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 Du” 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

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

霜:shuang1 -- frost
叶:ye4 -- leaf
红:hong2 --   red
于:yu2 -- than
二月: er4 yue4 -- February
花: hua1 -- flower
霜叶红于二月花: 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。
停车坐爱枫林晚，
霜叶红于二月花。

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