大歷二年十月十九日夔府別駕元持宅見臨潁李十二娘舞劍器，壯其蔚跂。問其所師，曰︰余公孫大娘弟子也。開元三載，余尚童稚，記於郾城觀公孫氏舞劍器渾脫。 瀏灕頓挫，獨出冠時。自高頭宜春梨園二伎坊內人，洎外供奉，曉是舞者，聖文神武皇帝初，公孫一人而已。玉貌錦衣，況余白首！今茲弟子亦匪盛顏。既辨其由 來，知波瀾莫二。撫事慷慨，聊為劍器行。昔者吳人張旭善草書書帖，數嘗於鄴縣見公孫大娘舞西河劍器，自此草書長進，豪蕩感激。即公孫可知矣！
昔有佳人公孫氏，
一舞劍器動四方。
觀者如山色沮喪，
天地為之久低昂。
霍如羿射九日落，
矯如群帝驂龍翔。
來如雷霆收震怒，
罷如江海凝清光。
絳唇珠袖兩寂寞，
晚有弟子傳芬芳。
臨潁美人在白帝，
妙舞此曲神揚揚。
與余問答既有以，
感時撫事增惋傷。
先帝侍女八千人，
公孫劍器初第一 。
五十年間似反掌，
風塵澒洞昏王室。
梨園子弟散如煙，
女樂餘姿映寒日。
金粟堆前木已拱，
瞿塘石城草蕭瑟。
玳筵急管曲復終，
樂極哀來月東出 。
老夫不知其所往，
足繭荒山轉愁疾。
JIAN QI XING:
"Watching A Sword Dance by the Disciple of Dame Gongsun" (Above Preface not translated)
-- by DU FU (712-770)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
There was a pretty woman named Gongsun in the years past;
When she did her sword dance the effects were striking and vast.
Like the still mountains, all spectators were shocked, petrified;
It seemed Heav'n and Earth with her ev'ry move were unified,
So dazzling and bright as down the Nine Suns Hou
Yi shot --
O Mighty and fast as the Gods rode their dragon-chariots!
Preceded by angry and thund'rous drums, the sword dance began;
Like frozen green waves, the cool blade was ev'rywhere
at the end.
Long ago, the master's dancing sleeves and songs fell silent;
Of late, she still has a fine disciple with great talent.
At Bai Ti province -- (Li "The Twelfth") -- a fair lady was there;
Her songs and dance (in battle attire) were beyond compare.
She answers my questions: now I know the wherefores and why;
Sadly, lamenting the great changes, one would always cry.
The late Emp'ror had eight thousand concubines (and no less);
All the time, among them Dame Gongsun's sword dance was the best.
Just like the turning of one's palm, fifty years have gone;
Like smokes, disbanded Royal Opera members disappear'd;
In failing sunlight, the master's disciple is still here.
Around the great Emperor's mausoleum, now grown are all the trees;
The city's only a shadow of what it used to be.
The sumptuous feasts, joyous music, songs and dances had ceased;
Ecstasy! Then come great sorrows and the Moon in the east.
When dinner is over, I know not where I shall wander;
My sad, corn-covered feet carry me to the hills yonder.
This translation is quite depleted with the elegance of the classical taste of the poem, for instance, 昔有佳人公孫氏, should be better transliterated as In the past, there is this angelic beauty Gong Sun, and even the title is misleading, it is not a dance, but a sword demonstration, the audience is as numerous as mountains, their color drained from their face...
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