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Song of Paintings: Presented to General Cao Ba
English Poetic Translation
You are the scion of the Martial King of Wei,
Now reduced to humble birth and common clay.
Though the great warlords of the past are gone,
Their cultured elegance still lingers on.
In youth you learned brushwork from Lady Wei,
Regretting none surpassed the right-arm Wang today.
Lost in your art, you failed to mark old age approach,
While wealth and rank drift by like idle coach.
In Kaiyuan days you walked the inner halls,
And scaled the Southern Fragrance palace walls.
While portraits in Lingyan Hall grew dull and gray,
Your brush brought sudden life and breath to play.
Prime ministers wear caps of highest worth,
Fierce warriors bear great feathered shafts of girth.
Bao and E seem to stir their hair and eyes,
As dashing heroes charge where battle cries.
The Late Emperor's divine steed, Jade Flower Bay,
Outshone a thousand daubers' dull array.
Brought down that day beneath the crimson stair,
Its towering stance stirred up a palace air.
The sovereign bade you stroke the purest silk,
While deep designs conceived in shadowy milk—
Within moments, true dragons leapt to view,
And washed ten thousand mortal mounts out-new.
Jade Flower rested on the royal bed,
While court and couch reflected what you tread.
The Emperor smiled and bade the gold be paid,
While grooms and stewards stood dismayed.
Your pupil Han Gan gained the inner room,
Yet missed the bone beneath the rounded bloom;
He painted flesh but left the skeleton dead,
And let the noble steed's great spirit fade.
Your art possesses that divine estate,
And when you meet the fine, you paint their fate.
Now tossed like chaff amid the storms of war,
You sketch dull passers-by upon the shore;
Impoverished, scorned by vulgar, blinded eyes,
No man on earth so destitute and wise.
Look down through history, where great names fade:
In endless trials their wretched graves are made.
Now reduced to humble birth and common clay.
Though the great warlords of the past are gone,
Their cultured elegance still lingers on.
In youth you learned brushwork from Lady Wei,
Regretting none surpassed the right-arm Wang today.
Lost in your art, you failed to mark old age approach,
While wealth and rank drift by like idle coach.
In Kaiyuan days you walked the inner halls,
And scaled the Southern Fragrance palace walls.
While portraits in Lingyan Hall grew dull and gray,
Your brush brought sudden life and breath to play.
Prime ministers wear caps of highest worth,
Fierce warriors bear great feathered shafts of girth.
Bao and E seem to stir their hair and eyes,
As dashing heroes charge where battle cries.
The Late Emperor's divine steed, Jade Flower Bay,
Outshone a thousand daubers' dull array.
Brought down that day beneath the crimson stair,
Its towering stance stirred up a palace air.
The sovereign bade you stroke the purest silk,
While deep designs conceived in shadowy milk—
Within moments, true dragons leapt to view,
And washed ten thousand mortal mounts out-new.
Jade Flower rested on the royal bed,
While court and couch reflected what you tread.
The Emperor smiled and bade the gold be paid,
While grooms and stewards stood dismayed.
Your pupil Han Gan gained the inner room,
Yet missed the bone beneath the rounded bloom;
He painted flesh but left the skeleton dead,
And let the noble steed's great spirit fade.
Your art possesses that divine estate,
And when you meet the fine, you paint their fate.
Now tossed like chaff amid the storms of war,
You sketch dull passers-by upon the shore;
Impoverished, scorned by vulgar, blinded eyes,
No man on earth so destitute and wise.
