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Su Shi. "To the tune “Immortal by the River”—Returning at Night to Linggao." 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, 287. .
臨江仙 | To the tune “Immortal by the River”
Source Information
臨江仙 | To the tune “Immortal by the River”
by Su Shi
Text Source:
Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 287.
Responsibility Statement:
- Text based on Tang, Guizhang 唐圭璋 (ed.). Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua shu ju, 1965, 287.
- 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:
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.
The original text of this ci is based on the edition by Tang Guizhang 唐圭璋 (Quan Song Ci 全宋詞. Vol 1. 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.
臨江仙 To the tune “Immortal by the River” 夜歸臨皋 Returning at Night to Linggao
c
Critical note:
The part of Huangzhou where the speaker was in exile.
夜飲東坡醒復醉， Drinking at night on the Eastern Slope
c
, I sobered up and got drunk again. Critical note:
"Eastern Slope" is not only the name of a hill, but also a pseudonym used by Su Shi. This line could also be rendered: "Drinking at night, Su Shi/Eastern Slope sobered up and got drunk again."
歸來彷彿三更。 When I arrived back home, it was about midnight
c
. Critical note:
In ancient China, the night time was divided into five periods (更). At the beginning of each period, drums were beaten by night watchmen. 三更 refers to the third period, roughly equivalent to midnight.
家童鼻息已雷鳴。 The young servant was snoring like thunder,
敲門都不應， not responding, no matter how hard I knocked.
5
倚杖聽江聲。 Supported by a walking stick, I listened to the river. 長恨此身非我有， I have long regretted that this body does not belong to me.
何時忘卻營營。 When can I stop pursuing fame and money?
c
Critical note:
“營營” literally means being busy without stopping, often with a negative connotation. It is also the onomatopoeia for the sound that flies make when flying around. It can also refer to the anxieties in one’s mind. An alternative interpretation could be “When can I forget these anxieties?”
夜闌風靜谷紋平。 The night comes to an end, the wind stops, and the waves in the ravine die down.
小舟從此逝， Let me drift away on a small boat from now on,
10
江海寄餘生。 And entrust the rest of my life to rivers and seas. 臨江仙 To the tune “Immortal by the River” 夜歸臨皋 Returning at Night to Linggao
c
Critical note:
The part of Huangzhou where the speaker was in exile.
夜飲東坡醒復醉， Drinking at night on the Eastern Slope
c
, I sobered up and got drunk again. Critical note:
"Eastern Slope" is not only the name of a hill, but also a pseudonym used by Su Shi. This line could also be rendered: "Drinking at night, Su Shi/Eastern Slope sobered up and got drunk again."
歸來彷彿三更。 When I arrived back home, it was about midnight
c
. Critical note:
In ancient China, the night time was divided into five periods (更). At the beginning of each period, drums were beaten by night watchmen. 三更 refers to the third period, roughly equivalent to midnight.
家童鼻息已雷鳴。 The young servant was snoring like thunder,
敲門都不應， not responding, no matter how hard I knocked.
5
倚杖聽江聲。 Supported by a walking stick, I listened to the river. 長恨此身非我有， I have long regretted that this body does not belong to me.
何時忘卻營營。 When can I stop pursuing fame and money?
c
Critical note:
“營營” literally means being busy without stopping, often with a negative connotation. It is also the onomatopoeia for the sound that flies make when flying around. It can also refer to the anxieties in one’s mind. An alternative interpretation could be “When can I forget these anxieties?”
夜闌風靜谷紋平。 The night comes to an end, the wind stops, and the waves in the ravine die down.
小舟從此逝， Let me drift away on a small boat from now on,
10
江海寄餘生。 And entrust the rest of my life to rivers and seas. Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 1
Critical note: "Eastern Slope" is not only the name of a hill, but also a pseudonym used by Su Shi. This line could also be rendered: "Drinking at night, Su Shi/Eastern Slope sobered up and got drunk again."
Translation
Line number 2
Critical note: In ancient China, the night time was divided into five periods (更). At the beginning of each period, drums were beaten by night watchmen. 三更 refers to the third period, roughly equivalent to midnight.
Translation
Line number 7
Critical note: “營營” literally means being busy without stopping, often with a negative connotation. It is also the onomatopoeia for the sound that flies make when flying around. It can also refer to the anxieties in one’s mind. An alternative interpretation could be “When can I forget these anxieties?”
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