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Western River: Meditations on Jinling
English Poetic Translation
A region rich in loveliness,
Who keeps the Southern Dynasties' bright triumphs now?
Surrounding the old realm, green mountains trace the clear river,
While peaks like coiffed hair rise face to face.
Angry waves in solitude strike the lone city,
As wind-driven sails cross far at the edge of the sky.
The trees on broken cliffs
Still lean downward in decline.
Where Mochou's little boat was once tied fast,
Only empty traces remain in deep, dark verdure,
And mist submerges half the ruined ramparts.
Deep in the night, the moon drifts past the crenellated walls,
With a yearning heart I gaze east toward the Huai River.
Where are the market stalls with wine flags and beating drums?
I dimly conjure up
The old neighborhoods of the Wang and Xie clans.
Swallows know nothing of the shifting dynasties;
They fly into ordinary alleys and common homes,
Facing one another as if speaking of rise and fall, beneath the slanting sun.
Who keeps the Southern Dynasties' bright triumphs now?
Surrounding the old realm, green mountains trace the clear river,
While peaks like coiffed hair rise face to face.
Angry waves in solitude strike the lone city,
As wind-driven sails cross far at the edge of the sky.
The trees on broken cliffs
Still lean downward in decline.
Where Mochou's little boat was once tied fast,
Only empty traces remain in deep, dark verdure,
And mist submerges half the ruined ramparts.
Deep in the night, the moon drifts past the crenellated walls,
With a yearning heart I gaze east toward the Huai River.
Where are the market stalls with wine flags and beating drums?
I dimly conjure up
The old neighborhoods of the Wang and Xie clans.
Swallows know nothing of the shifting dynasties;
They fly into ordinary alleys and common homes,
Facing one another as if speaking of rise and fall, beneath the slanting sun.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
佳麗地。
南朝盛事誰記。
山圍故國繞清江，髻鬟對起。
怒濤寂寞打孤城，風檣遙度天際。
斷崖樹，猶倒倚。
莫愁艇子曾系。
空餘舊跡鬱蒼蒼，霧沈半壘。
夜深月過女牆來，賞心東望淮水。
酒旗戲鼓甚處市。
想依稀、王謝鄰里。
燕子不知何世。
入尋常、巷陌人家，相對如說興亡，斜陽裏。
南朝盛事誰記。
山圍故國繞清江，髻鬟對起。
怒濤寂寞打孤城，風檣遙度天際。
斷崖樹，猶倒倚。
莫愁艇子曾系。
空餘舊跡鬱蒼蒼，霧沈半壘。
夜深月過女牆來，賞心東望淮水。
酒旗戲鼓甚處市。
想依稀、王謝鄰里。
燕子不知何世。
入尋常、巷陌人家，相對如說興亡，斜陽裏。
Philological Direct Translation
Land of refined beauty.
Southern Dynasties flourishing affairs who remembers.
Mountains enclose old state surround clear river, hair-coils opposite rise.
Angry billows solitarily strike lonely city, wind-masts distantly cross sky-edge.
Broken cliff trees, still inverted lean.
Mochou's little boat once moored.
Vainly remaining old traces gloomy green, mist sinks half ramparts.
Night deep moon passes battlement comes, joyful heart east gazes Huai river.
Wine banners play drums what place marketplace.
Imagine dimly, Wang and Xie neighborhood.
Swallows not know what generation.
Enter ordinary, lane and alley households, opposing as if speaking rise-fall, oblique sun within.
Southern Dynasties flourishing affairs who remembers.
Mountains enclose old state surround clear river, hair-coils opposite rise.
Angry billows solitarily strike lonely city, wind-masts distantly cross sky-edge.
Broken cliff trees, still inverted lean.
Mochou's little boat once moored.
Vainly remaining old traces gloomy green, mist sinks half ramparts.
Night deep moon passes battlement comes, joyful heart east gazes Huai river.
Wine banners play drums what place marketplace.
Imagine dimly, Wang and Xie neighborhood.
Swallows not know what generation.
Enter ordinary, lane and alley households, opposing as if speaking rise-fall, oblique sun within.