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Cassia Branch Fragrance: Ascending Jinling to Gaze into the Distance
English Poetic Translation
I climb the heights to cast my gaze afar,
Where late autumn grips the ancient realm with frost.
A thousand miles of limpid river gleams like silk,
While clustered emerald peaks tower like frost-sharp spears.
Returning sails and dipping oars slip through the dying sun;
Against the western gale, tavern banners slant.
Colorful boats beneath thin drifting clouds,
Where egrets lift like scattered stars—
No painter's brush could capture half this scene.
I dwell upon the bygone years of racing pageantry,
And sigh for towers where palace gates once fell
In endless waves of bitter grief and woe.
For ages past, men mount these heights in vain,
And waste their sighs on shifting pride and shame.
The Six Dynasties have drifted down the flowing stream;
Now only cold grey mists and fragrant grasses
Cling to the desolate green.
To this day, boat-girls singing on the river
Still echo melodies of the vanquished palace gate.
Where late autumn grips the ancient realm with frost.
A thousand miles of limpid river gleams like silk,
While clustered emerald peaks tower like frost-sharp spears.
Returning sails and dipping oars slip through the dying sun;
Against the western gale, tavern banners slant.
Colorful boats beneath thin drifting clouds,
Where egrets lift like scattered stars—
No painter's brush could capture half this scene.
I dwell upon the bygone years of racing pageantry,
And sigh for towers where palace gates once fell
In endless waves of bitter grief and woe.
For ages past, men mount these heights in vain,
And waste their sighs on shifting pride and shame.
The Six Dynasties have drifted down the flowing stream;
Now only cold grey mists and fragrant grasses
Cling to the desolate green.
To this day, boat-girls singing on the river
Still echo melodies of the vanquished palace gate.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
登臨送目。
正故國晚秋，天氣初肅。
千里澄江似練，翠峯如簇。
歸帆去棹殘陽裏，背西風、酒旗斜矗。
彩舟雲淡，星河鷺起，畫圖難足。
念往昔、繁華競逐。
嘆門外樓頭，悲恨相續。
千古憑高，對此漫嗟榮辱。
六朝舊事隨流水，但寒煙、芳草凝綠。
至今商女，時時猶唱，後庭遺曲。
正故國晚秋，天氣初肅。
千里澄江似練，翠峯如簇。
歸帆去棹殘陽裏，背西風、酒旗斜矗。
彩舟雲淡，星河鷺起，畫圖難足。
念往昔、繁華競逐。
嘆門外樓頭，悲恨相續。
千古憑高，對此漫嗟榮辱。
六朝舊事隨流水，但寒煙、芳草凝綠。
至今商女，時時猶唱，後庭遺曲。
Philological Direct Translation
Ascending and looking out, sending off the gaze.
Just as the old realm's late autumn, the weather begins to chill.
A thousand miles of limpid river resembles white silk, emerald peaks like clustered arrows.
Returning sails and departing oars in the fading sun, turning back to the west wind, wine flags stand crookedly.
Colorful boats where clouds drift light, the Milky Way of egrets rising, a painted scroll difficult to suffice.
Thinking of past days, prosperity competed and chased.
Sighing outside the gates and atop the towers, grief and hatred succeeded one another.
For a thousand ages relying on heights, facing this, idly sighing over glory and disgrace.
The Six Dynasties' old affairs follow the flowing water, only cold mists, fragrant grasses coagulate green.
Even now merchant girls, from time to time still sing, the parting melody of the Rear Courtyard.
Just as the old realm's late autumn, the weather begins to chill.
A thousand miles of limpid river resembles white silk, emerald peaks like clustered arrows.
Returning sails and departing oars in the fading sun, turning back to the west wind, wine flags stand crookedly.
Colorful boats where clouds drift light, the Milky Way of egrets rising, a painted scroll difficult to suffice.
Thinking of past days, prosperity competed and chased.
Sighing outside the gates and atop the towers, grief and hatred succeeded one another.
For a thousand ages relying on heights, facing this, idly sighing over glory and disgrace.
The Six Dynasties' old affairs follow the flowing water, only cold mists, fragrant grasses coagulate green.
Even now merchant girls, from time to time still sing, the parting melody of the Rear Courtyard.