別賦（南朝）江淹

黯然銷魂者，唯別而已矣！況秦吳兮絕國，復燕宋兮千里。或春苔兮始生，乍秋風兮蹔起。是以行子腸斷，百感悽惻。風蕭蕭而異響，雲漫漫而奇色。舟凝滯於水濱，車逶遲於山側。櫂容與而詎前，馬寒鳴而不息。掩金觴而誰御，橫玉柱而霑軾。居人愁臥，怳若有亡。日下壁而沈彩，月上軒而飛光。見紅蘭之受露，望青楸之離霜。巡曾楹而空揜，撫錦幕而虛涼。知離夢之躑躅，意別魂之飛揚。故別雖一緒，事乃萬族。至若龍馬銀鞍，朱軒繡軸。帳飲東都，送客金谷。琴羽張兮簫鼓陳，燕趙歌兮傷美人。珠與玉兮豔暮秋，羅與綺兮嬌上春。驚駟馬之仰秣，聳淵魚之赤鱗。造分手而銜涕，感寂漠而傷神。乃有劍客慚恩，少年報士。韓國趙廁，吳宮燕市。割慈忍愛，離邦去里。瀝泣共訣，抆血相視。驅征馬而不顧，見行塵之時起。方銜感於一劍，非買價於泉裏。金石震而色變，骨肉悲而心死。或乃邊郡未和，負羽從軍。遼水無極，鴈山參雲。閨中風暖，陌上草薰。日出天而耀景，露下地而騰文。鏡朱塵之照爛，襲青氣之煙熅。攀桃李兮不忍別，送愛子兮霑羅裙。至如一赴絕國，詎相見期？視喬木兮故里，決北梁兮永辭。左右兮魂動，親賓兮淚滋。可班荊兮贈恨，唯樽酒兮敘悲。值秋鴈兮飛日，當白露兮下時。怨復怨兮遠山曲，去復去兮長河湄。又若君居淄右，妾家河陽。同瓊珮之晨照，共金爐之夕香。君結綬兮千里，惜瑤草之徒芳。慚幽閨之琴瑟，晦高臺之流黃。春宮閟此青苔色，秋帳含茲明月光。夏簟清兮晝不暮，冬釭凝兮夜何長！織錦曲兮泣已盡，迴文詩兮影獨傷。儻有華陰上士，服食還山。術既妙而猶學，道已寂而未傳。守丹灶而不顧，鍊金鼎而方堅。駕鶴上漢，驂鸞騰天。蹔遊萬里，少別千年。惟世間兮重別，謝主人兮依然。下有芍藥之詩，佳人之歌。桑中衛女，上宮陳娥。春草碧色，春水綠波。送君南浦，傷如之何！至乃秋露如珠，秋月如珪。明月白露，光陰往來。與子之別，思心徘徊。是以別方不定，別理千名。有別必怨，有怨必盈。使人意奪神駭，心折骨驚。雖淵雲之墨妙，嚴樂之筆精。金閨之諸彥，蘭臺之群英。賦有凌雲之稱，辯有雕龍之聲。誰能摹暫離之狀，寫永訣之情者乎？

Essay on Parting
by Jiang Yan of southern dynasties

What’s most gloomy to the soul is the parting experience. Moreover, Qin and Wu are the remotest states. Yan and Song are a thousand miles apart. When spring moss begins to grow or autumn winds suddenly arise, travelers, therefore, will be heartbroken with all sorts of miserable emotions. Winds sough in weird sounds. Clouds spread wide with quaint colors. The boat’s at the waterside, as if frozen there. The coach’s at the hillside, as if hindered on the long journey. As the oar’s deliberately rowed, how can the boat go fast? The horses neigh in cold ceaselessly. Cover up golden goblets; who cares for drink now? Put aside the zither; tears wet the front bar on the coach. Households at home lie in sorrow as if at a loss. Sunlight on the wall moves downward with its color sinking. Moonlight on the pavilion moves up with its brilliance reflected. When seeing red orchid bearing dews and perceiving green Chinese catalpa covered with frost, when walking round the high house shutting up emptiness and touching silk drapery feeling so cold, one can know the traveling person should be wandering even in the dream and can guess his parting soul should be hovering afar. Therefore, the feeling of parting is the same, but conditions are of thousands.
       
Having tall horses with silvery saddles and crimson coaches with carved axis ready, the host and the guest drink for parting in the tent outside east capital as if bidding the guest farewell in JinGu Garden1, where zithers were played in a gloomy tune, fifes and drums on display, and heartbreaking songs of Yan and Zhao saddened beauties around, where pearls and jade gleam colorfully in late autumn and gauze and brocade show splendor in early spring, where horses alarmed by loud music raise their heads in chewing fodder and fishes with ruddy scales jumped high from deep creeks, and where tears were shed when parting and hearts broken when thinking of solitary journey.
       
There are swordsmen ashamed of not repaying those for their kindness and young knights intending to return favors as in events happening in Han Kingdom2, in the lavatory of Zhao Kingdom3, in the palace of Wu Kingdom4 and in the marketplace of Yan Kingdom5. They either deserted their loved ones, or left their own countries, or shed tears in final farewell, or wiped bloody eyes staring at each other. They rode away at full gallop without looking back, only rising dusts seen in the wake. They wanted to repay favors using swords without intention of going to the nether world for any price in exchange. But when bells and drums boomed, the color on the face changed6.  The heart stopped beating at the death of her own flesh and blood7.
       
If there is no peace on the border, people join army bringing bows and arrows. The Liao River is unlimited and Mount Yanmen towers into clouds. When the wind into the bower feels warm and the grass in fields smells sweet, when the sun rises in the sky so radiant and dews on the ground glitter with multi-tinge, when scarlet dusts mirror a brilliant tint and green mists look hazy and smoky, and just as hands are raised to hold branches of peach and plum trees, parting is very much unbearable, especially with a beloved one, tears wetting the gauze skirt.
       
As for departure for the remotest states, how can reunion be possible? Looking at tall trees in homeland and saying the eternal goodbye on the northern bridge, people around the parting person have their souls touched by distress, and friends and relatives weep bitter tears. They can arrange boughs on the ground to sit imparting their regret and show their sorrow by drinking wine. Just on the day when wild geese in autumn fly south and when white frost fall on earth, the parting person grieves and groans at zigzag spots among distant hills and proceeds on and on alongside the long river.
       
If you live to the west of Ming River and my home is located in Heyang, we bask in morning sun rays with jade on our dress and sit together round an evening brass incense burner. When you go a thousand miles away with a tied ribbon8, it’s pitiable for a fair herb to beget scent in vain9. I feel ashamed facing the zither in my quiet boudoir10 and let the yellow silk curtain darken the high tower11. Spring palace shuts out green color of moss; autumn canopy’s steeped in moonlight; summer bamboo mat’s so cool and the day turns to dusk too slow; the flame in winter lamp is like staying congealed12 and the night is so long. Weaving my song into a silky letter exhausts my tears in sobbing and writing a rondeau poem makes my lone self miserable13.
       
If there’s a Taoist on Mount Hua, who takes the elixir of life, he becomes an immortal. His talent is great, but he still studies. His art reaches a great stage, but not yet to the utmost. He keeps busy in making divine pills and ignores everything else. He’s firm in determination to finish them in a brass cauldron. Then he rides on a stork into clouds or astride a phoenix to heaven. He can travel a myriad miles in a short time and has a brief separation as if a thousand years elapsed in the human world. Since mortals look upon parting seriously, he takes leave of the host14 lingeringly.
       
Under heaven there’s a poem of Chinese herbaceous peony15 and a song of a beauty16. There are girls in Sangzhong of Wei State and damsels in Shanggong of Chen State17. When spring grass turns verdant and spring water ripples green, how can the anguish be endurable as seeing you off at Nanpu? When autumn dew looks like pearl and autumn moon like a round jade, when the moon is bright and dew is white, and when time comes and goes, I’m thinking of you again and again after separation from you.
       
Therefore, people involving in parting are of various sorts, and situations and reasons for parting are greatly different. If there’s separation, there will be regret, full of regret, which makes people’s will lost, spirit terrified, heart agonized and bone tormented. Even if there are superior articles of Yuan and Yun18, and excellent writings of Yan and Le19, or even if there are men of letters in JinGui20 and men of talent in Lantai21, and even if there is the best essay like Lingyun22 or best repartee like in Diaolong23, who has the ability of describing the current conditions of separation or depicting the feelings of eternal parting?

