Translation
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Li Bai (701-762)
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李白
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Listening to Shu Province Monk Jun Play the Lute
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聽蜀僧濬彈琴
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A monk from Shu
holds the green and elegant lute,
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蜀僧
抱綠綺
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Having come from the west,
the mountains of Emei.
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西下
峨眉峰
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For me alone
he work his hands
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為我
一揮手
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And it feels like listening to
thousands of streams among the pines
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如聽
萬壑松
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Where the soul of the listener
is bathed in flowing water:
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客心
洗流水
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The lingering echoes
enter as crystals in a clock.
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餘響
入霜鐘
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Without awareness,
the sun has set over the mountain green
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不覺
碧山暮
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And the autumn clouds
have darkened a few shades.
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秋雲
暗幾重
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Original Chinese
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Traditional
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Simplified
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Pronunciation
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李白
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李白
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Lǐ Bái
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聽蜀僧濬彈琴
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听蜀僧浚弹琴
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Tīng shǔ sēng jùn tán qín
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蜀僧抱綠綺，
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蜀僧抱绿绮，
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Shǔ sēng bào lǜ qǐ,
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西下峨眉峰；
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西下峨眉峰；
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Xī xià é méi fēng;
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為我一揮手，
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为我一挥手，
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Wèi wǒ yī huī shǒu,
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如聽萬壑松。
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如听万壑松。
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Rú tīng wàn hè sōng.
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客心洗流水，
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客心洗流水，
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Kè xīn xǐ liú shuǐ,
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餘響入霜鐘。
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余响入霜钟。
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Yú xiǎng rù shuāng zhōng.
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不覺碧山暮，
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不觉碧山暮，
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Bù jué bì shān mù,
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秋雲暗幾重？
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秋云暗几重？
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Qiū yún àn jǐ chóng?
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Literal Notes
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李白
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Plum White=Li Bai(701-762)
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聽蜀僧濬彈琴
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Listen/hear Shu monk/sangha Jun/profound/deep play
lute/stringed-instrument/guitar
[Shu= Sichuan province in southwest China, one of the
three kingdoms in the fall of Han Dynasty.]
[Jun= the monk’s name]
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蜀僧抱綠綺，
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Shu monk embrace/hug/hold/carry/cherish Green
Beautiful/open-work-silk/fine-silk/elegant/beautiful
[Green Beautiful/open-work-silk=the lute’s name]
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西下峨眉峰；
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West down/downward/below/lower/later/bring-down E/lofty
Mei/eyebrows high-or-tapered-peak/summit/highest-level/mountain-like-in-appearance
[E Mei= Mt. Emei in Emei county in Sichuan]
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為我一揮手，
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As/for/to/do/by/serve-as/behave-as I/me
one/single/as-soon-as wave hand |
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如聽萬壑松。
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As-if/seem/as/like listen thousands-of gully/narrow-ravines/bed-of-torrents
pine-tree/fir-tree |
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客心洗流水，
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Customer/visitor/guest heart/mind/spirit/soul wash/bathe
flowing/running water
[flowing/running water=idiom to describe the good virtuoso
that the music is like lofty mountains and running water. It also means a good music performance can cause empathy in the listeners.] |
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餘響入霜鐘。
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Remaining/residue/extra/surplus echo/sound/noise/ring/loud
enter/go-into/join/become frost/white-powder/cream-spread-over-a-surface/crystalize bell/clock |
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不覺碧山暮，
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Not sense/feel/aware/wake-up green/jade/blue
hill/mountain/gable evening/sunset/nightfall
[Not sense = unconscious]
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秋雲暗幾重？
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Autumn cloud dim/dark/gloomy/muddled/obscure how-many/a-few
level/layer/heavy |