Hunan Lord
by Frank Watson
Qu Yuan (343-278 B.C.)

This poem refers to the death of the mythical Emperor Shun (~ 2200 B.C.), buried in the Jiuyi mountain range, which is on the border of Hunan and Guangdong. He had two beautiful imperial concubines, who, upon hearing the news, rushed to see him. However, they both died in the Xiangjiang River, located in Hunan, on the way there. After his death, Emperor Shun became an Emperor of Heaven and made his concubines water goddesses, pairing them together forever.


Her Lord has not come—
He’s still on an island, far away.
The beauty looks for him, hoping to catch his face,
Then rides to him on a cassia boat.

She tells the rivers to have no waves
And bring only peaceful water flow;
She searches for her man,
But he is not around—has she gone off course?

He rides a dragon chariot, flying from the north,
Circling her lake-bound path.
Far from the city, among the shrubs and cypress trees,
With grassy flagpoles and orchid banners.

Through the rainwater, she sees the sun
Along the furthest shore, where the spirits rise.
He is a departed soul, but hasn’t risen to the highest point—
The beauty’s breath has stopped.

Tears go down, the sound of flowing water,
Thinking of her lord, who’s hidden on the other side.
Cassia oars, orchid oars,
Striking the ice and snow.

Collecting shrubs and lichee within the water,
Plucking cotton roses from the tree branch tips.
Her heart has changed, and no one consoles—
Her kindness gone, it’s taken a toll.

Stones and rapids, the sound of water—
Flying dragons flutter with grace.
Her companion’s disloyal, her hatred is long:
She cannot trust, she cannot rest.

Morning comes, the river is great—
When evening comes, she stops at the northern shore.
Birds line the house above
And water circles the hall below.

She throws her ring in the river,
Abandoning herself at the riverbank.
Plucking a fragrant birchleaf pear,
Her spirit departs below.

She will not see him again,
For she is destined to wait—far, far away.

Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
九歌 湘君
九歌 湘君
jiǔ gē xiāng jūn



君不行兮夷猶，
君不行兮夷犹，
jūn bù xíng xī yí yóu ，
蹇誰留兮中洲？
蹇谁留兮中洲？
jiǎn shuí liú xī zhōng zhōu ？
美要眇兮宜修，
美要眇兮宜修，
měi yào miǎo xī yí xiū ，
沛吾乘兮桂舟。
沛吾乘兮桂舟。
pèi wú chéng xī guì zhōu 。
令沅湘兮無波，
令沅湘兮无波，
líng yuán xiāng xī wú bō ，
使江水兮安流！
使江水兮安流！
shǐ jiāng shuǐ xī ān liú ！
望夫君兮未來，
望夫君兮未来，
wàng fū jūn xī wèi lái ，
吹參差兮誰思？
吹参差兮谁思？
chuī cān chà xī shuí sī ？
駕飛龍兮北征，
驾飞龙兮北征，
jià fēi lóng xī běi zhēng ，
邅吾道兮洞庭。
邅吾道兮洞庭。
zhān wú dào xī dòng tíng 。
薜荔柏佤兮蕙綢，
薜荔柏佤兮蕙绸，
bì lì bǎi wǎ xī huì chóu ，
蓀橈兮蘭旌。
荪桡兮兰旌。
sūn ráo xī lán jīng 。
望涔陽兮極浦，
望涔阳兮极浦，
wàng cén yáng xī jí pǔ ，
橫大江兮揚靈。
横大江兮扬灵。
héng dà jiāng xī yáng líng 。
揚靈兮未極，
扬灵兮未极，
yáng líng xī wèi jí ，
女嬋媛兮為余太息。
女婵媛兮为余太息。
nǚ chán yuàn xī wéi yú tài xī 。
橫流涕兮潺湲，
横流涕兮潺湲，
héng liú tì xī chán yuán ，
隱思君兮陫側。
隐思君兮陫侧。
yǐn sī jūn xī fèi cè 。
桂櫂兮蘭枻，
桂櫂兮兰枻，
guì zhào xī lán yì ，
斫冰兮積雪。
斫冰兮积雪。
zhuó bīng xī jī xuě 。
采薜荔兮水中，
采薜荔兮水中，
cǎi bì lì xī shuǐ zhōng ，
搴芙蓉兮木末。
搴芙蓉兮木末。
qiān fú róng xī mù mò 。
心不同兮媒勞，
心不同兮媒劳，
xīn bù tóng xī méi láo ，
恩不甚兮輕絕。
恩不甚兮轻绝。
ēn bù shèn xī qīng jué 。
石瀨兮淺淺，
石濑兮浅浅，
shí lài xī qiǎn qiǎn ，
飛龍兮翩翩。
飞龙兮翩翩。
fēi lóng xī piān piān 。
交不忠兮怨長，
交不忠兮怨长，
jiāo bù zhōng xī yuàn cháng ，
期不信兮告余以不閑。
期不信兮告余以不闲。
qī bù xìn xī gào yú yǐ bù xián 。
朝騁騖兮江臯，
朝骋骛兮江皋，
zhāo chěng wù xī jiāng gāo ，
夕弭節兮北渚。
夕弭节兮北渚。
xī mǐ jié xī běi zhǔ 。
鳥次兮屋上，
鸟次兮屋上，
niǎo cì xī wū shàng ，
水周兮堂下。
水周兮堂下。
shuǐ zhōu xī táng xià 。
捐余玦兮江中，
捐余玦兮江中，
juān yú jué xī jiāng zhōng ，
遺余佩兮澧浦。
遗余佩兮澧浦。
yí yú pèi xī lǐ pǔ 。
采芳兮杜若，
采芳兮杜若，
cǎi fāng xī dù ruò ，
將以遺兮下女。
将以遗兮下女。
jiāng yǐ yí xī xià nǚ 。
時不可兮再得，
时不可兮再得，
shí bù kě xī zài dé ，
聊逍遙兮容與。
聊逍遥兮容与。
liáo xiāo yáo xī róng yǔ。