[1] The owner of Jin Gu Garden was Shi Chong of Jin Dynasty. When he wanted to bid a guest farewell, he would do such things as described above.
[2] A swordsman called Ye Zheng wanted to revenge on behalf of Yan Zhongzi and killed the premier Xia Lei of Han Kinigdom.
[3] A man Yu Rang, whose host Zhi was killed by Xiangzi of Zhao Kingdom, wanted to avenge for Zhi. He changed his name and disguised himself and assassinated Xiangzi when he went to the lavatory.
[4] A man Zhuanzhu disguised as a cook hid a dagger in the belly of a fish he cooked and served. When he put the fish down on the table before the king of Wu Kingdom in his palace, he drew out the dagger from the fish and killed the king.
[5] [6] Jingke and Gao Jianli were friends and often drank together in the market place. The crown prince of Yan Kingdom befriended them and asked them to assassinate the king of Qin Kingdom, who would be likely to invade Yan Kingdom. They planned to offer the map of Yan Kingdom to the king of Qin, and hid a dagger in the rolled-up map. Jingke went on the errand, accompanied by another man called Wuyang. When they reached the palace of Qin, the king received them with bells booming and drums resounding. Wuyang was afraid and his face turned pale. The king suspected something wrong and ordered his guards to kill them. Their plan failed. Then Gao Jianli wanted to revenge for them and went to Qin, but didn’t succeed either.
[7] When Ye Zheng killed Xialei (see [2]), he disfigured his face and killed himself so that no one would know who he was. The authorities put his body in the market place, declaring that whoever knew who he was would get a big reward. When his sister Ye Ying knew it and guessed that it was her brother. She thought that she would not let her die without letting people know his name. So she went there to cry over the body and let people know that the hero was his brother Ye Zheng. She, then, killed herself on the spot.
[8] The ribbon was tied to an official seal. It meant that the man went there to be an official.
[9] Fair herb denoted the girl herself. Since her man went away, whatever she had meant nothing to her.
[10] Since her man went away, she would not play the zither any more. She was sorry for the zither, which would be put aside idle.
[11] It meant that she would let the curtain hang there since she would not see her man even if she pulled it aside.
[12] It meant that the flame seemed never to burn out the oil in the lamp like congealed. Time went so slowly.
[13] She embroidered her words in a rondeau poem on a silk cloth and sent to her man.
[14] When he became immortal and flew to heaven, he looked upon the mortals he once lived together as his host.
[15] The poem was one in the Collection of Ancient Poems. When boys and girls were in love, they would recite this poem.
[16] This was a song about a beauty, composed by Li Yannian of Han Dynasty.
[17] There were pretty girls in these states, but here denoting girls in a general sense.
[18] Yuan was Wang Ziyuan and Yun was Yang Ziyun, both writing superior articles.
[19] Yan was Yan An and Le was Xu Le, both writing excellently.
[20] JinGui denoted Jinmamen in Chang An City in Han Dynasty. It was the name of an official bureau, where men of letters gathered to be consulted by the emperor.
[21] Lantai was a place where books were stored and literary seminars were held in Han Dynasty.
[22] Sima Xiangru of Han Dynasty wrote the “Essay of Giant”. When the emperor read it, he said that it made him feel like “riding in clouds”, which was what the word Lingyun really meant.
[23] There was a book named “Wen Xin Diao Long”, in which the repartee was used for reasoning.

春夜宴桃李園序（唐）李白

夫天地者，萬物之逆旅。光陰者，百代之過客。而浮生若夢，為歡幾何？古人秉燭夜游，良有以也。況陽春召我以煙景，大塊假我以文章。會桃李之芳園，序天倫之 樂事。群季俊秀，皆為惠連1；吾人詠歌，獨慚康樂2。幽賞未已，高談轉清。開瓊筵以坐花，飛羽觴而醉月。不有佳作，何伸雅懷？如詩不成，罰依金谷酒數。

Preface to Feast on Spring Night in Peach & Plum Garden
by Li Bai of Tang Dynasty

Well, the sky and earth is the inn of all the things.  Time is a passer-by through millenniums.  And the floating life is like a dream.  How much pleasure can we indulge in?  It is right and reasonable for the ancient people to roam at night with a candle in the hand.  And now Spring shows me the misty scenes and Nature gives me beautiful pictures.  We meet in the fragrant Peach and Plum Garden and are enjoying the happiness of family union. All my brothers are handsome and learned like Weilian1, but as I chant poems, I feel ashamed in comparison with Kangle2.  The silent enjoyment doesn’t end yet, and our loud chatting becomes quiet. We hold the feast among flowers and lift cups and get drunk under the moon. If we don’t write poems for the occasion, how can we express our poetic emotions? Whoever can’t compose a poem will have the penalty to drink wine to the number adopted in Jin Gu Garden3.

[1] 指南北朝謝惠連 。 惠連幼聰慧，族兄靈運深加愛賞。詩文中常用為從弟或弟的美稱。Weilian was Xie Weilian of South and North Dynasties period, who was very clever since a little boy. His cousin Xie Lingyun often praised him. His name was thereafter used in poetry or essay as a good nickname for brothers.
[2] 謝康樂即謝靈運﹐南北朝時襲封康樂公。Kangle was Xie Lingyun, who got the title of Duke of Kangle in South and North Dynasties period.
[3] The owner of Jin Gu Garden was Shi Chong of Jin Dynasty.  He often held banquets on which, if a quest could not write a poem, he would drink three cups of wine as penalty.

陋室銘（唐）劉禹錫 #

山不在高，有仙則名。水不在深，有龍則靈。斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。苔痕上階綠，草色入廉青。談笑有鴻儒，往來無白丁。可以調素琴，閱金經。無絲竹之亂耳，無案牘之勞形。南陽諸葛廬，西蜀子雲亭。孔子云：「何陋之有？」

Eulogy on My Humble Abode
by Liu Yuxin of Tang Dynasty

Known will hills be if fairies dwell, no matter high or low; and charmed will waters be if dragons lurk, no matter deep or shallow.   A humble abode though this is, my virtues make it smell sweet.  Verdant are the stonesteps overgrown with moss, and green seems the screen as the grass seen through it.  I chat and laugh only with great scholars and have no intercourse with the ignorant.  I can play lute and read my sutras; no unpleasant music to grate on my ears and no red-tape to weary my mortal form.  Zhuge's residence in Nanyang and Ziyun's inhabitance in Xishu are both like what Confucius quoth, "How canth it be humble?"

岳陽樓記（宋）范仲淹

慶曆四年春，滕子京謫守巴陵郡。越明年，政通人和，百廢具興，乃重修岳陽樓 ,增其舊制，刻唐賢今人詩賦於其上；屬予作文以記之。予觀夫巴陵勝狀，在洞庭一湖。銜遠山，吞長江，浩浩湯湯，橫無際涯；朝暉夕陰，氣象萬千；此則岳陽樓之大觀也，前人之述備矣。然則北通巫峽，南極瀟湘，遷客騷人，多會於此，覽物之情，得無異乎？ 若夫霪雨霏霏，連月不開；陰風怒號，濁浪排空；日星隱耀，山岳潛形；商旅不行，檣傾楫摧；薄暮冥冥，虎嘯猿啼；登斯樓也，則有去國懷鄉，憂讒畏譏，滿目蕭然，感極而悲者矣！至若春和景明，波瀾不驚，上下天光，一碧萬頃；沙鷗翔集﹐錦鱗游泳，岸芷汀蘭，郁郁青青。而或長煙一空，皓月千里，浮光躍金，靜影沈璧，漁歌互答，此樂何極﹔登斯樓也，則有心曠神怡，寵辱偕忘、把酒臨風，其喜洋洋者矣！嗟夫！予嘗求古仁人之心，或異二者之為，何哉？不以物喜，不以己悲，居廟堂 之高，則憂其民；處江湖之遠，則憂其君。是進亦憂，退亦憂；然則何時而樂耶？其必曰：「先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂歟！」噫！微斯人，吾誰與歸！時六年九月十五日。

On Yueyang Tower
by Fan Zhongyan of Song Dynasty

In the spring of the fourth year of Qingli1, Teng Zijing was demoted to be the prefect of Baling District. Next year, the political situation was favorable and the relationship between people was harmonious. All the plans that had been suspended were now resumed.  Therefore, Yueyang Tower was under repair, and new designs were added to the old structure. There engraved on it were poems and essays of the sages of Tang Dynasty and of our contemporaries. Then I was asked to give an account of it.  I can see, well, that the beauty of Baling centers on Dongting Lake, which holds distant hills and swallows the Yangtze River, looking so huge and vast, and extending so wide and boundless (or: so vast and so boundless). With the glory of the morning and the gloom of the evening, the grand view is so changeable in multi-aspects. This is the great panorama of Yueyang Tower. Our ancestors already had a full version of it. However, as the tower connects Gorge Wu2 in the north and Xiao-Xiang3 in the south, demoted officials and sentimental poets often gather here. Should there be no difference in their feelings when they watch the same scenes?  Well, when heavy rains last for months at a stretch, when dismal winds roar in fury and murky billows surge to the sky, when the sun and stars conceal their light and mountains hide their contour, when merchants cease their travel and masts of ships crumble and oars broken, when twilight descends, dim and dull, with tigers growling and apes crying, there are those, ascending this tower and eyeing the scenes so depressing, who will lament with strong emotions for leaving the capital and being away from home, and with the fear of being slandered and criticized.  But when the water is waveless in warm spring against pretty scenery, when all’s a myriad acres of blue between the bright sky above and the bright sky mirrored in the water, when gulls hover and gather on sands and fishes swim with glittering scales, when so fragrant are zhi herb on the bank and orchid on the shoal, or when there are no mists and clouds with the bright moon shining over thousand miles, when the water reflects the light with silvery specks and the moon cuts its calm image in the lake like a sinking jade, when fishermen sing in response to each other, enjoying their happiness to the utmost, there are those, ascending this tower, who will lift the wine cup against the wind, being jocund and carefree, jovial and complacent, forgetful of all favors or disgraces.  Alas! Once I tried to understand the mind of ancient virtuous men. They might behave differently from the two kinds of people. Why? They didn’t delight in worldly things, or grieve for their own sake. They would be concerned with people at large as courtiers in levees of the emperor. They would be concerned with their sovereign as hermits in the remote corners of the country. So they always had anxieties whether as courtiers or as hermits. Then, when would they be happy? They would say, “Grieve before all the people under heaven grieve; enjoy after all the people under heaven enjoy.”  Well, if not with such men, whom will I socialize (or: mingle)?  This is written on the fifteenth day of the ninth moon in the sixth year.

