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Three Terraces: Gazing at Pear Blossoms and Crabapple Flowers
English Poetic Translation
Pear blossoms catch the fading night, crabapple buds drink morning rain;
Spring floods the inner palace gates, where hidden streams reach southward plain.
The eastern wind grows still and mild, and golden willow threads hang low;
Imperial watchtowers rise afar, through drifting mist and radiant glow.
An age of grace, from court to field, rejoicing fills the thoroughfare;
Peace echoes deep in flutes and drums across the capital's vast square.
The orioles break their liquid song, and swallows dip upon the breeze;
By emerald pools and painted eaves, swings hang beneath the weeping trees.
Fair maidens gather fragrant herbs in pairs beside the winding stream;
With wine-cups chilled and sugar sweets, they walk the paths in vernal dream.
At dusky dusk on carved-wood saddles, riders urge their prancing steeds,
While drunken robes catch falling blooms and flying catkins as they speeds.
Now gentle warmth and lingering chill prolong the water-clock's deep sound,
While clouds of half-sun, half-shade rest upon the quiet evening ground.
The Cold Food festival arrives, new makeup graces every face;
The vernal year attains at last its most enchanting, perfect place.
At Qingming festival we watch the Han palace candles passed around,
While emerald smoke drifts softly down where great ancestral gates are found.
The guards withdraw, the golden gates swing wide to greet the closing day,
And imperial edicts cease at last as rest relieves the sovereign's sway.
Spring floods the inner palace gates, where hidden streams reach southward plain.
The eastern wind grows still and mild, and golden willow threads hang low;
Imperial watchtowers rise afar, through drifting mist and radiant glow.
An age of grace, from court to field, rejoicing fills the thoroughfare;
Peace echoes deep in flutes and drums across the capital's vast square.
The orioles break their liquid song, and swallows dip upon the breeze;
By emerald pools and painted eaves, swings hang beneath the weeping trees.
Fair maidens gather fragrant herbs in pairs beside the winding stream;
With wine-cups chilled and sugar sweets, they walk the paths in vernal dream.
At dusky dusk on carved-wood saddles, riders urge their prancing steeds,
While drunken robes catch falling blooms and flying catkins as they speeds.
Now gentle warmth and lingering chill prolong the water-clock's deep sound,
While clouds of half-sun, half-shade rest upon the quiet evening ground.
The Cold Food festival arrives, new makeup graces every face;
The vernal year attains at last its most enchanting, perfect place.
At Qingming festival we watch the Han palace candles passed around,
While emerald smoke drifts softly down where great ancestral gates are found.
The guards withdraw, the golden gates swing wide to greet the closing day,
And imperial edicts cease at last as rest relieves the sovereign's sway.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
見梨花初帶夜月，海棠半含朝雨。
內苑春、不禁過青門，御溝漲、潛通南浦。
東風靜、細柳垂金縷。
望鳳闕、非煙非霧。
好時代、朝野多歡，遍九陌、太平簫鼓。
乍鶯兒百囀斷續，燕子飛來飛去。
近綠水、臺榭映鞦韆，鬥草聚、雙雙遊女。
餳香更、酒冷踏青路。
會暗識、夭桃朱戶。
向晚驟、寶馬雕鞍，醉襟惹、亂花飛絮。
正輕寒輕暖漏永，半陰半晴雲暮。
禁火天、已是試新妝，歲華到、三分佳處。
清明看、漢宮傳蠟炬。
散翠煙、飛入槐府。
斂兵衛、閶闔門開，住傳宣、又還休務。
內苑春、不禁過青門，御溝漲、潛通南浦。
東風靜、細柳垂金縷。
望鳳闕、非煙非霧。
好時代、朝野多歡，遍九陌、太平簫鼓。
乍鶯兒百囀斷續，燕子飛來飛去。
近綠水、臺榭映鞦韆，鬥草聚、雙雙遊女。
餳香更、酒冷踏青路。
會暗識、夭桃朱戶。
向晚驟、寶馬雕鞍，醉襟惹、亂花飛絮。
正輕寒輕暖漏永，半陰半晴雲暮。
禁火天、已是試新妝，歲華到、三分佳處。
清明看、漢宮傳蠟炬。
散翠煙、飛入槐府。
斂兵衛、閶闔門開，住傳宣、又還休務。
Philological Direct Translation
Seeing pear blossoms first bearing the night moon, crabapples half holding morning rain.
Inner court spring, unable to forbear passing the green gate, imperial moat swells, secretly connecting to the southern shore.
East wind quiet, slender willows hang gold threads.
Gazing at the phoenix watchtowers, neither smoke nor mist.
Good era, court and wild much joy, throughout the nine alleys, peaceful flutes and drums.
Suddenly orioles a hundred turns broken and continuous, swallows fly hither and thither.
Near green water, pavilions reflect swings, gathering to contend in herb-games, pairs upon pairs of wandering girls.
Malt-sugar fragrance renewed, wine cold on the tomb-sweeping road.
Meeting secretly, knowing peach blossoms at the vermilion doors.
Toward evening galloping, precious horses and carved saddles, drunken lapels tangled with falling flowers and flying catkins.
Just when light cold and light warmth make the water-clock long, half cloudy and half clear evening clouds.
Forbidden fire day, already trying new makeup, year's splendor reaching, three-parts fine place.
Qingming viewing, Han palace passing wax torches.
Scattering emerald smoke, flying into the prime minister's mansion.
Gathering soldiers and guards, the celestial gates open, halting imperial proclamations, once again returning to rest from affairs.
Inner court spring, unable to forbear passing the green gate, imperial moat swells, secretly connecting to the southern shore.
East wind quiet, slender willows hang gold threads.
Gazing at the phoenix watchtowers, neither smoke nor mist.
Good era, court and wild much joy, throughout the nine alleys, peaceful flutes and drums.
Suddenly orioles a hundred turns broken and continuous, swallows fly hither and thither.
Near green water, pavilions reflect swings, gathering to contend in herb-games, pairs upon pairs of wandering girls.
Malt-sugar fragrance renewed, wine cold on the tomb-sweeping road.
Meeting secretly, knowing peach blossoms at the vermilion doors.
Toward evening galloping, precious horses and carved saddles, drunken lapels tangled with falling flowers and flying catkins.
Just when light cold and light warmth make the water-clock long, half cloudy and half clear evening clouds.
Forbidden fire day, already trying new makeup, year's splendor reaching, three-parts fine place.
Qingming viewing, Han palace passing wax torches.
Scattering emerald smoke, flying into the prime minister's mansion.
Gathering soldiers and guards, the celestial gates open, halting imperial proclamations, once again returning to rest from affairs.