Chinese Classical Poem--0012: Chi Le Ge -- A Song Of Chi Le

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Hi, friends, today I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem Chi Le Ge-- Song Of Chi Le.This is a very famous Chinese classical Poem, it was sung by a nation of Chi Le.

Chi Le was an ancient nomad nationality in the Chinese North. They lived in Chinese Southern and Northern Dynasties (A.D. 420 - A. D.580). They were good at making high vehicles, so, they were also called high vehicle nation in the history. When they came to the Chi Le plain (Today's North of Shanxi ) by the Yinshan Mountains (today's inner Mongolia) by their high vehicles and flocks and herds. They chose to settle down in the beautiful place.

Later, when their army was in the most difficult time in a war, an old Chi Le general--Hu Lu Jin 斛律金 led his soldier to sing this poem. The song made them tear and and they decided to protect their own land, so, they changed to be in a high emotion and excited hearts and their team was not fail, but came back to their capital together. So, we can also think it was also a war song in the history...

It is a pity as most of the classical poems, its music has lost.

For helping you to remember the lyrics and to feel that feelings of the poem, I wrote a piece of music for you to match the poem on the airplane and in Wuxi City during my trip, and hope it is helpful...

MAIN MEANING OF THE POEM:

Chi Le plain,
By the Yinshan Mountains,
The sky is just like yurt,
to envelop the expanse of the open ground

The sky is so vast and hazy,
the open country is so boundless,
As soon as the grass is low by the wind,
flocks and herds are appeared here or there.

CHINESE CHRACTERS AND PRONUNCIATION
LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

敕勒川--Chi4 Le4 chuan1，
阴山下--Yin Shang xia4。
天似穹庐 -- tian1 si4 qiong2 lu2 ，
笼盖四野--long2 gai4 si4 ye3。

天苍苍-- tian1 cang1 cang1，
野茫茫 -- ye3 mang2 mang2，
风吹草低见牛羊-- fang1 chui1 cao3 di4 xian4 niu2 yang2。

NEW WORDS:

敕勒川: Chi4 Le4 chuan1-- Chi Le Plain, place name
阴山下: Yinshan xia4-- by (next) the Yinshan Mountain
阴山:Yin Shang -- Yinshan Mountains, place name
下: xia4 -- below, next
天似穹庐: tian1 si4 qiong2 lu2 -- The sky is just like yurt
天: tian1 -- sky
似: si4 --like
穹庐:qiong2 lu2 -- yurt
笼盖四野: long2 gai4 si4 ye3-- envelops the surrounding country
笼盖:long2 gai4 -- envelop
四野:si4 ye3 -- all around, the surrounding country, vast expanse of open ground
天苍苍: tian1 cang1 cang1--the sky is so vast and hazy, dark green
苍苍: be vast and hazy, dark green,
野茫茫: -- ye3 mang2 mang2-- open country is boundless
野:ye3 -- open country, wild country, champaign
茫茫:mang2 mang2 -- boundless, vast
风吹草低见牛羊: fang1 chui1 cao3 di4 xian4 niu2 yang2 -- flocks and herds can be seen
as soon as the wind blows the grass lower
风: feng1 -- wind
吹: chui1 -- blow
草: cao3 di1 ? grass
低: be low,
见: xian4 ? appear, see
牛羊:flocks and herds, cow and sheep
牛: cattle, ox, cow
羊: sheep, goat

I did feel it is very difficult to created a piece of music for this poem for I would like to express the vast, peaceful of the grassland and history of this poem has recorded of Chi Le Nationality. This poem was sung at the first with XianPi Language and be translated to be Hai Language later. LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Just hope to get your comments, suggestions, and directions. :-) You are welcome to publish your opinions via the "forum" on this web site and also you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn.

--Shirley
Written, Edited and Recorded on Sat., Oct 8, 2005