A brief collection of my attempted English renditions of selected Chinese poems, both contemporary and classical. (Each original classical Chinese poem may be presented in both the traditional and simplified forms, followed by the English translation.)
Comments and suggested amendments welcome. (But I may not have the time to respond to every comment.)
I am a follower of Andrew W F Wong's excellent blog "Classical Chinese Poems in English".
"鬼馬" 叠字趣聯 出出入入入入出出， 多出多入多入多出。 深深淺淺淺淺深深， 至深至淺至淺至深。 A Funny "Palindrome-Riddle Couplet" -- (in Chinese and English)by Frank C Yue Out-out in-in, in-in out-out; More out more in, more in more out! "What is this all about, really?" A Traffic Report on The Thunnel, merely! Deep-deep shallow-shallow, shallow- shallow deep-deep; Go deep, go shallow, go shallow, go deep! "What is this all about, really?" Some Rookie Divers in Training, merely!
(of course, there is a variety of other possible interpretations... just let your imagination soar! the sky's the limit.)
學無先後，達者為師(尊)。 学无前（先）后， 达者为师（先，尊）。 In Learning, there's no first or last; When one learns and progresses fast, Then the last shall become the first -- She would be my Teacher at last.
Words excerpted from "From Chang'an to Fèng Xiān" Poem -- by DU FU（712-770） -- Translated by Frank C Yue Wines and foods gone bad are rotting -- the crimson doors behind; There are corpses, people frozen to death, at the wayside! I'm ashamed to be the father with such grievous grief -- He was unable to feed his young son to let him live! from different sources on the net :
Funny Couplet -- (allegedly) by (a youthful) OUYANG XIU (1007-1072) -- Translated by Frank C Yue Opening early the city gates, Closing the city gates late -- Awaiting for passers-by to pass by. Setting the "couplet test" is quite easy, It's hard to 'answer', for which one would thirst -- You are the "first-born": Would Teacher try first?
Fēng Qiáo Yè Bó: MAPLE BRIDGE NIGHT MOORING -- by Zhang Ji (733?-779) -- Translated by Frank C. Yue
Moon sets, crows cry, snows in all the skies; River maple, fisher's light stare at my sad eyes. Outside Suzhou, sounds of the Cold Hill Temple bell, At midnight, reach traveller's boat as well. (Slightly longer version:) The Moon sets, crows cry, snows falling in all the skies; River maple, fisher's light stare at my sad eyes. Outside Suzhou, where the Hanshan Temple lies, Tolls of its midnight bell reach traveller's boat here tied.
Notes: 1. 姑蘇: Gusu: present-day 蘇州: Suzhou. 2. 寒山: Hanshan: Cold Hill/Mountain. Also the name of a famous Buddhist monk.
the following information is copied from "millionbook.net":
i'm quite pleased with the above renditions, my "best effort" so far. i believe i've made some progress after these years, when i first tried to translate some of my favourite chinese classical poems. (and i can't remember when was the last time i looked up the on-line rhyming dictionary.) now, i finally realize that the choice of style, rhyme, rhythm etc. are all trumped by the singular need to "most faithfully reproduce as much as possible" the contents (and in the most appropriate context, incl. background, mood etc.) of the poet's original piece.
so, minimalism is in order (-- no "snake-leg", however minor, or "interpretative translation"). the less said, the better. of course, this is easier said than done.
for the e-readers' enjoyment , now may i re-post a masterpiece below:
(i won't get a lawyer's letter from my mentor and friend, that i know --)
英譯 張繼 <楓橋夜泊> Andrew Wong’s English Rendition of Zhang Ji “Moored for the Night by the Maple Bridge”
“Moondown: crows caw. Frost, a skyful.” Last weekend in reply to <AI>, I quoted this line written by the famed translator/scholar Yip Wai-lim as a fine example of the montage 蒙太奇 style of translation. For copyright reasons, I cannot reproduce here his complete rendition (p. 241 of his “Chinese Poetry”, Duke University Press, 1997). I personally favour a style with rhyme and rhythm. Here is how I have done mine (first posted 25 June 2008 on www.chinesepoemsinenglish.blogspot.com):-