海外逸士詩文

無題

時屆清秋菊蟹肥﹐梧桐葉落瘦蟬稀。霜重遠嶺丹楓醉﹐風急江天過雁低。
撫髀長歌寄遙思﹐憑高凝眺對斜暉。曲終四顧無人聽﹐三五歸鴉自在飛。

No Title

It is now clear autumn, chrysanthemums and crabs both growing fat;
Leaves of Chinese parasols fall while lean cicadas are scarce.
Frost heavy on distant peaks and maples red like drunken;
Winds strong over the river in the sky and passing geese fly low.
Stroking my thighs, I give a long chanting to express my ambition;
And getting on high, I have a remote view, facing slanting sunlight.
When my song ends, I look round, finding no one’s listening;
Only three or five returning crows are flying, so carefree.

如夢令

難遣相思春晝﹐易盡玉壺銀漏。夢斷楚山遙﹐但見一天星斗。
春柳﹐春柳﹐柳綠月肥心瘦。

Poem in Tune of Rumengling

It’s hard to get off lovesickness in spring days,
But easy for water clock going thro with a jade pot of wine1.
As my dream stops, the Chu mountain2 is at a distance;
And I only see the sky full of stars.
Spring willow, spring willow,
The willow’s green, the moon fat, and my heart lean.

"for water clock going thro with a jade pot of wine", hard to know if this line is based on self-professed direct translation or your personal interpretation. Wonder what connection it has with the Silver (Dripping) Pot that's another utensil to hold liquor.

"My dream stops"...that's an odd expression. And, the symbol ";" cut the flow. The meaning of this classic piece might be, A lovesick individual situates herself/himself in a despair and emptiness (in dreams or otherwise). However, your translation has not presented or detailed such emotion, if not having twisted the purport of the original language.

"My heart lean"... no way...

This translation probably needs some work to be readable or comprehend. With that being said, it's still a great job or daunting task to display such a tricky poem in another language with short format and limited words.

此譯詩貼在外國文章上時﹐我在必要處都有註解。貼在中國網站上﹐註解不貼了﹐因
為中國人應該都懂。原文第二句意思是﹐一壺在手﹐夜就易盡了。原文中“心瘦”
當然譯心瘦﹐難度還譯成別的什麼不成﹖

譯文不應該對原文有所解釋﹐只是把原文的表達忠實地表達在譯文裡。中英文裡的
標點符號用法不一樣。

一剪梅

一剪玫瑰別樣紅。辭卻花叢﹐獨處瓶中。軒窗朝夕揖春風。不似秋楓﹐勝似秋楓。      
莫為離枝怨蒼穹。緣到相逢﹐故有吾容。芳辰今日屬牛宮。雖曰家窮﹐不違初衷。

Poem in Tune of Yijianmei

A piece of rose is especially red.
Leaving the rose cluster
It stays alone in a vase.
On the sill, it greets spring winds morn and even.
It’s not like the maple in autumn,
But better than the maple in autumn.

Don’t hate Providence for leaving the cluster.
By karma we meet;
So I take you home.
Her birthday today belongs to Zodiac Bull.
Although we are poor,
I must keep to my original wish1.

[1] I promised my wife to give her roses on her birthday.

詠雪

《宋歐陽公曾宴客﹐作詠雪句﹐諱「玉、月、梨、梅、練、絮、白、舞、鶴、鵝、銀」諸字﹐於艱難中出驚奇。余見獵心喜﹐亦仿之﹐並諱「霜、雪、露、花、飄」諸字》

北天雲封烏彤翻﹐驚濤風卷萬竅喧。撒鹽難加千戶味﹐蝶翅欲塞九洲天。老樹沒根柴門淺﹐馬蹄覺重沙路平。東西不辨河與道﹐南北難分陌和阡。漣漪猶起南國澤﹐凝波不被洞庭鱗。雲開遠峰露斑首﹐風來庭樹動香鬟。隔牆好鳥聲不聞﹐園外鄰犬吠正歡。一樽對客小閣暖﹐雙松吟風穹宇寒。酒闌忽起歐公興﹐亦將雅情寄錦箋。

Ode to Snow

(The official E-Yang of Song Dynasty once had a banquet, on which he composed a poem about snow, excluding these words always in description of snow: “jade, moon, plum, silk, catkin, white, dance, stork, goose, silver, etc” He wanted to write a poem out of difficulties. I read his poem and like it very much, and so I imitate his way, further excluding the following words: “frost, snow, dew, blossom, float, etc.”)

Black or red clouds shut out the northern sky, rolling up and down;
The wind churns scary billows1 with sound echoing in pores of the earth.
Heaven spreads salt2, but can’t add flavor to dishes in thousand homes;
The broken wings of butterflies3 will fill the sky of Cathay.
The roots of old trees are covered and bottoms of wooden doors concealed;
The hooves of horses feel heavy in galloping4 and sand roads leveled.
The ways and rivers can’t be distinguished from east to west;
The footpaths through fields are not discernible from south to north.
The ripples, however, still undulate in the tarns of the southern land;
And no frozen waves bury the fishes in Dongting Lake.
When clouds scatter, the remote peaks show their hoary heads;
The wind comes to stir the hair-bun5 on the trees in the courtyards.
The good birds are mute and soundless beyond the walls;
Neighbors’ dogs outside the garden are barking merrily.
I lift my cup to my guests in the small warm pavilion;
Two pine trees in soughing winds and the vault so cold.
Having enough wine, I suddenly have the interest like official E-Yang;
So I also put my poetic emotions on the brocade paper.

　　此詞好，好在有情有景，以景寓情，情景交融，極言相思。一條小建議：若將疊句“春柳﹐春柳”易為“星斗﹐星斗”，是否好？若然，則首句“春晝”可相應易為“春柳”，蓋全闋詠夜景為主也。又，末句可用“月圓人瘦”或“月明身瘦”。見笑見笑。

