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 Follow Rachel & Shirley to Read the New Words & the Poem (RM)
Follow Rachel & Shirley to Read the New Words & the Poem (MP3)
赋新月 -- Fù Xīn Yuè
缪氏子 -- Miào Shì zi
（唐） -- Táng
初月如弓（呀）未上弦（那）Chū yuè rú gōng (ya) wèi shàng xián (na)，
分明挂在碧霄边（呀）Fēnmíng guà zài bì xiāo biān(ya)。
时人莫道蛾眉小（呀）Shí rén mò dào é méi xiǎo (ya)，
三五团圆照满天 Sānwǔ tuányuán zhào mǎn tiān。
照满天Zhào mǎn tiān。
初月如弓（呀）未上弦（那）Chū yuè rú gōng (ya) wèi shàng xián (na)，
分明挂在碧霄边（呀）Fēnmíng guà zài bì xiāo biān(ya)。
时人莫道蛾眉小（呀）Shí rén mò dào é méi xiǎo (ya)，
三五团圆照满天Sānwǔ tuányuán zhào mǎn tiān。
照满天Zhào mǎn tiān。
照满天Zhào mǎn tiān。
|#|Ode to the New Moon
by Miào Shì zi
Tang Dynasty (618-907)
The little new moon (ya) is like/as an undrawn bow (ya),
Clearly, it is hanging in the blue sky(ya）.
People shouldn’t say it so small as a pretty eyebrow.
It will be round & light up the world on the fifteen nights.
on the fifteen nights.
The little new moon (ya) is like an undrawn bow (ya),
Clearly, it is hanging in the blue sky (ya).
People shouldn’t say it so small like/as a pretty eyebrow (ya).
It will be round & light up the world on the fifteen nights.
on the fifteen nights.
on the fifteen nights.
|#|Miao is a Chinese surname. Shi is also a Chinese surname, but it belongs to the first surname. Miu Shi means “ a family that has a surname Miu or Miao” . Zi means child or son. So, this poem was written by a child / a son from a family that had a surname Miao or Miu in Tang Dynasty.
Miao Shi Zi lived in the period of Kaiyuan (713 - 741), Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). He was very intelligent at a very young age, such that he was called by the emperor to test his talent in the imperial palace when he was just 7 years old. Then he made this poem and received appreciative comments of the Emperor Tang Xuanzong(685 -762).
But there is no biographical record on the poet in the Chinese history. Therefore, we can only call him Miu / Miao Shi Zi.
|#||#|This poem refers to a new moon in the sky. With simple language, it wishes people do not think the new moon is too small at the time it is just rising. it just rises. Because once the fifteen day of the month comes, it will become round and light up all over the world.
Via working on ode to the little new moon, this poem expresses the great ideal of the young poet.
On the surface, the poem is about the new moon; in fact, it expresses the little poet's lofty aspiration -- do not consider me as young as little new moon at this time; once I grow up, I will certainly create a great career to light up the world, just like the round moon on the fifteen day, to benefit people and the world.
In the writing, it endows the natural phenomenon some human being’s thoughts and feelings. , via taking the advantage of a view in the sky to express the poet's emotion, then the little poet’s great spirit is expressed through a comparison with nature.
The whole of the poem is full of the positive and confidence. So, it is popular in China and it has been chosen for children often.
|#|It is said that“ yǐ xiǎo jiàn dà”-- a good art work should be able to express a wide view or great idea in a small or confined space or by referring to just a small thing. Via the little poem, we have seen the great atmosphere in the Glorious Age of Tang Dynasty already. Such a young child had so kind of great dream, let alone the general literary men. Right?
Anyway, today, when I re-read this little poem, some new idea jumps into my mind. Even though I had taught Chinese classical literature and language for 9 years, studied traditional Chinese painting, music and worked on the cross-cultural and comprehensive art project for 14 years, I am just a beginner on the long road to learn the great and profound Chinese culture. Just like the little and new moon in the poem.
Even though I am working on my cross-cultural and comprehensive art dream in a quite difficult style, as long as I can keep doing it, there will be certainly a day when I am going out of the clouds and becoming a round moon just like the little moon in the poem, to help this world with what I have created and done.
With a quite admiring heart, I created a piece of music and a painting for the poem in 2007, then in Sep, 2013, I re-wrote the music, re-painted the painting and re-wrote the article. In March, 2016, Professor Meng Weiye checked my music and he directed me to make the sound recording in a professional sound recording studio. Mrs. Zhang Xiaogang, Mr. Mike Joyce checked and corrected my writing in English. Now, I have re-checked my work once more in the USA.
I do hope what we have done will be a little bit of help for you to learn Chinese culture and language.
If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or publish them on the Message Board on www.ebridge.cn.
Shirley Yiping Zhang
Oct 29, 2017 in China
Nov 5, 2016 in the USA
March, 2015 in China
Sep 7, 2013 in China
June 29, 2007 in China
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