Su Dong Po
Translations of Tune Poems by Yun Wang

Su Dong-Po (1036-1101 A.D.) was one of the three major poets from the Song Dynasty. He was known for his writings at an early age, which led to prominent government positions. Because of his poetry, he was arrested and then demoted many times (the last time was one year before his death) by political rivals.

Here ``tune poems" refer to ``Ci", poetry originally written to fixed tunes, with strict tonal patterns and rhyme schemes in fixed numbers of lines and words. The lines are generally uneven in length. ``Ci" has been regarded as the dominant form of lyric poetry in classical Chinese poetry, it originated in the Tang Dynasty and was fully developed in the Song Dynasty. These are from a book length manuscript that contains the Chinese original face to face with Yun Wang's translation.

To the Tune of Ding Feng Bo [Calming the Wind and Waves]

Hear not sounds that pierce the woods beating the leaves
Why not chant a little     sing     and take it slow
Bamboo stick     straw sandals     lighter than riding a horse
Who is afraid?
A capeful of fog and rain all my life

The rush of spring wind blows away the wine
A little cold
Upon the mountain     steep lightbeams greet us
Turn back your heads to where the rain raged
We could return
It is neither rainy nor clear

(Published in Willow Springs. Click here for version with the Chinese original.)

To the Tune of Jiang Shen Zi [Son of the River God]
Hunt in Mi Zhou

An old man lets loose some youthful wildness
Left hand leads the yellow dog
Right hand holds the grey eagle
Satin hat and marten cloak
A thousand horses sweep over the flat hill
The whole city has followed its governor
Hence he shall shoot the tiger in person
Wait and be surprised

Enough wine helps broaden the guts
My hair a trifle frosted on the temples
What harm could it be
This border state has been feared by barbarians
When is the court sending encouragements?
I can pull my carved bow into a full moon
look northwest
to bring down the Sky Wolf

(Published in Willow Springs. Click here for version with the Chinese original.)

To the Tune of He Xin Lang [To the Bridegroom]
Summer

A baby swallow flies into the splendid house
Quiet and no one around
The day retreats to shades of the wu-tong tree
I rise from a bath into the cool evening
My hands play with a round fan of white silk
The fan and the hand seem both jade
When I tire I recline
sleep alone my fresh sleep
Who pushes the painted door beyond the curtains?
Interrupting a dream of singing on terraces of jade
It is only the wind
knocking on bamboos

Half open pomegranate flowers fold their red scarves
Once the shallow blossoms
flirtatious filaments are gone
they accompany you in solitude
Study a stem in its full glory
A thousand folds of sweet petals tightly bound
What happens when
the autumn wind startles green branches
If you return then
can you drink wine and bear to touch the flower
Together with my rouged tears
the petals shall fall in a rustle

(Published in Willow Springs. Click here for version with the Chinese original.)

To the Tune of Die Lian Hua [Butterfly and Flower]
Spring

Fallen blossoms in withered red     new apricots tiny
When the swallows fly
Green water surrounds dwellings
Upon the bough the willow cotton decreases in the wind
Where to the sky's edge does sweet grass not abide

Within the wall a swing     outside the wall a trail
Outside the wall a traveler
Within the wall the fair one laughs
The laughter subdues     the sounds vanish
The tender-hearted stands     bemused by the heartless

(Published in Confluence Click here for version with the Chinese original.)

To the Tune of Dong Xian Ge [Song of the Cave Celestial]

Skin of ice     bones of jade
By nature clear     free of sweat
The wind enters Water Pavilion     deep fragrance overflows
Embroidered curtains part
A bit bright moon peeks in
She is still not sleeping
Reclining on the pillow     gold pins loose     her hair down

You rise     I take your white hand
Not a sound within the court
Now and then     a star crosses the Celestial River
You ask how is the night?
The night is already past three
Moonlight grows faint
The stars Jade and String have drooped
Only bending the fingers
I count when the West Wind shall come
Yet who would know
The flowing years pass by stealth

(Published in Confluence Click here for version with the Chinese original.)