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Li Qingzhao. "To the tune “Always Having Fun”—"The Setting Sun" ." Global Medieval Sourcebook.Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 2. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 936. .
永遇樂 | To the tune “Always Having Fun”
Source Information
永遇樂 | To the tune “Always Having Fun”
by Li Qingzhao
Text Source:
Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 284.
Responsibility Statement:
- Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 2. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 936.
- Translation by Qian Jia
- Notes by Nina Du and Runqi Zhang
- Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Runqi Zhang
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.
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.
落日鎔金， The setting sun is like melted gold;
暮雲合璧， the evening cloud circles the jade disc.
人在何處。 Where do I find myself?
染柳煙濃。 The willows are tinted with heavy mist;
5
吹梅笛怨， the flute plays the regretful tune “Plum Blossoms Fall.” 春意知幾許。 Who knows how much spring feeling is left?
元宵佳節， It is the First Full Moon Festival.
融和天氣， The weather is nice and balmy,
次第豈無風雨。 but how will there not be wind or rain in an instant?
10
來相召、 Someone invited me, 香車寶馬， sending a fragrant carriage and fine horses;
謝他酒朋詩侶。 yet I refused to be his companion for wine and songs.
中州盛日， In the glorious days in the Middleland
n
, Note: This is a typical reference to the territories of the Northern Song dynasty. In this case the Middleland specifically refers to the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, Bian Jing (now Kai Feng city in Henan Province, China).
閨門多暇， there was so much leisure in the women’s quarters.
15
記得偏重三五。 I remember how Three Fiven
was grandly celebrated. Note: Three Five refers to the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which is the First Full Moon Festival.
鋪翠冠兒， The kingfisher-feather caps,
撚金雪柳， the gold thread wrapping the snowy willows,
簇帶爭濟楚。 all kinds of hair ornaments, competing with one another in gorgeousness.
如今憔悴， Now I am haggard and sallow,
20
風鬟霜鬢， With wind-blown hair and frost-touched temples. 怕見夜間出去。 I refrain from going out at night.
不如向、 It is better to
簾兒底下， hide behind the lowered curtains,
聽人笑語。 listening to the talk and laughter of others.
落日鎔金， The setting sun is like melted gold;
暮雲合璧， the evening cloud circles the jade disc.
人在何處。 Where do I find myself?
染柳煙濃。 The willows are tinted with heavy mist;
5
吹梅笛怨， the flute plays the regretful tune “Plum Blossoms Fall.” 春意知幾許。 Who knows how much spring feeling is left?
元宵佳節， It is the First Full Moon Festival.
融和天氣， The weather is nice and balmy,
次第豈無風雨。 but how will there not be wind or rain in an instant?
10
來相召、 Someone invited me, 香車寶馬， sending a fragrant carriage and fine horses;
謝他酒朋詩侶。 yet I refused to be his companion for wine and songs.
中州盛日， In the glorious days in the Middleland
n
, Note: This is a typical reference to the territories of the Northern Song dynasty. In this case the Middleland specifically refers to the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, Bian Jing (now Kai Feng city in Henan Province, China).
閨門多暇， there was so much leisure in the women’s quarters.
15
記得偏重三五。 I remember how Three Fiven
was grandly celebrated. Note: Three Five refers to the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which is the First Full Moon Festival.
鋪翠冠兒， The kingfisher-feather caps,
撚金雪柳， the gold thread wrapping the snowy willows,
簇帶爭濟楚。 all kinds of hair ornaments, competing with one another in gorgeousness.
如今憔悴， Now I am haggard and sallow,
20
風鬟霜鬢， With wind-blown hair and frost-touched temples. 怕見夜間出去。 I refrain from going out at night.
不如向、 It is better to
簾兒底下， hide behind the lowered curtains,
聽人笑語。 listening to the talk and laughter of others.
Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 13
Note: This is a typical reference to the territories of the Northern Song dynasty. In this case the Middleland specifically refers to the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, Bian Jing (now Kai Feng city in Henan Province, China).Translation
Line number 15
Note: Three Five refers to the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar calendar, which is the First Full Moon Festival. Sorry, but there are no notes associated with any currently displayed witness.