ní cháng ， |
舉長矢兮射天狼； | 举长矢兮射天狼； | jǔ cháng shǐ xī shè tiān láng ; |
操余弧兮反淪降， | 操余弧兮反沦降， | cāo yú hú xī fǎn lún jiàng ， |
援北鬥兮酌桂漿； | 援北斗兮酌桂浆； | yuán běi dǒu xī zhuó guì jiāng ; |
撰余轡兮高駝翔， | 撰余辔兮高驼翔， | zhuàn yú pèi xī gāo tuó xiáng ， |
杳冥冥兮以東行。 | 杳冥冥兮以东行。 | yǎo míng míng xī yǐ dōng xíng。 |
Translation Notes
Written by Qu Yuan (343-278 B.C), part of his work, Nine Songs.
九歌東君 | Nine Songs Eastern Lord [Eastern Lord = Lord of the East, the Sun God in Chinese mythology] |
暾將出兮東方， | Morning-sun/sun-above-the-horizon will rise ah eastern region, |
照吾檻兮扶桑； | Shines my door-sill ah support mulberry-tree; [Support mulberry-tree = Fusang, the mythological island of ancient literature, often interpreted as Japan] |
撫余馬兮安驅， | Strokes/caresses my horse ah peaceful spur, |
夜皎皎兮既明； | Night clear bright ah already light; |
駕龍辀兮乘雷， | Fly/steer dragon carriage-shaft ah rides thunder, |
載雲旗兮委蛇； | Carries cloud banner ah cast-aside snakes; |
長太息兮將上， | Lengthy/always too/extreme rest/breath ah will/general go-up, |
心低徊兮顧懷； | Heart hangs-low walks-back-and-forth ah looks-back carries-in-mind; |
羌聲色兮娛人， | Qiang sound/tune color/beauty ah pleasure/amuse person, |
觀者儋兮忘歸； | See he-who serene ah forgets to-return; |
緪瑟兮交鼓， | String harp ah mixed drums, |
蕭鐘兮瑤簴； | Sighing-of-the-wind/desolate bell ah precious-jade chime-stones; |
鳴篪兮吹竽， | Cry-of-bird bamboo-flute ah blows ancient-woodwind-instrument/reed, |
思靈保兮賢姱； | Thinks spirit defend ah virtuous-person beautiful; |
翾飛兮翠曾， | Flits flies ah kingfisher [already], |
展詩兮會舞； | Unfold verse ah gather dance; |
應律兮合節， | Must regulation ah join sections/festival, |
靈之來兮敝日； | Spirits they come ah destroy sun; |
青雲衣兮白霓裳， | Black clouds cover ah bright rainbow clothes, [Rainbow clothes = nichang, the rainbow-colored clothes worn by the Eight Immortals] |
舉長矢兮射天狼； | Raise long arrow ah shoot sky wolf; |
操余弧兮反淪降， | Steer I wooden-bow ah reverse sink descend, [I wooden-bow = complementary arc] |
援北鬥兮酌桂漿； | Aid northern struggle ah serve-wine cinnamon broth; |
撰余轡兮高駝翔， | Write I reins ah high camel soar/glide, |
杳冥冥兮以東行。 | Dark gloomy night ah therefore eastward go. [Dark gloomy = dim and dusky] [Therefore eastward = to the east] |