Zhang Ji (?-780): Moored for the Night
by the Maple Bridge
1 The moon is down, ravens caw, a frostiness fills the sky;
2 By the riverside maples and fishing lights, sad, insomnious I lie.
3 Beyond the walls of Gusu City, where Hanshan Monastery stands,
4 Bong, goes the bell at midnight to touch the boat of the passer-by.
Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong
(Huang Hongfa) 譯者: 黃宏發
5th June 2008 (revised 6.6.08; 11.6.08; 13.6.08; 18.6.08; 12.3.09)
ODE TO THE CROSS (aka "THE DEATH OF CHRIST") -- by Qing Emperor Kang Xi: Ai Xin Jiao Luo Xuan Ye（1662-1772）
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
On the Holy Cross the Father's will's done; Like a stream of Life, flows Christ's blood precious. From the West, come Heav'nly blessings gracious, As deep as hundreds of feet, through the Son. Subjected to four biased judgments 'round midnight -- (Most of His disciples take flight), Poor Peter denies Him thrice Before the rooster crows twice.
Five thousand lashes of the cat-o-nine-
tails Rip open every inch of His skin frail. Beside two bandits, He was hung up six feet high -- His piteous sufferings make all His people cry. Once He has uttered the sentences seven, Myriad souls in pain and thankfulness wail towards He'ven.
Couplet at the Líng Yún Temple in Lè Shān, Sìchuān -- by Anon -- Translated by Frank C Yue Laughing at Old Days, laughing at To-day, Laughing at the East, laughing at the West, Laughing at the South, laughing at the North, Laughing while Coming Back, laughing while Going Forth -- Laughing at Self just have Perception and Knowledge nil. Looking at Issues, looking at Things, Looking at the Heav'ns, looking at the Earth, Looking at the Sun, looking at the Moon round, Looking Up, looking Down -- Looking at Others who have their Highs and their Lows still. To sum up: 笑 古今東西南北來去，笑自己無知無識。 觀 事物天地日月上下，觀他人有高有低。
Beneath the mountain high, A rock jugs out of the cliff where Some growth of old wood is rotting. These make good fire-wood.
Inside the curtains fine, Wrapped in a long towel in bed there A pretty woman is resting. Be more fantastic -- a teenage girl would.
Translator's Note: On the last line of the English rendition, the "teenage girl" in this time and age should be construed as "either 18 or 19", legally an adult by modern day standards.
"A thousand streams -- to the one Moon they sing" -- A Ch'an Poem by Anon (Southern Song dynasty) -- Translated by Frank C Yue
A thousand streams -- to the one Moon they sing; Myriad homes -- all re-vitalized by Spring! A thousand streams, with water flowing by, Reflect a thousand clones of the Moon on high; Myriad miles of Blue where no Clouds fly, Reveal myriad miles of the majestic Sky.
Some popular Chinese folk sayings on Ageing: Beware! (Tr. by F C Yue) 老從腳起！
Old age grows from your foot!
樹老根先枯， 人老腳先衰。 For the trees growing too old, first to rot is their root; For people growing too old, first to fail is their foot.
Why is this so? Your feet (and knees too: they support your whole body weight every day!) are located farthest from the heart that pumps out
oxygenated-blood carrying the essential nutrients out to (and helping eliminate the toxic wastes from) all the
tissues and organs... With the heart muscles inevitably weakening over time, the efficiency of the heart functions drops and then the extremities of the body will first suffer.
(that's why long ago i taught my grandchildren, for fun and friendly competition in the park, to "stand on one leg". the one-leg stance forces each leg to become stronger by supporting the whole weight of the body. it's not just training the leg muscles per se. with suitable encouragement and incentives, the young child gains eye-body co-ordination, stability, confidence and slowly learns how to persevere in one's pursuits ...) from another blog site:
thank you for your comments. (from my own experience, i would say...)
