GREEN JADE CUP

GREEN JADE CUP  In ancient Chinese poetry, some poems praised the beauty of autumn. The following five-character quatrain is one of them. The author is Xin Qiji (辛棄疾) born in the Song dynasty of China. The following is my translation of this early 12th Century Chinese text. GREEN JADE CUP         A thousand trees bloom overnight relieved by east wind, Like rain, stars radiate from the sky. Embellished wagons roll, fragrance flows on the road, Cheerful tunes from the flute come along. Jade pots turn around and around, What a night, fish splash, dragons dance. Young lasses dress themselves up with jewelries, Giggling quietly, diffused with their subtle perfume. In the midst of the crowd, I searched for the one I desired countless times, As I looked back,  That person was there in the dim light.

The following is my friend's version.  [cb]GREEN JADE CUP East wind caresses boundless trees by night, Stars streak the sky like tears Fragrance fills the byways, Flutes flutter and fill the air. Jade pots spin And dragons and fish dance and dive Moths blinding like a blizzard, Ripples of perfumed laughter Searching in this full emptiness for one The one you desire, Dimly in the distance, there.[/cb] 古老的中國唐詩裡, 有一首詠嘆秋天的五言絕句。 以下的唐詩就是其中一首, 這首唐詩的作者是宋朝的詞人辛棄疾。下面是我對這首12 世紀初中文原文詩的翻譯。 [cb]《青玉案》 作者 : 辛棄疾 東風夜放花千樹。 更吹落、星如雨。 寶馬雕車香滿路。 鳳簫聲動， 玉壺光轉， 一夜魚龍舞。 蛾兒雪柳黃金縷。 笑語盈盈暗香去。 眾里尋他千百度。 驀然回首， 那人卻在， 燈火闌珊處。[/cb]