Translation Notes

九歌 湘君
Nine Songs Hunan Lord


君不行兮夷猶，
Lord not go xi barbarians like,
[Barbarians like = to hesitate]
蹇誰留兮中洲？
Slow whose stay xi midst island?
美要眇兮宜修，
Beauty must gaze xi suitable cultivate,
沛吾乘兮桂舟。
Abundant I ride xi cassia boat.
令沅湘兮無波，
Command Yuan-River Xiang-River xi no waves,
使江水兮安流！
Envoy river water xi peaceful flow!
望夫君兮未來，
Gaze husband lord xi not-yet come,
[Not-yet come = approaching]
吹參差兮誰思？
Blow take-part-in wrong xi who think?
[Take-part-in wrong = uneven]
駕飛龍兮北征，
Ride-chariot flies dragon xi northward invade,
邅吾道兮洞庭。
To-circle-about my path xi cave courtyard.
[Cave courtyard = Dongting Lake]
薜荔柏佤兮蕙綢，
Shrubs lichee cypress Wa-tribe xi orchid silks,
[Wa-tribe could refer to the Wa, Kawa, or Va ethnic groups, located in southern China and southeast Asia]
蓀橈兮蘭旌。
Grass flagpole-with-cloth xi orchid banner.
望涔陽兮極浦，
Gaze rainwater sun xi furtherst riverbank,
橫大江兮揚靈。
Across vast river xi raise spirits.
揚靈兮未極，
Raise departed-soul xi not-yet highest,
女嬋媛兮為余太息。
Woman lovely beauty xi make me very-much breathe/stop.
[Lovely beauty = graceful]
橫流涕兮潺湲，
Across flow tears xi sound-of-flowing-water flow,
[Across flow = flow over]
隱思君兮陫側。
Hide think lord xi hideout side.
桂櫂兮蘭枻，
Cassia oar xi orchid long-oar,
斫冰兮積雪。
Chop/pound ice xi store snow.
[Store snow = snow cover]
采薜荔兮水中，
Collect shrubs lichee xi water midst,
搴芙蓉兮木末。
Pluck hibiscus hibiscus xi tree tip.
[Hibiscus hibiscus = hibiscus or cotton rose]
心不同兮媒勞，
Heart not same xi go-between to-console,
恩不甚兮輕絕。
Kindness not great xi easy cut-short.
石瀨兮淺淺，
Stones rapids xi sound-of-moving-water sound-of-moving-water,
飛龍兮翩翩。
Fly dragons xi fly flutter.
[Fly flutter = elegant, graceful]
交不忠兮怨長，
Mix/make-friends not loyal xi hatred long,
期不信兮告余以不閑。
Period-of-time not trust/believe xi inform me therefore no stay-idle.
朝騁騖兮江臯，
Morning hurries fast xi river eminent,
夕弭節兮北渚。
Evening stop section xi northern sandbank.
鳥次兮屋上，
Birds sequenced xi house above,
水周兮堂下。
Water circumference xi hall below.
捐余玦兮江中，
Abandon I jade-ring xi river midst,
遺余佩兮澧浦。
Lose myself belt/respect xi Lishui-river riverbank.
采芳兮杜若，
Pluck virtuous/fragrant xi birchleaf-pear similar,
將以遺兮下女。
Will therefore lose xi below woman.
時不可兮再得，
Time no can xi again obtain,
聊逍遙兮容與。
Just loiter far-away xi allow take-part-in.
[Loiter far-away = free and unfettered]

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013