好。

遊仙

煌煌金闕之燦燦兮重重宮樓之猗奐﹒巍巍靈霄之嵯峨兮迢迢雲路之超遠﹒
吾駕六鵬之車兮命造父以為御﹒張孔雀之羽蓋兮令精衛而前驅﹒
朝發軔於扶桑兮夕弭節於南門﹒欲陛見以效悃兮忽來巨靈之閽神﹒
彼瞋目而揚鎚兮厲聲以逐余﹒吾躑躅而躊躇兮徘徊而容與﹒
聞鐘鼓之隱隱兮雜絃管之細細﹒聽曼歌之裊裊兮觀輕舞之翩翩﹒
覽昇平之奏章兮知民樂乎稔收﹒既風調而雨順兮宜乎朕躬之忘憂﹒
終巨靈之莫余通兮吾迴車之轔轔﹒恍恍而忉忉兮下見冤骨之嶙峋﹒
余跨青鸞之倏疾兮降於弱水之西﹒誠誠而虔虔兮陟彼崑崙之巔﹒
循山徑之曲曲兮履琨屑之礫礫﹒聞鹿鳴之呦呦兮睽鶴舞之奕奕﹒
紫茵層層而茸茸兮琪艸芊芊而郁郁﹒龍蝶雙雙而對對兮瑤花芬芬而馥馥﹒
朵朵奇葩之艷艷兮棵棵異卉之菁菁﹒簇簇珊木之璨璨兮株株瓊樹之婷婷﹒
登玉砌之瑛瑛兮叩瑣戶之洞洞﹒須臾而門啟兮覿丱角之鶴童﹒
余慕道之渴忱兮願師事於壽翁﹒煩道兄之善言兮余殷殷而打躬﹒
言天帝將震怒兮不敢擅自而授徒﹒爾其返駕兮莫頑拗而兩誤﹒
余忳忳而怏怏兮惸惸以告退﹒是余造之不良兮抑余聰之不慧﹒
余乘艨艟之龐龐兮凌東瀛之茫茫﹒嘆滄溟之浩浩兮望長空之蒼蒼﹒
有凱風之習習兮盪微波之漾漾﹒余掛帆而縱舸兮犁萬頃之泱泱﹒
輝流霞之灼灼兮翱海鷗之悠悠﹒泛金漪之粼粼兮列遠島之浮浮﹒
猝然雲合而冪冪兮起飆風之蕭蕭﹒天冥冥而沉沉兮浪洶洶而滔滔﹒
舟顛簸以上下兮憑驚濤而搖搖﹒感吾身之煢煢兮悲海天之渺渺﹒
風嗥之厲厲兮浪峙之岌岌﹒余舫之險覆兮漂漂而疾疾﹒
忽蓬壺之在邇兮余棄舡而就岸﹒睥岩巒之巉巉兮躡渚沙之暖暖﹒
睨林蔚之深深兮尋芳徑之幽幽﹒聆鶯囀之嚦嚦兮間猿啼之啾啾﹒
泉響潺潺而泠泠兮溪流汩汩而淙淙﹒飛瀑瀰瀰而濛濛兮澄潭灩灩而溶溶﹒
羅赤松而朱榆兮丹杞而彤杉﹒植玄苓而烏蘭兮皂蓼而墨蓮﹒
眄亭台之隱現兮牆垣之掩映﹒眺軒閣之飛雲兮虹棟之留景﹒
瓦碧而琉璃兮階白而琅玕﹒雕水晶之壁兮琢瑪瑙之欄﹒
垂珠璣之簾兮闔琦琚之扉﹒開翡翠之屏兮橫珊瑚之楣﹒
繽麗而絢瑋兮紛彩而迷悅﹒葳蕤而蓊蘢兮芳馨而醉鼻﹒
目仙姬之出沒兮耳鳳簫之吟吟﹒余拾磴級而上兮初遲豫而逡逡﹒
終鼓勇而叩猊環兮乃卑我而肅躬﹒數敲闥而莫余應兮唯跼蹐以對閉扃﹒
余惘惘而俔俔兮御風而西行﹒匆匆以越萬里兮欲謁如來於雷音﹒
瞰平原之漠漠兮田野之蔥蔥﹒睞江河之蜿蜿兮城廓之崇崇﹒
度嶺壑之嶢嶢兮激洪之湍湍﹒睹叢林之森森兮煙嵐之漫漫﹒
過五指山之頂兮遇當方之神祇﹒彼持械以阻進兮曰天帝有禁旨﹒
以釋道之異途兮毋交往以亂事﹒獨忘乎此山之成兮乃化於佛祖之五指﹒
彼惱怒而叱叱兮逐余以戈矛﹒余侘傺而吶吶兮伈伈以受教﹒
余駕慶雲之飄飄兮上兜率之穹穹﹒望寥廓之湛湛兮覺瑞氣之融融﹒
瞥春照之燁燁兮陽和之煦煦﹒悵寰宇之靡極兮余孑孑而踽踽﹒
余叩宮門之蓬蓬兮欲求道於老君﹒忽有聲之嚴嚴兮詈余以妄魂﹒
速速而退匿兮毋罹系獄之苦﹒余觳觫而惶惶兮驚墮於塵土﹒
余騎鯤鯨之碩碩兮欲訪南海之龍王﹒蹈汪洋之漭漭兮破萬里之駭浪﹒
龜相疑余之謀渠兮誡蝦卒以拒余﹒視夜叉之猙獰兮余乃策鯨而後驅﹒
余跨鳳凰之翾翾兮西謁王母於瑤池﹒頃蒞而翔翥兮將降於庭墀﹒
王母令逢蒙兮彎弓而欲射﹒余怛怛而瞿瞿兮即遁避以奮翮﹒
時昏昏而暝暝兮天漸昧以杳杳﹒星寥寥而雲淡淡兮有月輪之皎皎﹒
忽金光熠熠而杲杲兮有霓橋之架空﹒余蹈之而循之兮遂入於廣寒之宮﹒
瞻樓殿之崢嶸兮迴廊之旋折﹒窮廂闈之深邃兮軒榭之開闔﹒
聚雪以為壁戶兮霰雹以為徑砌﹒螮蝀以為樑柱兮銀霞以為屏扆﹒
凝露以為珠簾兮晶霜以為几床﹒堅冰以為欄階兮雲霧以為錦帳﹒
遍宮室之周覽兮莫知姮娥之所在﹒蹤清溪之濺濺兮穿茂林之藹藹﹒
陟高丘之岧岧兮有小亭之翼翼﹒睇素娥之嬛嬛兮唯戚戚而寂寂﹒
喜客至而起迎兮移玉趾之輕盈﹒斌嫵而嬋娟兮嫋娥而娉婷﹒
姣好而婉孌兮婀娜而妍媚﹒姝麗而豔冶兮窈窕而淑美﹒
臉若鵝卵兮膚若凝脂﹒額若螓首兮髮若緇絲﹒
眉若柳葉兮眼若臥蠶﹒口若紅菱兮鼻若瓊山﹒
耳若琁弓兮項若瑾柱﹒臂若嫩藕兮體若玉樹﹒
手若春荑之柔柔兮指若水蔥之尖尖﹒胸凸雙峰之聳聳兮腰擺翠縷之纖纖﹒
袖捲而顯雪肌之肘兮裙短而露天然之足﹒聲出而有鶯語之韻兮氣吐而有麝蕙之馥﹒
實有傾漢之態兮有傾宙之貌﹒天柱崩而地維絕兮伊若嫣然而一笑﹒
詢余何處來兮何為而來﹒既知音之邂逅兮遂傾余之衷懷﹒
余憐嫦娥之寂寞兮渠憫余之孤獨﹒既情同而相惜兮何妨以盡一哭。
彼浼余之毋去兮以相伴而相慰﹒世既莫余親兮願長留而焉歸﹒

Travel in Superworld

The grand golden palace is so magnificent, ho;
Pavilions beyond pavilions are splendid.
The lofty Lingxiao Hall1 is so towering, ho;
The remote way in clouds is so far away.
I ride in the coach drawn by six rocs, ho,
And let Zaofu2 be the coachman.
Spreading the canopy of peacock feathers, ho,
And order Jingwei3 to be my vanguard.
Starting at dawn from Nippon, ho,
Stopping at dusk before the Southern Gate4.
I wish to see Jade Emperor5 to offer my loyalty, ho;
But suddenly comes Juling6, the gatekeeper.
He stares me down, wielding his bronze mallet, ho,
Chasing me off in his fierce voice.
I wander and hesitate, ho,
Roam and rove in a slow pace.
I hear faintly the sound of bell and drum, ho,
Mingling with soft flute and fife.
The emperor listens to songs lingering in the air, ho,
Watches the dance gracefully like the swan.
As he reads the reports of peaceful world, ho,
He knows happiness of people and good harvests.
Now that the wind and rain in timely need, ho,
Sire should be forgetful of all the woe.
Since Juling won’t report to emperor of my visit, ho,
I have my coach driven back, rumbling away.
I’m in reeling mind and low spirits, ho;
As looking down, I see hilly bones of unjust death.
I ride astride the blue phoenix flying so swift, ho,
And land on the west side of Weak Stream7.
Earnest and pious, ho,
I clamber to the top of Kunlun Mountain8.
I follow the zigzag footpath, ho,
And step on the opal gravel a little rugged.
I hearken the belling of deer, so gay, ho,
And behold the dance of storks, spreading wings.
Layers of purple mats of moss so fluffy, ho,
And weird grass so lush and fresh.
The dragon butterflies in pairs and couples, ho,
And amber flowers so aromatic and fragrant.
Every rare bud is so beautiful and colorful, ho,
And each quaint herb is so green and flourishing.
Every group of corals so bright and lustrous, ho,
And each topaz tree so pretty and elegant.
I ascend on granite steps so glossy, ho,
And knock at the marble door so resounding.
The door’s opened in a jiffy, ho,
Looks out the stork page9 with forked hair on pate.
I yearn for Tao10 like thirsty for water, ho,
And desire to be a disciple of God of Longevity.
Throw in some good words for me, Tao Brother, ho,
I bow to him in earnest.
He said Heavenly Emperor will get angry, ho,
Master11 can’t decide to accept disciples by himself.
“You should go back immediately, ho,
And don’t get in trouble for both of us.”
I feel gloomy and unhappy, ho,
And bid him farewell cautiously and respectfully.
Is my fortune so bad, ho,
Or my intelligence quality so low?
I take a ship so huge and gigantic, ho,
And sail on the east sea so boundless.
I admire the ocean so spacious, ho,
And watch the vast sky so blue.
There comes the south wind blowing gently, ho,
The waves undulating slightly.
I put up sails and let the ship run, ho,
Like plowing myriad acres of water so wide.
The afterglow so brilliantly aflame, ho;
The seagulls fluttering so carefree.
The ripples reflect golden specks, ho;
Distant islands afloat on the sea.
The sudden clouds gather so dark and heavy, ho,
The strong winds rise whistling.
The sky’s overcast and pressing low, ho,
The billows run high and surging forth.
My ship rocks and pitches up and down, ho,
Riding on the surfs, shaking side to side.
I feel myself so lonely and solitary, ho,
Overwhelmed at the sea and sky so boundless.
The winds roar so ferociously, ho,
The waves uprise so dangerously.
My ship almost capsized, ho,
But going adrift and swift.
All at once Penghu12 is there, ho;
I moor my ship and go ashore.
Glancing at the cliffs so precipitous, ho,
I set foot on the sands so warm.
Eying the forest so deep, ho,
I explore the scented path so quiet.
I listen to the clear warbling of orioles, ho,
Mixed at times by the gibbering of apes.
A spring bubbling and burbling along, ho,
A stream gurgling and murmuring down.
A waterfall so misty and splashing, ho,
A pond so lucid and tranquil.
Red pines line up with ruddy elms, ho,
Crimson Chinese wolfberry with scarlet fir.
Black Fuling13 planted with coaly orchid, ho,
Sable knotweed with inky lotus.
I peek at pavilions, some seen, some hidden, ho,
And walls vaguely visible among trees.
I look up at flying cloud decoration on pavilions, ho,
And at rainbow-colored beams with sunshine on.
Glazed tiles so green, ho,
Steps of fine stone so white.
Walls of engraved crystal, ho,
And railings of carved agate.
Curtains of pearls hanging, ho,
Doors of jade shut.
Screens of emerald unfolded, ho,
And lintels of coral crosswise.
Gorgeous and superb, ho,
Colorful and attractive.
Luxuriant and verdant, ho,
Whiffs of perfume assailing my nostrils.
Eying goddesses come and go, ho,
And hearing phoenix-decorated flute playing.
I follow the stone steps up, ho,
Vacillating at first, I pace to and fro.
Finally plucking up my courage, I knock at door, ho,
Bowing my head and waiting in esteem.
Knocking several times, but no response, ho,
I feel ill at ease facing the closed door.
I’m absent-minded and awestruck, ho,
Then ride on the wind heading west.
I cross myriad miles in haste, ho,
Would like to visit Buddha in Leiyin Temple14.
I look down at the stretch of plains, ho,
And at the verdure of the fields.
I see rivers crawling away, ho,
And city walls rising up tall.
I fly over steep peaks and deep vales, ho,
Over rapid currents tumbling down.
I behold forests with dense foliage, ho,
Smoke and mists scattering.
I pass the top of Five-Finger Hill15, ho,
And meet the local deity.
He blockades my way with his weapon, ho,
Saying Heavenly Emperor forbids
As Buddhism and Taoism so different, ho,
Don’t have intercourse to make things bad.
Are you so forgetful of the hill made, ho,
From the magic of five fingers of Buddha?
He flares up and scolds me, ho,
Expelling me with a spear.
I feel frustrated and utter no words, ho,
And silently take his reproof.
I mount on the colorful clouds wafting, ho,
Towards Doushuai16 under celestial vault.
I gaze at the vault so clearly azure, ho,
Sensing the atmosphere so pleasant.
I perceive the spring sun so radiant, ho,
The sun shines so warm.
I think of the universe without bounds, ho,
My lone self going round alone.
I knock at the door, “bang, bang,” ho,
Longing to learn Tao10 from Laojun17.
Suddenly comes a voice so stern, ho,
Rebuke me as an unreasonable ghost.
“You should retreat as fast as you can, ho,
Don’t get into a bad fix being in jail.”
I am frightened, at a loss what to do, ho;
I am so stunned falling onto earth.
I ride on a whale so bulky and colossal, ho,
Hoping to visit Dragon King of south sea.
Treading on the ocean extending wide and far, ho,
Darting forth through startling breakers.
The turtle18 suspects me plotting against him, ho;
He tells prawns19 to block my advance.
Noticing the monster20 so ugly and fierce, ho,
I pull my whale to go backwards.
I ride on a phoenix soaring up, ho,
Visiting Queen Goddess21 in west in Jade Pond22.
Arriving and hovering, ho,
The phoenix will land in the courtyard.
Queen Goddess orders Fengmeng23, ho,
To draw the bow to shoot at me.
I am so grievous and awed, ho,
And escape by the strong wings of the phoenix.
Now it’s dusk and twilight, ho,
The sky so dark and gloomy.
Stars so scarce and clouds so thin, ho,
The moon so bright.
A sudden golden light so luminous, ho,
The rainbow bridge spanning the sky.
I step on it and follow it, ho,
Enter the Broad-Cold Palace24.
I observe the pavilions so high, ho,
And corridors so meandering.
I explore the depth of rooms, ho,
Some shut and some open.
Walls and doors of snow heaped up, ho,
Paths and steps of sleet and hail
Beams and pillars of rainbow, ho,
Screens and drapery of silvery afterglow.
Pearly curtains of frozen dews, ho,
Beds and tables of crystalline frost.
Railings and stairs of hard ice, ho,
Brocade canopy of clouds and mists.
I look round in all the palace rooms, ho,
Don’t know the whereabouts of moon goddess.
I trace the lucid brook, babbling along, ho,
Go through the lush woods, so hazy.
I scramble the mound, a little steep, ho,
A small arbor there, with roof corners winged up.
I behold the moon goddess, so beautiful, ho,
Only she’s so sad and taciturn.
Glad to have guest, she rises to meet me, ho,
Moving on her noble toes, so nimbly.
She’s so charming and pretty, ho,
So delicate and attractive.
She’s so lovely and elegant, ho,
So graceful and bonnie.
She’s so chic and gorgeous, ho,
So slender and ladylike.
Her face in the form of goose egg, ho,
Her skin white like congealed tallow.
Her forehead is square-shaped25, ho,
Her hair like black silk.
Her eyebrows like willow leaves, ho,
Her eyes like sleeping silkworm26.
Her mouth like red water caltrop, ho,
Her nose like jade peak.
Her ears shaped like marble bow, ho,
Her neck like jade pillar.
Her arms like tender lotus roots27, ho,
Her body like jade tree trunk28.
Her hands like spring weeds, so soft, ho,
Her fingers like scallions, so pointed.
Her breasts like twin peaks, elevated, ho,
Her waist like emerald thread29, so slim.
Her sleeves tucked up, showing snowy elbows, ho,
Her short skirt revealing her natural feet.
Her voice, when speaking, like singing orioles, ho,
Her breath, when exhaling, having musk scent.
Her pose so pretty, making galaxies crumble, ho,
Her visage so stunning, making universe collapse.
Heavenly props break, earthly ropes snap30, ho,
If she lets out a sweet smile.
She asks me where from, ho,
And why to come.
Now that bosom friends meet, ho,
I pour out my emotions.
I pity her for her solitude, ho,
She sympathizes with me for my loneliness.
Since our feelings are the same, ho,
Why not cry our hearts out?
She asks me not to leave, ho,
So we can keep company and console each other.
Since the world loves me not, ho,
I would fain stay here; why go back?