1. <用單腳站立久了，因為撐不住，累了，自自然然就會把更多的力放到腳底下。>
this is true only for the initial few days with the tensed leg muscles when one's first learning to stand on one leg. one should also visualize the leg extending deeply and most firmly into the ground some 50 or 100 feet, like the immovable steel stakes of a high-rise building...
the distinctive "one-leg stance" -- like a fighting crane with both hooked hands raised high at the sides -- is just the first 'popular posture' for beginners (a la the movie "the karate kid"), to impress themselves and the spectators so that they are motivated to do the more and more advanced postures, for even better balance, greater stamina, etc.
if one persists and does the simple one-leg stance over time, then there's no effort involved at all. you just do it 'naturally' and with some ease, standing one-legged for over 20 minutes without knowing it. if you are into taiji, in a long line-up, you can stand on one leg that's not "detectable" by others: though you are still standing on your two legs, one of them actually bears 90% of your body weight, the other, 10%. this is the so-called "substantial" and "non-substantial" leg respectively. (and by twisting your body, with you already "empty leg" you can instantly kick at any assailant --if any, a BIG 'IF'!-- coming from the front, the side or the back!)
2. <老人練習用單腳站立（扶着欄杆）是好的。步行亦是好的。每行一步，要用心去感覺腳掌與大地的接觸。>
yes, but for a seasoned and highly perceptive qigong practitioner, he or she can use the soles of the feet -- the "Bubbling Spring" acupoint -- to actually absorb the fresh and invigorating qi from the grass and the Earth as well in the morning! (and one doesn't have to be bare-footed though this is best for best results.) one can also take in the different qi's from different flowers (with different shades of 'coolness or warmth'), trees (particularly healthy-growing pines and cedars), the lake, river, and the sun, etc. (i'd better stop here as some readers may say this is just a v tall story.)
以月喻讀書 The MOONas an analogy for Learning. 清 • 張潮《幽夢影》（第三十五則） 少年讀書，如隙中窺月； 中年讀書，如庭中望月； 老年讀書，如臺上玩月。 皆以閱歷之淺深，為所得之淺深耳。 YOU MENG YING:"Quiet Dream Shadows" -- by ZHANG CHAO(1650 - ?) -- Translated by Frank C Yue In my Youth, reading books -- Is like, through a crack, at the Moon peeking; Middle-aged, reading books -- Is like, in a courtyard, at the Moon looking;
In Old Age, reading books -- Is like, on a high terrace, the Moon admiring. One's life experience and depth of comprehension, Decide the depth -- of a book, one's appreciation.
日 + 月 = 明
Sun + Moon = Bright, clear, intelligent, understanding...
以日喻讀書 The SUNas an analogy for Learning. 《少而好學如日初之陽》西漢 • 劉向 少而好學， 如日初之陽； 壯而好學， 如日中之光； 老而好學， 如炳燭之明。 "Devoted to learning in one's youth" -- by LIU XIANG(77 BC - 6 BC) -- Translated by Frank C Yue Devoted to learning in one's youth -- Like the rising Sun, Golden chances abound to acquire the truth. Learning at the mid-point of the run -- Like the Sun at its highest mark, Prospects are bright (-- more could be done). Learning when one is old -- (O Take heart, for even so --) You're holding out a candle to dispel the dark!
<以日喻讀書
西漢經學家 劉向 說：“少而好學，如日初之陽；壯而好學，如日中之光；老而好學，如炳燭之明。” 青少年正值豆蔻年華，精力充沛，蓬勃向上，恰如 “紅日初升，其道大光”，是學習的黃金時期；到了壯年，雖已成家立業，至鼎盛階段，但人生苦短，學海無涯，需趁勢而上，揚長補短，勤學不輟，發揚光大；時至晚年，儘管身體和心理不如從前，將夜幕籠罩，滿目悽然，萬物隱失，但不必傷感悲慼。老有所學，以學促樂，正如點燃一支蠟燭，黑暗頓消，光明即至，夕陽美景自當別有一番情趣。>
< 以月喻讀書
同樣是一輪月亮，由於少、中、老三個人生階段的年齡和閱歷不同，“隙、庭、臺”觀月的地點有別，“窺、望、玩” 月的方式各異，所看到的情景和收穫就大相徑庭。前者僅可觀其一二，中者只能略知大概，惟獨後者高處臺上，眼界開闊，便能深得其精髓。讀書亦然，閱歷深者方能曉其三味，識其真諦，達到 “知其然，知其所以然” 的。... >