Translation
By Li Qi (690-751) | 李頎 |
Ancient Feelings | 古意 |
Strong man, serving a long campaign | 男兒 事長征 |
From youth he traveled through the You and Yan Kingdoms | 少小 幽燕 客 |
Flaunting, bragging to those below his horse’s hoof | 賭勝 馬蹄 下 |
His six-foot frame the source of carefree thoughts | 由來 輕 七尺 |
Killing, slaughtering— none would dare to stand in front | 殺人 莫敢前 |
His beard like hedgehog needles that tear off limbs *** | 鬚如 蝟毛 磔 |
But the dark clouds a hill’s bottom and white snow flying | 黃雲 隴底 白雪飛 |
We cannot yet repay our debts of gratitude: for it is not possible to return *** | 未得 報恩 不能歸 |
In Liaoning a young woman, 15-years old | 遼東 小婦 年十五 |
Skilled at playing the pipa and known for song and dance | 慣彈 琵琶 解歌舞 |
Today she plays the Qiang flute for those sent out to frontier land | 今為 羌笛 出塞聲 |
Thus making the gathered armies shed tears of rain | 使我 三軍 淚如雨 |
Notes:
1. Youzhou and Yan Kingdoms, modern day Hebei and Liaoning. A reference to the Three Kingdom period, when there was no unified government and a lot of wars between different kingdoms.
2. Verse 4: Literally 7-feet using ancient Chinese units. A Chinese foot varied in length over time. During the Tang Dynasty, when this poem was written, 7 feet was equivalent to anywhere between 5’8” and 6’9” American feet (1.73-2.07m). During the Three Kingdoms period, the period this poem refers to, 7 feet was equivalent to 5’4” American feet (1.62m). For the sake of the translation, I’m using 6-feet (1.83m).
3. 5th /6th verses portray the valiant men(soldiers), they’re so brave that enemies dare not appear in front of them. The beard on the face also makes them look more masculine/mighty.
4. Verse 10: the pipa is the Chinese lute.
5. Verse 11: the Qiang flute is a flute made of two bamboo pipes tied together by silk, with holes evenly spaced.
6. In the end, those unrivalled/matchless soldiers are all brought to tears by a young woman’s flute tune. Nostalgia makes the soldiers’ hearts grow fonder.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
李頎 | 李颀 | Li qí |
古意 | 古意 | Gǔ yì |
男兒事長征， | 男儿事长征， | Nán ér shì cháng zhēng, |
少小幽燕客， | 少小幽燕客， | Shǎo xiǎo yōu yàn kè, |
賭勝馬蹄下， | 赌胜马蹄下， | Dǔ shèng mǎ tí xià, |
由來輕七尺； | 由来轻七尺; | Yóulái qīng qī chǐ; |
殺人莫敢前， | 杀人莫敢前， | Shā rén mò gǎn qián, |
鬚如蝟毛磔。 | 须如猬毛磔。 | Xū rú wèi máo zhé. |
黃雲隴底白雪飛， | 黄云陇底白雪飞， | Huáng yún lǒng dǐ bái xuě fēi, |
未得報恩不能歸。 | 未得报恩不能归。 | Wèi dé bào ēn bù néng guī. |
遼東小婦年十五， | 辽东小妇年十五， | Liáo dōng xiǎo fù nián shí wǔ, |
慣彈琵琶解歌舞， | 惯弹琵琶解歌舞， | Guàn tán pí pá jiě gē wǔ, |
今為羌笛出塞聲， | 今为羌笛出塞声， | Jīn wéi qiāng dí chū sài shēng, |
使我三軍淚如雨。 | 使我三军泪如雨。 | Shǐ wǒ sān jūn lèi rú yǔ. |
Literal Translation
李頎 | Plum Tall = Li Qi (690-751) | |
古意 | Ancient/old meaning/thought/feeling | |
男兒事長征， | Male son serve long march/invade/attack [Male son= man, a real man], [serve long march= join military], [long march = expedition, long journey] | |
少小幽燕客， | Young/few small quiet swallow guest/traveler [quiet swallow= Youzhou and Yan Kingdom, it refers to Hebei and Liaoning area] | |
賭勝馬蹄下， | Bet/compete win horse hoof under/below [Bet win= here refers to flaunt/brag] | |
由來輕七尺； | From/cause come/return light/easy seven Chinese-foot [from come = origin], [light/easy= take it easy], [seven Chinese-foot= slang, a man’s body, old Chinese foot is shorter than US foot unit] | |
殺人莫敢前， | Kill/slaughter people none/not dare front/precede | |
鬚如蝟毛磔。 | Beard as/like porcupine hair/needle tear-off [tear-off= the shape of full beard, a brave look, tearing off limbs as punishment] | |
黃雲隴底白雪飛， | Yellow clouds hill bottom white snow flying [Yellow cloud= dark clouds] | |
未得報恩不能歸。 | Not-yet achieve/obtain recompense kind-act/mercy/charity not able return [recompense kind-act= pay a debt of gratitude] | |
遼東小婦年十五， | Distant east young woman year ten five [distant east = Liaoning], [year ten five= 15 years old] | |
慣彈琵琶解歌舞， | Habitually/accustomed-to play Pipa(Chinese lute) know sing dance | |
今為羌笛出塞聲， | Today/now because name-of-a-tribe(Qiang Zu) bamboo-flute send-out/go-out frontier/stop-up/tactical-border-position sound/song/music [name-of-a-tribe=Qiang Zu, a minority group in Sichuan; Qiang + flute = Qiang flute] | |
使我三軍淚如雨。 | Make/cause our/us three army tears like rain [three army = upper, middle, lower army or left, right, middle army] | |
The notes, character table, and literal translation were prepared with the assistance of Liane Rui of Shanghai, China.
Year:
2012
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