Translation
Shen Quanqi (656?-713) | 沈佺期 |
A Poem, Miscellaneous | 雜詩 |
We’ve heard the path of the Yellow Dragon garrison | 聞道 黃龍戍 |
And the many years the troops have been tied down | 頻年 不解兵 |
Able to pity the 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 wives now having spring thoughts of love | 少婦 今春意 |
But their husbands’ nighttime passion past... | 良人 昨夜情 |
Who can hold the flag, beating the drum, | 誰能 將旗鼓 |
And all-at-once take 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.
Year:
2012
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