[1] Lingxiao Hall in Heaven is where the Jade Emperor holds his levee.
[2] Zaofu was the driver for King Mu of Zhou Dynasty.
[3] Jingwei, in Chinese mythology, was a bird that wanted to fill the sea by throwing pebbles into it.
[4] Southern Gate, in Chinese mythology, was the gate to the palace of the Jade Emperor in Heaven.
[5] Jade Emperor, in Chinese mythology, was the ruler in Heaven and on earth.
[6] Juling was the gatekeeper in Heaven.
[7] Weak Stream, in Chinese mythology, was a stream without buoyancy and even a feather would sink on its water. So it was called Weak Stream.
[8] Kunlun Mountain was situated on the west side of the Weak Stream, on which lived the God of Longevity.
[9] The god of Longevity kept a stork as his page, generally called Stork Page.
[10] Tao here meant a kind of magic power to make people immortal.
[11] Master here denoted the God of Longevity.
[12] Penghu was the name of islands in the east sea, where goddesses dwelled.
[13] Fuling is a kind of herb that has some medical quality.
[14] Leiyin Temple was supposed to be somewhere in India, where the Buddha lived.
[15] Five-Finger Hill, in the famous novel “Journey to the West”, the Monkey King was shut up under that hill by the Buddha.  The hill was supposed to form from the five fingers of the Buddha.
[16] Doushuai was the name of the palace in which Laojun lived.
[17] Laojun was a god here. His full name was Taishang Laojun, and also called Laozi, who was the establisher of Taoism.
[18] Turtle, in Chinese mythology, was the prime minister of the dragon king in the sea.
[19] Prawns, in Chinese mythology, were soldiers of the dragon king.
[20] Monster here, in Chinese mythology, was a fighter of the dragon king.
[21] Queen Goddess was the wife of the Heavenly Emperor or Jade Emperor.
[22] Jade Pond was the name of a place in west where Queen Goddess lived.
[23] Fengmeng was a legendary expert in archery.
[24] Broad-Cold Palace was in the moon where the moon goddess lived.
[25] In Chinese idea, the forehead looks pretty when square-shaped.
[26] A girl’s eyes look beautiful like in the shape of sleeping silkworm.
[27] A girl’s arms are deemed beautiful when looking like white tender lotus roots.
[28] A girl’s body has a good figure when shaped like a straight jade tree trunk. Jade here means white and smooth.
[29] Emerald thread is used to describe the thin waist of girls.
[30] In Chinese mythology, heaven was propped up and the four corners of the earth were tied with four ropes.

海外逸士老师，我不是说lean不是指瘦/不肥，也不是说heart不是心。但是，heart lean或者lean heart在英语里面的意思，和诗歌原文所表达的心意憔悴的瘦，没有办法放在一起。恕我不才无知，你在哪里见过英语里用lean heart或者heart lean来形容人(心)的，更用来形容人的心情的?

這是中國文化﹐翻譯就說把中國文化介紹給外國人。作個註解就可以了。

白雲頌

啊﹐白雲﹐清麗的白雲﹐
像一片悠然的白帆﹐
漂浮在藍天之下﹐
沐浴著金色的陽光。
妳自由自在﹐
漫遊在天際。
妳無拘無束﹐
翱翔在高空。
妳飄呀飄﹐
飄向海天相吻之處。

啊﹐白雲﹐純潔的白雲﹐
像個身穿紗禮服的新娘﹐
在碧空下翩翩起舞。
妳姿態美妙﹐
瀟灑悠雅﹐
緩緩步向那高峰禮台之旁。

啊﹐白雲﹐悠悠的白雲﹐
像一隻湖面上的白天鵝﹐
憩息在碧波之上。
妳沉靜如處子﹐
亮麗如靚女。
像天使般地滑行在日邊。

啊﹐白雲﹐靜靜的白雲﹐
像一朵蓬鬆的棉絮﹐
懸遊在湛藍的晴空。
妳載沉載浮﹐
輕輕蕩漾。
妳躺在微風的懷裡﹐
搖曳生姿。

啊﹐白雲﹐多姿的白雲。
妳變幻莫測﹐
千形百態。
妳幻成蒼狗﹐
幻成蛟龍。
妳聚而為白蓮﹐
散而為綺霞。

啊﹐白雲﹐親愛的白雲﹐
請把我負在妳背上﹐
遨遊四海﹐
去到大地的邊界﹐
去到長天的盡頭。
我仰望日月星辰﹐
我俯視洋洲山川。
我引吭高歌﹐
與天籟氣機相接。
我身心消融﹐
與白雲化為一體

Ode to White Clouds

Ah, white clouds, pretty white clouds,
Like a leisurely white sail,
Floating under the azure sky,
Basking in the golden sunlight.
You so carefree,
Roaming at the verge of the sky.
You so glad at ease,
Hovering high in the air.
You wafting and wafting
To where heaven kissing the sea.

