琵琶行, composed by Bai Juyi (772-846) in AD 817, aged 45. Another much-loved Tang poem from forty years ago.
( http://baike.baidu.com/view/33438.htm )
琵琶行 -- 白居易
浔阳江头夜送客，枫叶荻花秋瑟瑟。
主人下马客在船，举酒欲饮无管弦。
醉不成欢惨将别，别时茫茫江浸月。
忽闻水上琵琶声，主人忘归客不发。
寻声暗问弹者谁？琵琶声停欲语迟。
移船相近邀相见，添酒回灯重开宴。
千呼万唤始出来，犹抱琵琶半遮面。
转轴拨弦三两声，未成曲调先有情。
弦弦掩抑声声思，似诉平生不得志。
低眉信手续续弹，说尽心中无限事。
轻拢慢捻抹复挑，初为《霓裳》后《六幺》
大弦嘈嘈如急雨，小弦切切如私语。
嘈嘈切切错杂弹，大珠小珠落玉盘。
间关莺语花底滑，幽咽泉流冰下难。
冰泉冷涩弦凝绝，凝绝不通声暂歇。
别有幽愁暗恨生，此时无声胜有声。
银瓶乍破水浆迸，铁骑突出刀枪鸣。
曲终收拨当心画，四弦一声如裂帛。
东船西舫悄无言，唯见江心秋月白。
沉吟放拨插弦中，整顿衣裳起敛容。
自言本是京城女，家在虾蟆陵下住。[虾蟆(há má)陵]
十三学得琵琶成，名属教坊第一部。
曲罢曾教善才服，妆成每被秋娘妒。
五陵年少争缠头，一曲红绡不知数。
钿头银篦击节碎，血色罗裙翻酒污。
今年欢笑复明年，秋月春风等闲度。
弟走从军阿姨死，暮去朝来颜色故。
门前冷落鞍马稀，老大嫁作商人妇。
商人重利轻别离，前月浮梁买茶去。
去来江口守空船，绕船月明江水寒。
夜深忽梦少年事，梦啼妆泪红阑干。
我闻琵琶已叹息，又闻此语重唧唧。
同是天涯沦落人，相逢何必曾相识！
我从去年辞帝京，谪居卧病浔阳城。
浔阳地僻无音乐，终岁不闻丝竹声。
住近湓江地低湿，黄芦苦竹绕宅生。
其间旦暮闻何物？杜鹃啼血猿哀鸣。
春江花朝秋月夜，往往取酒还独倾。
岂无山歌与村笛，呕哑嘲哳难为听。
今夜闻君琵琶语，如听仙乐耳暂明。
莫辞更坐弹一曲，为君翻作《琵琶行》。
感我此言良久立，却坐促弦弦转急。
凄凄不似向前声，满座重闻皆掩泣。
座中泣下谁最多? 江州司马青衫湿。
Here appear occasional jottings of my random musings. Profound or jejune, they reveal the contours of my mental universe, with world history, intellectual history, civilizations, philosophy, religion, society, knowledge, and books as some major themes. Since May 2011, this blog has been exclusively focused on Singapore. All my other reflections are now posted in "Notes from Noosphere" (see link under "Miscellany" on the right margin).
Showing posts with label Chinese poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese poetry. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
將進酒 -- A poem for the ages
A great Tang Dynasty poem composed by Li Bai in AD 752 when he was 51.
What else happened at that time? The Abbasid Caliphate was founded in AD 750, and defeated the Tang forces in the battle of Talas in AD 751. This battle was crucial in deciding the border between the Sinic and the Islamic civilizations, and the limits of the Sinic civilization.
Charles Martel halted the advance of Islam into Europe by defeating the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate in the Battle of Poitiers on October 10, 732. This battle was also crucial in determining the boundary between the Christian and the Islamic civilizations.
I probably first came across the poem in 1970. Forty years on, I am now older than the poet when he composed it.
Indeed this is a poem for the ages -- an everlasting literary masterpiece. In essence:
Bibo ergo sum (I drink, therefore I am) -- Li Bai
Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am) -- Descarte
將進酒 --李白
君不見黃河之水天上來，奔流到海不復回？
君不見高堂明鏡悲白髮，朝如青絲暮成雪？
人生得意須盡歡，莫使金樽空對月。
天生我才必有用，千金散盡還復來。
烹羊宰牛且為樂，會須一飲三百杯。
岑夫子，丹丘生，將進酒，杯莫停。
與君歌一曲，請君為我傾耳聽：
鍾鼓饌玉不足貴，但願長醉不願醒。
古來聖賢皆寂寞，唯有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時宴平樂，斗酒十千恣讙謔。
主人為何言少錢？徑須沽取對君酌。
五花馬、千金裘。
呼兒將出換美酒，與爾同銷萬古愁。
(http://baike.baidu.com/view/31478.htm)
What else happened at that time? The Abbasid Caliphate was founded in AD 750, and defeated the Tang forces in the battle of Talas in AD 751. This battle was crucial in deciding the border between the Sinic and the Islamic civilizations, and the limits of the Sinic civilization.
Charles Martel halted the advance of Islam into Europe by defeating the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate in the Battle of Poitiers on October 10, 732. This battle was also crucial in determining the boundary between the Christian and the Islamic civilizations.
I probably first came across the poem in 1970. Forty years on, I am now older than the poet when he composed it.
Indeed this is a poem for the ages -- an everlasting literary masterpiece. In essence:
Bibo ergo sum (I drink, therefore I am) -- Li Bai
Cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am) -- Descarte
將進酒 --李白
君不見黃河之水天上來，奔流到海不復回？
君不見高堂明鏡悲白髮，朝如青絲暮成雪？
人生得意須盡歡，莫使金樽空對月。
天生我才必有用，千金散盡還復來。
烹羊宰牛且為樂，會須一飲三百杯。
岑夫子，丹丘生，將進酒，杯莫停。
與君歌一曲，請君為我傾耳聽：
鍾鼓饌玉不足貴，但願長醉不願醒。
古來聖賢皆寂寞，唯有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時宴平樂，斗酒十千恣讙謔。
主人為何言少錢？徑須沽取對君酌。
五花馬、千金裘。
呼兒將出換美酒，與爾同銷萬古愁。
(http://baike.baidu.com/view/31478.htm)
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