The Battle Map Du Fu (712-770) The deeds today do not exceed those timesWhen battles broke our bloody lands in three.As rivers flow, the stones stay still within:The three states would not join in unity. Chinese 八陣圖杜甫 功蓋三分國名成八陣圖江流石不轉遺恨失吞吳 Pronunciation Bā Zhèn TúDù Fǔ Gōng gài sān fēn guóMíng gāo bā …
Read MoreSending Off Xing
Fate is a sword that swings by chance—I wonder where my brothers have gone.Wiping these tears that wet my sleeves,I comb my hair like a silken lawn.The earth is vulgar, vast, and wild,But Heaven is far, like the distant dawn.For who is spared from sickness …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “Watching Lady Gongsun’s Disciple Perform a Sword Dance” (300 Tang Dynasty Poems #64)
Preface On October 19th in the second year of the Dali era (766-779), in the house of the Kueifu official, Yuanchi, I watched a young lady, Li of Lingying, perform a sword dance with robust and impressive footing. I asked who her teacher was …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “Song of an Old Cypress” (300 Tang Poems #63)
Introduction This poem talks about a cypress tree, symbolizing virtuous men like Kongming, the honorific name of Zhuge Liang, an outstanding statesman from Chinese history. Du Fu wrote this poem in 766, when the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763) had been put down, but China was …
Read MoreDu Fu, “To Imperial Advisor Han” (300 Tang Poems #62)
Introduction Advisor Han worked for the Emperor during the Tang Dynasty. However, the country was thrown into disorder during the An Lushan Rebellion of 755-763 AD, leaving the capital sacked and the the Emperor exiled to another city. During this turmoil, Han decided to retire …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “A Painting Song for General Cao Ba” (300 Tang Poems #61)
Translation Du Fu (712-770) 杜甫 A Painting Song for General Cao Ba 丹青引贈 曹霸將軍 General, son of the founders of the Kingdom of Wei: 將軍魏武 之子孫 In recent times you’ve become a humble commoner. 於今為庶 為青門 Your grandfather was a hero, brave in the time …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “Climbing the Yueyang Tower” (300 Tang Poems #114)
Translation Du Fu (712-770) 杜甫 Climbing the Yueyang Tower 登岳陽樓 I heard of the Dongting River in ancient times 昔聞 洞庭水 But now I climb the Yueyang Tower, overlooking it. 今上 岳陽樓 It separates the Wu and Chu kingdoms, to the east and to the …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “On a Night Journey, a Letter from My Heart” (300 Tang Poems #113 )
Translation Du Fu (712-770) 杜甫 On a Night Journey, a Letter from My Heart 旅夜書懷 Fine and soft, by the river’s edge, the grass in trifling wind 細草 微風岸 Precarious at night, my boat of a single mast 危檣 獨夜舟 Stars dangle above the ample …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “Leaving General Fang at His Tomb” (300 Tang Poems #112)
Translation Du Fu (712-770) 杜甫 Leaving General Fang at His Tomb 別房 太尉墓 Away from my native land, traveling again and again for my duties, 他鄉 復行役 I halt my horse to bid farewell to a lonely grave. 駐馬 別孤墳 The tears fall close and …
Read MoreDu Fu’s “Sending Off General Yan with Four Rhymes” (300 Tang Poems #111)
Translation Du Fu (712-770) 杜甫 At Fengji Relay Station Sending Off General Yan with Four Rhymes 奉濟驛重 送嚴公四韻 Going afar, from now, we’re parted: 遠送 從此別 You’re leaving for green hills and I’m feeling empty again. 青山 空復情 How long will it be before we …
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