太乙近天都  連山接海隅
白雲回望合  青靄入看無
分野中峰變  陰晴眾壑殊
欲投人處宿  隔水問樵夫 

Mt. Zhongnan     Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯

The premier peak Taiyi sours high near Heaven Gate
The mountian reaches to link with the seaway
As I turn to see white clouds circle in flight
The peak disappears in mists lost from sight
Changes at mid-peak make celestial zones clear
Shady or vivid ravines and gorges appear
To seek a homely place to pass the night
Across the water I ask a woodcutter at riverside

«相見歡»        朱敦儒 (1081-1159)   江紹倫譯

金陵城上西樓  倚清秋
萬里夕陽垂地  大江流

中原亂  簪櫻散  幾時收
試倩悲風吹淚  過揚州

Tune: Joy of Meeting             Zhu Dun Ru (1081-1159)       江紹倫譯

At the West Tower on Jinling city wall
I stand alone on a clear day in the fall
For ten thousand li the setting sun hangs low
Where the Big River continues to flow

Our central plain in savage war
Noble officers scatter and fall
Whence shall our motherland be like yore
I ask the winds of sorrow how tears should travel
Back to Yangzhou our Capital

《更漏子》  溫庭筠 (812-870)

柳絲長  春雨細  花外漏聲迢遞
驚寒雁  起城烏  畫屏金鷓鴣

香霧薄  透簾幕  惆悵謝家池閣
紅燭背  繡簾垂  夢長君不知 

Tune: Water Clock Drips All Night   Wen Ting Yun (812-870)  江紹倫譯

Willow tendrils lengthy
Vernal drizzles plenty
Beyond the flowers the water clock drips all night
Startled geese take flight
Crows on city walls high
In the painted screens partridges frolic in delight

Fragrant mist light
Penetrating the silk tapestry hung high
I sit by the solitary pool to sigh
Behind the red candles
By the closed brocade panels
I dream of you if you care to know

更漏子  溫庭筠 (812-870)   江紹倫譯

玉爐香  紅蠟淚  偏照畫堂秋思
眉翠薄  鬢雲殘  夜長衾枕寒

梧桐樹  三更雨  不道離情正苦
一葉葉  一聲聲  空階滴到明

Tune: Water Clock Drips All Night   Wen Ting Yun (812-870)  江紹倫譯

The jade censor fragrant usual
Red candle burnt tearful
In the shadowy parlour autumn thoughts linger
Eyebrows painted pale
Hair bun dishevel
In the long night cold are the quilt and pillow

Lonely pine trees
After midnight rains
They speak not of her bitter parting sorrow
Leave by leave solitary
Sound by sound solitary
They fall on vacant steps till dawn

商山早行  溫庭筠 (812-870)  江紹倫譯 

晨起動徵鐸  客行悲故鄉
雞聲茅店月  人跡板橋霜

槲葉落山路  枳花明驛牆
因思杜陵夢  鳧鴈滿回塘

Early Departure       Wen Ting Yun (812-870)  江紹倫譯

Early I rise to rush to the carriage station
Pining for home I hurry to start the motion
Cocks crow while the moon is still over my inn
On the bridge frost keeps travelers from coming in

The hill path is dotted with fallen oak leaves delight
While the post-house wall gleams with orange blossoms bright
I dreamed last night of a different scene
Frolicking in my native pond mallards and geese fondly seen

夢江南  溫庭筠 (812-870)

Tune: Pining for Home in the South     Wen Ting Yun (812-870)  江紹倫譯

After my morning routine affairs
Alone I watch far from up stairs
I see you not in a thousand passing sails
The setting sun silent the flow eternal
My broken heart remains on Islet of farewell

南鄉子 （登京口北固亭有懷）       辛棄疾 (1140-1207)

何處望神州  滿眼風光北固樓
千古興亡多少事  悠悠  不盡長江滾滾流

年少萬兜鍪   坐斷東南戰未休
天下英雄誰敵手  曹劉  生子當如孫仲謀

Tune: Song of the South     Xin Qi Ji  (1140-1207)  江紹倫譯
Reflections Ascending the Tower at Jingkuo

Where is my godly home in the Central Plain
Seeing but northern country I searched in vain
In the drift of time dynasties thrive and wane
Slowly and at ease
Following the Yangtze’s flow ceaselessly

The young Sun had a garrison of ten thousand at his command
Steel-willed he defended all of the southeastern land
If you ask who could be his equal in this noble land
Cao and Liu
Cao had a son like Sun Zhong Mou

Tune: Joy of Eternal Union
Pining for Ancient Heroes at Jingkou    Xin Qi Ji  (1140-207)           

The boundless hills and rills of yore
Nowhere can I find the king defending the SouthShore
Gallant deeds on dancing stages and singing halls
Washed away by cold winds and driving rain
Whence the setting sun touches the grass and forest again
And the houses amid the unadorned lanes
Where the defeated king had lived in shame
In the other bygone years
Soldiers on armored steeds carrying golden spears
Claiming like tigers a ten thousand li territory on Central Plain

His son launched in haste a Northern Campaign
Defeated on Wolf Mount he shed tears in vain
I remember three and forty years ago
How the Capital Yangzhou was burned by the Jurchen foes
Away my memory
How the enemy ancestral hall
Worshipped in rolling drumbeats and crow calls
Dare anyone ask
If the aging general Lian Po
Is strong enough to win back the Capital of yore

《桂枝香－金陵怀古》                  王安石  宋(1021-1086)

登临送目  正故国晚秋 天气初肃
千里澄江似练  翠峰如簇
归帆去棹斜阳里  背西风  酒旗斜矗
彩舟云淡  星河鹭起  画图难足

念往昔  繁华竞逐  叹门外楼头  悲恨相续
千古凭高  对此漫嗟荣辱
六朝旧事如流水  但寒烟  衰草凝绿
至今商女  时时犹唱  《后庭》遗曲

Tune: Fragrance of Laurel Branch  Wang An Shi (1021-1086) 江紹倫譯 

I clime up high to cast eyes far
In this late autumn the old country marvelous
The weather sublime and cool
The limpid river like a belt winds a thousand li
Emerald peaks tower in vivid relief
Sails rush home as the sun sets in diminishing heat
Fluttering tavern banners against west winds compete
‘Neath pale clouds painted boats merrily float
Towards the Milky Way egrets sour up to note
A grand sight no artist can capture in brush strokes Continue reading →