Look down through history, where great names fade:
In endless trials their wretched graves are made.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
將軍魏武之子孫，於今爲庶爲清門。
英雄割據雖已矣，文彩風流猶尚存。
學書初學衛夫人，但恨無過王右軍。
丹青不知老將至，富貴於我如浮雲。
開元之中常引見，承恩數上南燻殿。
凌煙功臣少顏色，將軍下筆開生面。
良相頭上進賢冠，猛將腰間大羽箭。
褒公鄂公毛髮動英姿颯爽來酣戰。
先帝天馬玉花驄，畫工如山貌不同。
是日牽來赤墀下，迥立閶闔生長風。
詔謂將軍拂絹素，意匠慘澹經營中。
斯須九重真龍出，一洗萬古凡馬空。
玉花卻在御榻上，榻上庭前屹相向。
至尊含笑催賜金，圉人太僕皆惆悵。
弟子韓幹早入室，亦能畫馬窮殊相。
幹惟畫肉不畫骨，忍使驊騮氣凋喪。
將軍畫善蓋有神，必逢佳士亦寫真。
即今飄泊干戈際，屢貌尋常行路人。
途窮反遭俗眼白，世上未有如公貧。
但看古來盛名下，終日坎壈纏其身。
英雄割據雖已矣，文彩風流猶尚存。
學書初學衛夫人，但恨無過王右軍。
丹青不知老將至，富貴於我如浮雲。
開元之中常引見，承恩數上南燻殿。
凌煙功臣少顏色，將軍下筆開生面。
良相頭上進賢冠，猛將腰間大羽箭。
褒公鄂公毛髮動英姿颯爽來酣戰。
先帝天馬玉花驄，畫工如山貌不同。
是日牽來赤墀下，迥立閶闔生長風。
詔謂將軍拂絹素，意匠慘澹經營中。
斯須九重真龍出，一洗萬古凡馬空。
玉花卻在御榻上，榻上庭前屹相向。
至尊含笑催賜金，圉人太僕皆惆悵。
弟子韓幹早入室，亦能畫馬窮殊相。
幹惟畫肉不畫骨，忍使驊騮氣凋喪。
將軍畫善蓋有神，必逢佳士亦寫真。
即今飄泊干戈際，屢貌尋常行路人。
途窮反遭俗眼白，世上未有如公貧。
但看古來盛名下，終日坎壈纏其身。
Philological Direct Translation
General is Wei Wu's descendant, now reduced to common and humble gate.
Heroes' division of lands though is past, literary brilliance and elegance still yet remain.
Studying calligraphy first studied Lady Wei, but regrets no surpassing Wang Youjun.
Paintings and inks not knowing old general arrives, wealth and rank to me are like floating clouds.
Kaiyuan period midst often summoned in, receiving favor frequently ascending South Fragrance Hall.
Lingyan meritorious ministers little color, General dropping brush opens living aspect.
Prime ministers' heads upon advancing worth crown, fierce generals' waists between large feather arrows.
Bao Gong E Gong hair moves heroic bearing briskly comes to furious battle.
Late Emperor's heavenly horse Jade Flower Dun, painters like mountains features not same.
That day led to red steps below, standing far apart palace gates generates long wind.
Imperial decree told General to brush silk white, thought craft gloomy conceiving midst.
Instant nine layers true dragon comes forth, one washes myriad ages ordinary horses empty.
Jade Flower yet is at imperial couch top, couch top courtyard front towering facing each other.
Supreme One containing smile urges grant gold, grooms Grand Servant all sorrowful.
Disciple Han Gan early entered chamber, also can paint horses exhausting diverse phases.
Gan only paints flesh not paints bones, how can bear to make steed Qi wither and lose.
General's painting good mostly has spirit, must meet fine scholar also paints portrait.
Right now drifting warfare midst, repeatedly paints ordinary traveling road people.
Path exhausted instead encounters vulgar eyes white, world upon not yet exists like lord poverty.
Only look anciently grand fame beneath, all day frustrations entwine his body.
Heroes' division of lands though is past, literary brilliance and elegance still yet remain.
Studying calligraphy first studied Lady Wei, but regrets no surpassing Wang Youjun.
Paintings and inks not knowing old general arrives, wealth and rank to me are like floating clouds.
Kaiyuan period midst often summoned in, receiving favor frequently ascending South Fragrance Hall.
Lingyan meritorious ministers little color, General dropping brush opens living aspect.
Prime ministers' heads upon advancing worth crown, fierce generals' waists between large feather arrows.
Bao Gong E Gong hair moves heroic bearing briskly comes to furious battle.
Late Emperor's heavenly horse Jade Flower Dun, painters like mountains features not same.
That day led to red steps below, standing far apart palace gates generates long wind.
Imperial decree told General to brush silk white, thought craft gloomy conceiving midst.
Instant nine layers true dragon comes forth, one washes myriad ages ordinary horses empty.
Jade Flower yet is at imperial couch top, couch top courtyard front towering facing each other.
Supreme One containing smile urges grant gold, grooms Grand Servant all sorrowful.
Disciple Han Gan early entered chamber, also can paint horses exhausting diverse phases.
Gan only paints flesh not paints bones, how can bear to make steed Qi wither and lose.
General's painting good mostly has spirit, must meet fine scholar also paints portrait.
Right now drifting warfare midst, repeatedly paints ordinary traveling road people.
Path exhausted instead encounters vulgar eyes white, world upon not yet exists like lord poverty.
Only look anciently grand fame beneath, all day frustrations entwine his body.