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Liu Yong. "To the tune “Cross the Stream and Rest Nearby”—"Sobered up"." Global Medieval Sourcebook.Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 38. .
過澗歇近 | To the tune “Cross the Stream and Rest Nearby”
Source Information
過澗歇近 | To the tune “Cross the Stream and Rest Nearby”
by Liu Yong
Text Source:
Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 38.
Responsibility Statement:
- Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 38.
- Translation by Qian Jia
- Notes by Nina Du, Runqi Zhang, and Dante Zhu
- Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Manya Bansal and Dante Zhu
Editorial Principles:
The original text of this ci is based on the edition by Tang Guizhang 唐圭璋 (Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 2. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965). Punctuation follows the edition. Since ci poetry rarely includes personal pronouns, and gender-differentiated pronouns did not exist in Classical Chinese of this period, the gender of the speaker as well as their perspective (e.g. first, second or third person) must often be deduced by the translator from context.
Texts are translated into modern English with maximum fidelity to the original text, except where it would impair comprehension or good style. Archaisms are preserved where they do not conflict with the aesthetic of the original text. Creative translation choices are marked and discussed in the critical notes.
Punctuation follows the edition.Publication Details:
Published by The Global Medieval Sourcebook.
The Global Medieval Sourcebook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
過澗歇近 To the tune “Cross the Stream and Rest Nearby”
酒醒。 Sobered up,
夢才覺， I have just woken from a dream,
小閣香炭成煤， the fragrant charcoal in the little chamber has burnt into ashes.
洞戶銀蟾移影。 On the door, the shadow cast by the silver toad
c
moves. Critical note:
“The silver toad” refers to the moon. According to ancient Chinese folklore, a three-legged toad lives in a palace on the moon.
5
人寂靜。 Everyone is still and quiet. 夜永清寒， The night is endless, pure and cold.
翠瓦霜凝。 On the green tiles, frost congeals;
疏簾風動， wind swings through the loose bamboo curtain.
漏聲隱隱， The sound of the dripping clock
c
is dim, Critical note:
A water clock.
10
飄來轉愁聽。 drifting to me and dismaying this listener. 怎向心緒， What can I do with my heart,
近日厭厭長似病。 which has been listless recently, as if sick for a long time?
鳳樓咫尺， The phoenix building
c
is only a step away, Critical note:
The “phoenix building” is a place for courtesans to have sex with men. According to legend, the original Qin building was built by the Qinmu King as a palace for his daughter and son-in-law. They were both so good at playing the vertical bamboo flute that their music attracted phoenixes, and the building where they played became famous. The meaning of “phoenix building” changed over time, and was later used to refer to brothels.
佳期杳無定。 yet the date to reunite is far from settled.
15
展轉無眠， Tossing and turning, I cannot sleep, 粲枕冰冷。 the shiny pillow is ice cold.
香虯煙斷， The smoke from the coiling incense stops;
是誰與把重衾整。 who will tidy up my double quilt
c
? Critical note:
This line suggests that the speaker will no longer have someone do domestic tasks with him/her, implying the separation between the speaker and the lover, and the dismay and loneliness the speaker feels.
過澗歇近 To the tune “Cross the Stream and Rest Nearby”
酒醒。 Sobered up,
夢才覺， I have just woken from a dream,
小閣香炭成煤， the fragrant charcoal in the little chamber has burnt into ashes.
洞戶銀蟾移影。 On the door, the shadow cast by the silver toad
c
moves. Critical note:
“The silver toad” refers to the moon. According to ancient Chinese folklore, a three-legged toad lives in a palace on the moon.
5
人寂靜。 Everyone is still and quiet. 夜永清寒， The night is endless, pure and cold.
翠瓦霜凝。 On the green tiles, frost congeals;
疏簾風動， wind swings through the loose bamboo curtain.
漏聲隱隱， The sound of the dripping clock
c
is dim, Critical note:
A water clock.
10
飄來轉愁聽。 drifting to me and dismaying this listener. 怎向心緒， What can I do with my heart,
近日厭厭長似病。 which has been listless recently, as if sick for a long time?
鳳樓咫尺， The phoenix building
c
is only a step away, Critical note:
The “phoenix building” is a place for courtesans to have sex with men. According to legend, the original Qin building was built by the Qinmu King as a palace for his daughter and son-in-law. They were both so good at playing the vertical bamboo flute that their music attracted phoenixes, and the building where they played became famous. The meaning of “phoenix building” changed over time, and was later used to refer to brothels.
佳期杳無定。 yet the date to reunite is far from settled.
15
展轉無眠， Tossing and turning, I cannot sleep, 粲枕冰冷。 the shiny pillow is ice cold.
香虯煙斷， The smoke from the coiling incense stops;
是誰與把重衾整。 who will tidy up my double quilt
c
? Critical note:
This line suggests that the speaker will no longer have someone do domestic tasks with him/her, implying the separation between the speaker and the lover, and the dismay and loneliness the speaker feels.
Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 4
Critical note: “The silver toad” refers to the moon. According to ancient Chinese folklore, a three-legged toad lives in a palace on the moon.
Translation
Line number 9
Critical note: A water clock.
Translation
Line number 13
Critical note: The “phoenix building” is a place for courtesans to have sex with men. According to legend, the original Qin building was built by the Qinmu King as a palace for his daughter and son-in-law. They were both so good at playing the vertical bamboo flute that their music attracted phoenixes, and the building where they played became famous. The meaning of “phoenix building” changed over time, and was later used to refer to brothels.
Translation
Line number 18
Critical note: This line suggests that the speaker will no longer have someone do domestic tasks with him/her, implying the separation between the speaker and the lover, and the dismay and loneliness the speaker feels.
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