Ah, white clouds, pure white clouds,
Like a bride in a gauze wedding dress,
Dancing under the blue sky;
Your pose so graceful,
So lovely and beautiful,
Gliding slowly to that peak of the wedding dais.

Ah, white clouds, elegant white clouds,
Like a white swan on the lake,
Resting on the emerald ripples.
You so demure like a virgin,
So charming like a damsel,
Like an angel winging at the side of the sun.

Ah, white clouds, quiet white clouds,
Like a bank of fluffy cotton,
Hanging in the sapphire sunny sky.
You slightly undulating,
Gently rocking.
You lie in the embrace of the breeze
Posturing adorably.

Ah, white clouds, multi-posed white clouds,
You so unpredictable.
So changeable in form.
You now in the shape of a dog,
Now transforming into a dragon.
You now gathering as a white lotus,
Now scattering as afterglow.

Ah, white clouds, dear white clouds,
Let me ride on your back, please,
Traveling over the four seas,
To the edge of the good earth.
To the end of the vast sky.
I look up at the sun, the moon, and stars.
I overlook oceans, mountains and rivers.
I sing at the top of my voice,
My breath linking the ether of the universe.
My body and heart
Melting into white clouds.

[若將疊句“春柳﹐春柳”易為“星斗﹐星斗”，是否好？]
因為接後面的“柳綠”。

悼張純如

嗚呼純如﹐英年早逝。哀哉痛矣﹐泣血以祭。憶昔日寇侵華﹐卿尚隔世。金陵血屠﹐是為國恥。而卿雖生美﹐仍為華裔。遠隔重洋﹐心系慘史。是以殫精竭慮﹐數載秉筆。遂成巨著﹐留傳後世。詎料倭寇驚怖﹐頻施威脅。卿情何堪﹐擾亂日滋。一夕驚聞﹐卿已謝世。芳華盛年﹐遽然夭逝。華人獲知﹐皆感痛惜。余雖陌路﹐玉容未睽。悲悼之情﹐實深余懷。故成此文﹐以申哀思。嗚呼痛哉﹐伏維尚饗。

Mourn for Iris Chang

Alas, Iris Chang, you died so young. I bemoan; I lament; I mourn with bloody tears when offering you libation. I recollect the Japanese invasion into China. At that time, you were not born yet. The massacre in Nanking was really the national disgrace. Although you were born in the US, you were the descendent of the Chinese. You lived across the vast ocean, but you were concerned with the tragic history. Therefore, you took great pains engaged in the writing for several years. You finished the great book, which would be handed down to our posterity. Out of expectation, the former Japanese invaders got terrified and kept giving you threats, which led you to the tragedy. One day, all of a sudden, the horrid news spread of your untimely death. You passed away so young and so suddenly when you were enjoying the prime of your years. Chinese people, when knowing it, all mourned for you. Although you were a stranger to me and I never even saw your face, yet my grief is the same, as deep as that of others. That’s why I wrote this to express my lamentation. Alas, this is so sad. Please come to take my libation for you.

祭蟹文

嗚呼蟹兄﹐汝我有緣。行將就釜﹐汝莫我怨。汝雖頂盔貫甲﹐一意橫行﹔我非劍客俠士﹐豈打不平。憶昔碧波清水﹐悠哉游哉﹔如今縛螯縛足﹐無以生還。蓋緣紅白對映﹐色相誘人﹔膏腴脂凝﹐薑香引津。是以饞蟲大動﹐食慾遂生﹔欲不烹汝﹐莫可自禁。古謂匹夫無罪﹐懷璧其罪﹔嗚呼哀哉﹐此汝之謂。烹既已熟﹐請入我腹﹔快矣樂哉﹐得享口福。蟹兄蟹兄﹐伏祈見諒﹔願爾來世﹐速投人胎。蟹魂不遠﹐汝其來饗﹔嗚呼莫怨﹐嗚呼莫哀。

Elegiac Speech to Crab

Alas, Brother Crab, karma brings us together.  You’ll soon go to the wok, don’t hate me. Although you are clad in helmet and armor, and “go sideways” at will, I am not a knight or warrior, and won’t take justice in my hands. Recalling that you swam and crawled freely in blue waves and clear water before; but now you are tied pincers and legs, how can you return alive? It is because your color and beauty’s so tempting with red and white inside in contrast. Your meat’s so tasty and dainty plus the aroma of the ginger, both inviting my saliva. Therefore, my “gluttonous worm”1 within stimulated and my appetite roused. Even if I don’t want to cook you, I can’t keep myself from it now. It was said in the olden time that “a guy at large, though actually unguilty, is deemed guilty for the possession of jade”2. Alas, so sad! That’s what you are. When you are well cooked, please come into my stomach. I’m so happy and glad to enjoy the delicacies. Brother Crab, Brother Crab, please forgive my doing so. I pray that you will turn to be a human in your next incarnation. If your crab ghost is not far away, come to have my libation. Alas, don’t hate me. Alas, don’t mourn.

　　海兄饕殄膏腴殆盡，復以何物祭奠蟹魂耶？

辯論激烈﹐忘了這裡。抱歉。
--------------------------------

秋賦

秋之時序以農曆七﹑八﹑九月為期。故八月十五日謂之中秋日﹐乃一秋之中也。否則﹐何以命之為中秋。古人曰﹕“月到中秋分外明”。蓋天高氣爽﹐萬里無雲﹐時當月圓﹐清光愈盛。當此之時﹐聚三五知交﹐會於園中﹐以茶代酒﹐以果當饌﹐清談娓娓﹐戲謔暢懷。亦人生之一大樂事耳。及皓月當空﹐齊仰首視之。李白詩云﹕“小時不識月﹐呼作白玉盤。”東坡詩云﹕“暮雲收盡溢清寒﹐銀漢無聲轉玉盤。”此之謂也。然以余觀之﹐圓月泛光﹐非玉可比。以鏡喻之﹐似較貼切。第鏡能鑒人﹐月不能也。故此喻亦似未妥。暫以存疑。

秋之種種﹐非一言能蔽之。想初秋繼夏﹐暑氣未消﹐時有蒸熱﹐故有秋老虎之謂。方此之時﹐雖曰秋至﹐實仍夏焉。欲省冷氣﹐不可得也。及至稍涼﹐以扇代之﹐始適老伴之意。亦窮書生之無可奈何者。
       
俗謂秋貌多變。時晴時陰者有之﹐時風時雨者有之。至若秋雨綿綿﹐連日不開﹐陰鬱之氣﹐侵人脾胃。天公不作美﹐郊遊之興﹐為之阻抑。故而呼朋招友﹐會於堂室﹐持螯飲酒﹐吟詩作對。至於微雨賞菊﹐別饒情趣。庭階玉砌﹐菊花羅列﹐水珠汗滴﹐嬌姿臨風。其樂如斯﹐不亞登高。余雖不餐秋菊之落英﹐亦插黃花於衣。
       
及至秋深露冷﹐衣被加厚。花落葉黃﹐隨風起舞。或蟬鳴漸稀﹐悲時令之嬗遞。或蛩聲轉哀﹐知寒冬之將臨。唯吾輩俗士﹐於化土之前﹐亦感時不我待﹐遂強吟悲秋之句曰﹕

一年虛度又臨秋﹐回首人生半是愁。老去何堪功不就﹐無奈日日醉鄉遊。

Essay on Autumn

The period of autumn comprises the seventh, eighth and ninth moons in lunar calendar. So the fifteenth date of the eighth moon is Mid-Autumn Day, the middle of autumn. Or, how can the day be named as Mid-Autumn Day? An ancient poet said, “The moon is specially bright at Mid-Autumn.” Because the sky looks so vast and the air is so cool as there are no clouds for a myriad miles, the moon grows round, and its brightness is to its full. At such a time, gathering of three or five bosom friends, meeting in the garden, drinking tea instead of wine, eating fruits instead of dishes, having a heart-to-heart talk, and joking to the utmost content, all those are great pleasures in life. When the moon rises to the zenith, all present look up at it. Li Bai had lines: “Not knowing the moon when very young, I call it a white jade plate.”  Su Shi said, “As dusk clouds cleared, the sky's overflowed with cool light. And noiselessly the Jade-Plate moves in Milky Way.”  That’s what they described.  But in my opinion, the full moon with bright light should not be compared to jade. It’s more suitable to compare it to the mirror. However, the mirror can reflect images, but the moon can’t. So this comparison is still not appropriate. Let it take the benefit of the doubt for the time being.
       
All conditions in autumn can’t be covered in a word.  Methinks, just at the beginning of autumn succeeding summer, the heat won’t entirely recede, and so sometimes, it can be still hot. It is called Indian summer. At such a time, though it is autumn, yet it is really still summer. If I want to save some expense on air-conditioning, I suffer the failure. As it turns a little cool, I use fans instead, which is just what my wife wishes for saving energy. This is what a poor scholar can do.
       
They say that aspects of autumn are changeable: sometimes fine, sometimes cloudy, sometimes windy and sometimes rainy. When autumn rains keep in endless fall for days, the coolness in the air will steal into human body. Since Heaven acts nastily, our touring enthusiasm is dampened. Therefore, I have to call my friends to meet me in my house. Then we eat crabs and sip wine while we chant poems and write couplets. And it is particularly interesting to watch chrysanthe-mums in drizzles. The chrysanthemums are arranged on the marble steps of the courtyard, with raindrops like sweat dripping. They stand in the wind, looking so graceful. The enjoyment in this is no less than when we get on hilltops. Although I don’t eat the fallen petals of the chrysanthemums, I stick the yellow flowers on my coat.
       
