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Listening to Master Dong Play the Barbarian Reed-Pipe, with a Message Sent to Bureau Official Fang
English Poetic Translation
Long ago Lady Cai composed the barbarian flute,
Eighteen stanzas, winding and deep.
At the frontier, nomads weep upon the border grass,
And Han envoys break their hearts beside returning guests.
Ancient outposts loom in pale and freezing beacon fires,
While the boundless wasteland muffles sheets of driving snow.
First he sweeps the Shang mode, then the Jiao and Yu,
Startling autumn leaves across the suburbs, rustling, dry.
Master Dong commands the very spirits of the earth;
Deep in mountain lairs, mysterious goblins lean to hear.
Slow or rapid, every note obeys his flying hand,
Twisting, turning, surging forward as with sentient soul.
Empty mountains see the scattered birds return and group;
Ten thousand miles of floating clouds shift dark and clear.
Hoarse and piercing, fledgling geese abandoned in the night,
Or broken cries of barbarian children pining for their mothers.
Before his music, rushing rivers smooth their waves,
And startled birds suspend their singing in the trees.
From distant Wusun tribes where native homes are far,
To Luosa sands, dust-laden notes of sorrow rise.
Then the darkened theme transforms in sudden swirling showers,
Gale-force winds tear through the forest, rain pelts down like tiles.
Spouting springs rush soughing past the topmost boughs,
While startled wild deer bound beneath the pavilion hall.
Chang'an's avenues adjoin the eastern palace walls,
Where the Phoenix Pond confronts the ornate lattice gates.
Your soaring talent casts aside all worldly fame and gain,
As twilight falls, I wait for you, your zither in your arms.
Eighteen stanzas, winding and deep.
At the frontier, nomads weep upon the border grass,
And Han envoys break their hearts beside returning guests.
Ancient outposts loom in pale and freezing beacon fires,
While the boundless wasteland muffles sheets of driving snow.
First he sweeps the Shang mode, then the Jiao and Yu,
Startling autumn leaves across the suburbs, rustling, dry.
Master Dong commands the very spirits of the earth;
Deep in mountain lairs, mysterious goblins lean to hear.
Slow or rapid, every note obeys his flying hand,
Twisting, turning, surging forward as with sentient soul.
Empty mountains see the scattered birds return and group;
Ten thousand miles of floating clouds shift dark and clear.
Hoarse and piercing, fledgling geese abandoned in the night,
Or broken cries of barbarian children pining for their mothers.
Before his music, rushing rivers smooth their waves,
And startled birds suspend their singing in the trees.
From distant Wusun tribes where native homes are far,
To Luosa sands, dust-laden notes of sorrow rise.
Then the darkened theme transforms in sudden swirling showers,
Gale-force winds tear through the forest, rain pelts down like tiles.
Spouting springs rush soughing past the topmost boughs,
While startled wild deer bound beneath the pavilion hall.
Chang'an's avenues adjoin the eastern palace walls,
Where the Phoenix Pond confronts the ornate lattice gates.
Your soaring talent casts aside all worldly fame and gain,
As twilight falls, I wait for you, your zither in your arms.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
蔡女昔造胡笳聲，一彈一十有八拍。
胡人落淚沾邊草，漢使斷腸對歸客。
古戍蒼蒼烽火寒，大荒沈沈飛雪白。
先拂商弦後角羽，四郊秋葉驚摵摵。
董夫子，通神明，深山竊聽來妖精。
言遲更速皆應手，將往復旋如有情。
空山百鳥散還合，萬裏浮雲陰且晴。
嘶酸雛鴈失羣夜，斷絕胡兒戀母聲。
川爲淨其波，鳥亦罷其鳴。
烏孫部落家鄉遠，邏娑沙塵哀怨生。
幽音變調忽飄灑，長風吹林雨墮瓦。
迸泉颯颯飛木末，野鹿呦呦走堂下。
長安城連東掖垣，鳳凰池對青瑣門。
高才脫略名與利，日夕望君抱琴至。
胡人落淚沾邊草，漢使斷腸對歸客。
古戍蒼蒼烽火寒，大荒沈沈飛雪白。
先拂商弦後角羽，四郊秋葉驚摵摵。
董夫子，通神明，深山竊聽來妖精。
言遲更速皆應手，將往復旋如有情。
空山百鳥散還合，萬裏浮雲陰且晴。
嘶酸雛鴈失羣夜，斷絕胡兒戀母聲。
川爲淨其波，鳥亦罷其鳴。
烏孫部落家鄉遠，邏娑沙塵哀怨生。
幽音變調忽飄灑，長風吹林雨墮瓦。
迸泉颯颯飛木末，野鹿呦呦走堂下。
長安城連東掖垣，鳳凰池對青瑣門。
高才脫略名與利，日夕望君抱琴至。
Philological Direct Translation
Cai Yan of old crafted the barbarian reed-pipe sounds, one performance having fully eighteen beats.
Barbarian men shed tears staining border grasses, Han envoys had breaking bowels facing returning guests.
Ancient garrison posts bleak-bleak beacon fires cold, vast wilderness deep-deep flying snow white.
First stroking the Shang string then the Jiao and Yu, four suburbs autumn leaves startled rustling-rustling.
Master Dong, communicates with spirits, deep mountains secretly listening draw spirit-beings.
slow speech and quicker all respond to the hand, about to go and returning back as if having feeling.
Empty mountains hundred birds scatter yet reassemble, ten-thousand miles floating clouds overcast and clear.
Hoarse-sour fledgling geese losing flock night, severed-broken barbarian children yearning-mother sounds.
Streams for this tranquilized their waves, birds also ceased their calls.
Wusun tribes native villages distant, Luosa sands dust grief and resentment generate.
Deep tones changing mode suddenly whirling-scattered, long wind blowing forest rain dropping tiles.
Bursting springs sasa flying tree-tips, wild deer youyou running hall below.
Chang'an city linked eastern secondary courtyard, Phoenix Pond facing green-latticed gates.
High talent casts off fame and profit, day and evening watching you holding your zither arriving.
Barbarian men shed tears staining border grasses, Han envoys had breaking bowels facing returning guests.
Ancient garrison posts bleak-bleak beacon fires cold, vast wilderness deep-deep flying snow white.
First stroking the Shang string then the Jiao and Yu, four suburbs autumn leaves startled rustling-rustling.
Master Dong, communicates with spirits, deep mountains secretly listening draw spirit-beings.
slow speech and quicker all respond to the hand, about to go and returning back as if having feeling.
Empty mountains hundred birds scatter yet reassemble, ten-thousand miles floating clouds overcast and clear.
Hoarse-sour fledgling geese losing flock night, severed-broken barbarian children yearning-mother sounds.
Streams for this tranquilized their waves, birds also ceased their calls.
Wusun tribes native villages distant, Luosa sands dust grief and resentment generate.
Deep tones changing mode suddenly whirling-scattered, long wind blowing forest rain dropping tiles.
Bursting springs sasa flying tree-tips, wild deer youyou running hall below.
Chang'an city linked eastern secondary courtyard, Phoenix Pond facing green-latticed gates.
High talent casts off fame and profit, day and evening watching you holding your zither arriving.