Chinese Classical Poem -- 0017:Shan Xing -- Travel In A Mountain

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Hi, friends, today, I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem Shan Xing-- Travel In A Mountain by Tang Dynasty(A.D.618-A.D.907) poet Du Mu(A.D. 803 - A.D.852).

Du Mu is one of the most important representative poets in the later period of Tang Dynasty. His literature accomplishment is showed on many sides, poem is the most famous part. He has a same reputation as Li Shangyin, to be called "Little Li Du" (The big “Li Duâ€� is Li Ai and Du Fu) Now there are about 450 poems and essays by him in the world.   

I love and choose the little peom for you because it has written an autumn views as a beautiful spring landscape with a very positive and few words, it is full of the breath of spring's. So, I could not help to create a piece of music to match this poem and hope to reappear its beauty with music for you... :-)

LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Note:This is also a Jue Ju. Jue Jue has a very seriou requirement on rhythm; word number; match both sound and sense in two poetic lines, level and oblique tones of a vocable. In my opinions, it is a poetry that is   the most difficult to write. Later, after we have learn more Jue Jue, I will show you about this. Ok? :-)

MAIN MEANING OF THE POEM:

Go up to a cool mountain far away,
a winding stone path over there.
There is a household in the depths of the white clouds,
Stop my carriage,
for I love the maple forest in the deep autumn,
The leaves in the frost are redder than the flowers in February.


CHINESE PRONUNCIATION LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

Yuang3 shang4 han2 shan1 shi2 jin4 xia2,
Bai2 yun2 shen1 shu4 you3 ren2 jia1。
Ting2 che1 zhuo4 hai4 feng1 lin2 wan3,
Shuan1 ye4 hong2 yu2 er4 yue4 hua1。

NEW WORDS:

远: yuan3 --far, far away, distance
上: shang4-- over, up
寒山:han2 shan1 -- cool/cold mountain/hill (in the deep autumn)
石径: shi2 jing4 -- stone pathway/path
石:shi2 -- stone
径:jing4 -- path, pathway
斜: xiao2 -- slanting, tilted (here means a road that is winding)
远上寒山石径斜: Go up to a cool mountain far away, there is a winding stone pathway over there/ on the mountain.

白云:bai2 yun2 -- white cloud
白: bai2 -- white
云: yun2 -- cloud
生处:sheng1 chu4 -- depths
有: you3 -- have/has, there is/are
人家: ren2 jia2 -- household, family   
白云生处有人家: There is a household in the depths of the white clouds

�车: ting2 che1 -- park, stop the carriage
�:ting2 -- stop
车:che1 -- vehicle(here means a carriage or oxcart)
�:zuo4 -- because, for
爱:ai4 -- love
æž«æž—:feng1 lin2 -- forest of maple
æž«: feng1 -- maple
æž—: ling2 -- forest
晚: wan3 -- late   
�车�爱枫林晚: Stop my carriage for I love the beautiful landscape of the maple forest in the deep autumn.

霜:shuang1 -- frost
�:ye4 -- leaf
红:hong2 --   red
于:yu2 -- than
二月: er4 yue4 -- February
花: hua1 -- flower
霜�红于二月花: The leaves of maples in the frost are redder than the flowers in February.

CHINESE CHRACTERSLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

远上寒山石径斜,
白云生处有人家。
�车�爱枫林晚，
霜�红于二月花。

That is all for this poem, hope you enjoy it.

If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, you are welcomed.

--Shirley
Written on Mon, Nov 7, 2005
Edited, Sang and Recorded It On Sat, Nov, 12, 2005