When in late autumn, even the dews are cold. I put on more clothes and quilts. The blossoms are falling and the leaves turning yellow, dancing in the wind. The chirping of the cicadas is scarcely heard. They also lament at the change of the seasons. Even cheeping of the crickets sounds sad as if they know there will soon be the advent of the chilly winter. As for those vulgar scholars like me, they also feel that time won’t wait for anyone before their bones turn to dust. I, thereby, compose a poem about grievous autumn:

I’ve spent another year for nothing, and now autumn comes again;
When looking back in my life, half of it consists of sorrow.
How can I bear, as now aging, that I’ve achieved nothing?
So I cannot but give myself up in the drunken land everyday.

《浮生六記》延陵氏後序

渺乎其遙哉﹗天道悠悠﹐莫之能窺。慨世事蒼黃﹐浮生若夢。悲江水長逝﹐雪鴻無蹤。孤雁哀鳴﹐白首難期。夭桃摧絕﹐紅顏命乖。海棠麗質﹐遭風雨之妒嫉。萍草無根﹐歷漂泊之艱辛。方魚水之相得﹐效鸞鳳而于飛﹔詎料連理枝折﹐堪嘆魂夢難接。何物造化﹐播弄眾生。既生佳人情重﹐才子意長﹔不與良辰久享﹐美景共賞。窮困潦倒﹐誰言大任將降﹖淚枯心瘦﹐豈是淑閣情暢﹖自古好事多磨﹐天意難問﹔蒼皮百圍﹐地力虛載3。篷瀛無路4﹐玄海有邊5。和靖6安在﹐嗣宗7往矣。傷伊人之玉隕﹐徒留佳話。哀蕙蘭之香消﹐豈忍卒讀。數言未盡﹐筆灑墨淚。四韻吟成﹐聲轉哀咽。詩云﹕

淡月搖寒焰﹐涼風透素衣。秋侵人影瘦﹐霜染菊花肥。
悲去鴛衾冷﹐啼來杜宇悽。泉台冥路斷﹐何處芳魂歸﹖

Postword1 of Yanlingshi2 on “Six Chapters of Floating Life”3

So far, far away!  Providence is at a tremendous distance; no one can learn its will. I sigh for world events so changeable and the floating life like a dream. I grieve for the river water flowing away forever and wild geese gone without leaving any trace on snow4.  Like a bereft goose crying so melancholy, her life mate can’t live till their hair grows white.  Like pretty peach blooms being destroyed, the fate of the beauty is so lamentable.  The Chinese crabapple is so delicate and suffers from the envy of winds and rains.  The duckweed is rootless and so experiences all hardship of floating and roaming.  Just as they get along like fish in water or like phoenixes flying side by side, unexpectedly, however, the intertwined boughs of twin trees are broken5 and they sigh for being unable even to meet in dreams.  What is Heaven that plays tricks on humans?  Now that the fair lady is born with deep love and the man of letters with pure affection, why not let them enjoy good time forever and view beautiful scenery together?  Who said that a man in poverty and destitution is destined for great tasks6?  Should the affection of a lady end in her tears running dry and her heart becoming lean?  Since the ancient time, good things always undergo tribulations. It’s difficult to ask Heaven why they should be as they are. Old black tree bark with the circumference of a hundred feet, the ground supports it in vain7.  There’s no way to Pengying8, but the Bitter Sea9 has bounds. Where is Hejing10 now? And Sizong11 is long gone.  I mourn for the death of the lady; her story remains, but what’s the use? I grieve that she died like the orchid withering with no more fragrance left.  I cannot bear to finish her story. When these words have not expressed what I have to say, my pen is dripping with tears of ink.  As I finish the writing of the eight lines, my voice in chanting becomes melancholy.  My poem goes as follows:

The flame of the candle sways in the pale moonlight;
The cool wind permeates her thin dress.
Autumn intrudes and her shadow gets meager;
Frost dyes the chrysanthemum so fat12.
As she’s sadly gone, the quilts are left cold.
And cuckoo’s cry sounds so sorrowful.
Since the gloomy road to Hades discontinued,
Where does her sweet ghost return to?

敦煌賦

敦煌古鎮﹐壁畫之鄉。絲綢舊道﹐地接西疆。馬駝商旅﹐東達咸陽。華夷物易﹐賴此以昌。且又北通戈壁﹐南枕崇岡。沙漠綠域﹐曾居戎羌。畫岩窟洞﹐傳自盛唐。偉哉敦煌﹐華夏之光。千窟百穴﹐瑰寶是藏。但見飛天在壁﹐彩繪呈牆。金璧輝映﹐藍白紅黃。至若女神翔舞﹐綢帶飄颺。背彈琵琶﹐仙音嘹揚。壯哉敦煌﹐九洲之芳。莫高榆林﹐萬像是彰。菩薩神佛﹐均著彩裝。土塑石雕﹐群氓所創。千姿百態﹐各呈其相。坐立站臥﹐莫不有方。佛兮佛兮﹐頂輝聖光。菩薩諸神﹐莊重安詳。敦煌故地﹐亦曰陽關。玉門要塞﹐戍者難還。王維詩曰﹕“西出陽關無故人”。之渙亦云﹕“春風不度玉門關”。故而聞“三疊”之離曲﹐遂悲吟而淚潸。而今汽車如龍﹐鐵路已通。藍天白雲﹐飛機橫空。喜古城之新顏﹐樂街市之繁榮。招旅客之熙攘﹐暢東西之交融。噫吁嘻﹗微斯地﹐吾孰可思夢﹖

Essay on Dunhuang

Dunhuang is an ancient town, the land of the cave paintings. It was also the Silk Way then to the western regions. The caravans of horses and camels came eastward through it to Xianyang3. Therefore, the development of the trade between old China and western states depended on this thoroughfare. It could lead north to Gobi desert and south to the high mountains4. It is the oasis in deserts. The Jiang Clan once lived here. The rock paintings in the caverns are handed down from the prosperous Tang Dynasty. How great is Dunhuang, the glory of China. In thousands of the grottos are stored such treasure. Sky-fliers5 are seen on the rocky walls and also the other colorful paintings. They look splendid in blue, white, red and yellow. The goddesses hover and dance, the long bands on their dress tracing in the air. Some play lutes on the back, the fancied celestial music resounding. Magnificent is Dunhuang, the wonder of Cathay. In the caves of Mogao and Yulin6, thousands of statues are conspicuous. Buddhas and gods are painted in multi-colored garments. The sculptures in stone were all engraved by common people. The statues are in various postures, all showing different features. Some standing, some sitting or lying, all arranged as planned. Buddhas have halo behind heads and gods look so stern and serene.
       
The old town Dunhuang was also named Yang Pass. Another name was Jade Gate Pass, a border town at that time. Soldiers guarding the place were not easy to return home alive. Poet Wang Wei had a line: “West across Yang Pass, there are no friends.” Another Poet Zhihuan said, “The Spring wind never crosses the Jade Gate Pass.” That’s why, when hearing the parting song of “Three Refrains of Yang Pass”, poets would chant in sorrow with tears down.
       
But now, cars come and go incessantly, and railways are already in service. In the blue sky and under white clouds, airplanes shuttle over it. Glad that the old town puts on a new face and happy that the streets look so prosperous. It invites the travelers there in hustle and bustle and brings west and east together in harmony. Ah! If not of this place, which town can I think or dream?

陳君傳

夫諸海之中唯情海之風波獨多耳。甜酸苦辣﹐五味畢具。悲歡離合﹐七情齊備。其情事之可憫可嘆者﹐可悲可喜者﹐令人感之深焉。陳君者﹐余所善一翁之友也﹐乃富賈子。其女友乃文氏女也﹔父營二廠﹐家道殷實。是歲﹐陳年弱冠逾四。滬地淪陷已三載。某日﹐陳偕其女友赴舞會。主人待客深周。盤列中西名點﹐杯泛牛奶咖啡。舞歇歌繼﹐言笑歡洽。至餐時﹐佳餚堆盆﹐盛饌載席。酒映燈影﹐箸響碟銀。或姆戰﹐或戲謔。餐畢復舞﹐夜闌始散。人影離亂﹐互道晚安。陳與女友出﹐適一街車緩駛而來。陳止之求載﹐乃入。前座尚有一人。陳意乃駕車者之友而搭乘也﹐不之怪。車遂駛去﹐幾經拐彎﹐至“法大馬路”而東﹐背道馳也。陳始驚愕﹐問之不答。再問﹐答曰﹕“惜命﹐閉嘴。”車至外灘﹐驟止﹐推陳出車。載女過外白渡橋而去﹐至新雅酒家﹐時為日寇軍官俱樂部也。置女一室﹐備受凌辱﹐終日思陳﹐淚無已時。陳目車逝﹐狂呼不得﹐痛哭而歸。是夜﹐寢不寐﹐旦即起﹐奔告女家﹐舉宅悲慟。女父遣人四出尋訪無著。陳亦舉城求之而不得﹐愁緒縈懷﹐鎮日鎖眉﹐寢食不思﹐衣帶漸寬。其母哀之﹐勸其別娶。陳莫之聽﹐冥求更急﹐舉動若狂。如是者數年﹐終不知女之所在。至寇降﹐女始歸家﹐備言其狀﹐聽者酸鼻﹐各盡欷歔。陳聞女歸﹐急趨其家﹐欲一傾相思之情。女拒不見﹐令婢傳言云“玷辱之軀不堪以奉君子。願君別娶﹐勿復為念。”陳堅欲見之﹐對曰﹕“卿之所受﹐余盡知之﹐可憫可諒。此非卿之過矣。余心如舊﹐卿勿見拒。”且責之以盟誓。俟於客室三日不去。女感其意﹐乃見之﹐遂偕秦晉。翁今歿矣。唯陳君伉儷存否﹐余莫知之。然其情事堪歌堪泣。余故傳焉。

A Tale of Mr. Chen

Well, of all the seas, the sea of love has the most gales and billows1. Sweet, sour, bitter, hot, there are all five tastes. Sorrow, joy, parting, meeting, there are all seven feelings. All the happenings are pitiable, sighable, woeful or blissful, touching deeply the hearts of readers. Mr. Chen was the friend of an old gentleman I knew. He was the son of a rich merchant. His girlfriend was Miss Wen, who came from a wealthy family, too. Her father owned two factories. That year, Chen was twenty-four years of age. Shanghai had been occupied by the Japanese army for three years. One day, Chen took his girlfriend to a dance party. The host gave excellent entertainment to the guests. Plates were filled with all sorts of refreshments of both Chinese and Western styles. Cups gleamed with coffee and milk. When dancing was in recess, singing ensued, mixed with gleeful chatting and laughing. At dinner time, tables were loaded with dainties and plates heaped with delicacies. Wine in cups reflected lamp light and ivory chopsticks clinked with silver dishes. Some played finger-guessing games and some made jokes. Dancing resumed after dinner. The party ended at midnight. The human shadows were overlapped in hustle and bustle. People bade each other farewell.
       
Chen left with his girlfriend. Just then, a taxi came slowly. Chen signaled it to stop and asked for a ride home. They went into the back seats. There was a man in the passenger seat in the front. Chen guessed that he must be a friend of the driver for a ride, too. He didn’t think that it was unusual and weird. The taxi sped forth. After a few turns on the way, it reached Consulate Road2, toward east. It went just in the opposite direction. Chen got scared and inquired about it. When he asked again, he got an answer, “Shut up if you don’t want to die.” Then, all of a sudden, the taxi stopped as it reached the Bund. They pushed Chen out of it and accelerated across the Garden Bridge with the girl still inside. The taxi parked outside Xinya Hotel, which was then a military club of the Japanese army. The girl was shut up in a room and lived in disgrace. She thought of Chen day and night in endless tears.
       
Chen witnessed the taxi speeding off and couldn’t chase it. He shouted after it in vain and had to return home, weeping bitterly. That night, he was sleepless. Early in the morning, he rushed to the home of the girl and told her parents about it. The girl’s household cried. Her father sent out his people in quest of her everywhere, but in vain. Chen himself also searched for her all over the city. He sank into great agony, knitting his brows all day long. He neglected his sleep and food, his clothes becoming loose by degrees day in and day out. His mother felt sorry for and sympathized with him. She advised him to marry another girl, but he wouldn’t listen and kept in quest of her all the more eagerly. He behaved like a mad man. Thus, a few years elapsed. No one knew where the girl was.

After the surrender of Japan, the girl at last returned home and told her family all about her sufferings. The listeners were all painfully moved and wept with compassion. When Chen learned her return, he hurried to her home, in hopes to express his lovesickness, but the girl refused to see him, sending down her maid with the words, “My sullied body doesn’t deserve your love any more. You should marry elsewhere and think of me no longer.” Chen persisted in seeing her, saying, “I know all your sufferings. It only deserves pity and sympathy. It’s not your own fault. My love for you is still the same. Please, come down and talk to me.” Furthermore, he resorted to the blame of her forgetfulness of their vows. He waited in their living room for three days. The girl was greatly touched and came down to meet him. Then they united in holy matrimony. Now the old gentleman passed away; so I am not in a position to know whether the couple is alive or not. However, their story is so plaintive and so touching. Therefore, I wrote this tale.

　　亡國之奴，必已事寇，可悲可嘆矣。

Counsel to Girls
Robert Herrick ( 1591-1674)

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
   Old time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day,
   Tomorrow will be dying.

The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
   The higher he's a-getting
The sooner will his race be run,
   And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
   When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst,
   Times, still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time;
   And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
   You may for ever tarry.


勸女于歸

采采薔薇﹐及彼未萎﹔日月其邁﹐韶華如飛。
今夕此花﹐灼灼其姿﹔翌日何如﹐將作枯枝。
朝暾炘炘﹐燦若天燈﹔其光熠熠﹐載耀載昇。
彌高其行﹐彌短其程﹔日中必昃﹐言曛言暝。
年當破瓜﹐妙齡之佳﹔精血方盛﹐及春歲華。
一旦虛度﹐將自怨嗟﹔韶華如舊﹐爰征以遐。
勸汝莫羞﹐及花仍稠﹔采之拮之﹐覓一良儔。
韶光易逝﹐歲月難留﹔良辰一誤﹐永無好逑。

To my Love----Sonnet #18
William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate;
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.


致余所愛

我欲將君比夏晝﹐君更嬌艷更媚柔。疾風吹搖五月蕾﹐夏日苦短行矣休。
時或驕陽何炎炎﹐常見金烏遭遮掩。美人之美易消逝﹐偶失天奪亦可憐。
君之長夏永不逝﹐君之花容能久駐。閻羅終未拘君去﹐不朽君因不朽句。
世間有人人能閱﹐我詩長存君并存。

Dirge of Love
William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
Come away, come away, Death,
And in sad cypres let me be laid;
    Fly away, fly away, breath;
I am slain by a fair cruel maid.
My shroud of white, stuck all with yew,
        O prepare it!
My part of death no one so true
        Did share it.
    Not a flower, not a flower sweet
On my black coffin let there be strown;
    Not a friend, not a friend greet
My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown;
A thousand thousand sighs to save,
        Lay me, O where
Sad true lover never find my grave,
        To weep there.
愛之輓歌

無常爾來矣﹐置我於柩床。一息已云絕﹐殺我乃姣娘。
麻絰及紫杉﹐速備慎毋忘。無人愛我深﹐乃肯殉我亡。
竟無一好花﹐撒余靈柩旁。竟無一良朋﹐弔余埋骨場。
不須為余泣﹐葬余在遐荒。親友無覓處﹐免其徒哀傷。

Psalm of Life
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
        Life is but an empty dream! —
    For the soul is dead that slumbers,
        And things are not what they seem.
Life is real !   Life is earnest!
        And the grave is not its goal;
    Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
        Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
        Is our destined end or way;
    But to act, that each to-morrow
        Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
        And our hearts, though stout and brave,
    Still, like muffled drums, are beating
        Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
        In the bivouac of Life,
    Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
        Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
        Let the dead Past bury its dead!
    Act,— act in the living Present!
        Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
        We can make our lives sublime,
    And, departing, leave behind us
        Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
        Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
    A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
        Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
        With a heart for any fate;
    Still achieving, still pursuing,
        Learn to labor and to wait.

生命篇

悲句莫我示﹕浮生虛若夢。魂睡實猶死﹐事非表像同。
吾生誠且真﹐其終豈丘墳。土生雖土歸﹐言身非言魂。
無歡亦無愁﹐命途非必達。為人須自強﹐翌日勝今日。
有涯度無涯﹐吾心雖壯勇﹔亦吟蒿里行﹐行行向丘塚。
此世等疆場﹐此生如逆旅。願作英豪爭﹐勿若牛被驅。
莫信未來樂﹐逝者任往休。自強須及時﹐心正神上佑。
前人豐功著﹐吾人亦可爾。身後留業跡﹐與時共磨移。
跡或他人留﹐苦海揚帆行﹔沉舟倖活者﹐見之為振奮。
吾儕須奮發﹐窮通莫在意。慘淡創宏圖﹐應知勤以俟。

出塞（唐）王昌齡

秦時明月漢時關，萬里長征人未還。 但使龍城飛將在，不教胡馬度陰山。

Across the Pass
by Wang Changling of Tang Dynasty

Under the moon of Qin or at the pass of Han,
Those, fighting myriad miles away, not return yet.
The “flying” general of Dragon City, if still here,
Wouldn't let Tartar cavalry cross Mt. Yin.

上高侍郎（唐）高蟾   

天上碧桃和露種﹐日邊紅杏倚雲栽。芙蓉生在秋江上﹐不向東風怨未開。

To Vice Minister Gao
by Gao Chan of Tang Dynasty

The green peach is grown with dew on Heaven;
The red apricot planted against clouds by the sun.
The lotus on the autumn river growing,
Never complains to east wind for not blooming.

攏袖觀棋有所思  分明楚漢兩軍持 非常歡喜非常惱  不著棋人總不知

Watching Chess-Play
by Yuanmei

I'm musing while with hands in sleeves I'm watching chess-play
It's obvious that armies of Chu and Han are in battle array
I enjoy very much, but meantime very much in ado
For those who don't play chess will not at all know.

自責〉朱淑真
女子弄文誠可罪  那堪詠月更吟風 磨穿鐵硯非吾事  繡折金針卻有功

Self-Blame
by Zhu Shuzhen

It's guilty for the female to have anything written
Let alone chanting poems of the wind and the moon
It's not my business to wear out an iron-hard inkstone
My merit is to embroider till the needle is broken

偶題〉張耒
相逢記得畫橋頭  花似精神柳似柔 莫謂無情即無語  春風傳意水傳愁

Accidentally Written
by Zhang Lei

I can still remember the meeting on the painted bridge
(She's) Spirited like flowers and supple like willow
Don't say that no words mean no love
Spring wind conveys the feeling, and water the sorrow

朱淑真的“葬花吟”呀。豈料女子文學，已經成為中國文學的重要組成部份，地位獨特，不可或缺。