Listen to Shirley Singing the Poem in Dec, 2005Following Shirley to Read the PoemShirley Created Picture for the PoemShirley Written Chinese Calligraphy for ItLearning the Meaning of the Poem
Have you seen snow flowers flying along with wind in August? It was something often 1300 years ago in the far away in the frontier area in Tang Dynasty.
Just in the so hard environment, there were some people fighting or working there with an optimistic hearts..
This poem is famous not only for it has expressed a very positive feeling, but also for it has written out a wonderful view after a snow in August. Just like a spring suddenly came in the night and made thousands and thousands pear flowers blossoming in the wind…
I had introduced the first 4 lines of the poem in December, 2005 and I had created a piece of music to match it then. This week, I have created a new picture to match it and I have also written calligraphy on the painting as well.
I do hope my effort will be a little bit help to you to know more about Chinese culture and language.
Shirley
Sun, September 2, 2007
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LISTEN TO THE TEXT
LISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE FIRST PART OF THE POEM
Hi, friend, today, I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem for you Baixui Ge Song Wu Panguan Guijing-- A White Snow Song To Send Wu Panguan For The Capital. This poem was written by Chen Shen (A.D.715-A.D.770). We have mentioned him when I introduced last poem by Gao Shen. He had the same important position as Gaoshi in Chinese poetry history and be called Chen and Gao. Both of them were the most important poets of Heroism poetry in Tang Dynasty.
Chen Shen was from Hubei province. He started to read book when he was 5 years old, to start to write articles when he was 9 years old and to go to the capital when he was 20 years old. Anyway until he was 30 years old, he just became to a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations. Then he had been to the border of the North Western area twice for 6 or 7 years...
He had written many poems. His highest accomplishment is his heroism poems to write the great landscape on the border area, how the generals and soldiers to overcome the hard life condition to protect the country. Many of his poems expressed the beautiful music, dance from the other nations and created his unique art styles with his language. So, his poems were known extensively at his times. Chen Shen has left 360 poems for us now.
There are 18 lines in this poem. The first 4 sentences are the most famous lines. Because it have written the snow view as a spring one. Very beautiful and full of the optimistic emotion. So, I just chose them for you to feel a little bit about his poem style... :-)
As usual, I created a piece of music for it and hope you enjoy it. :-)
Note: If you need help, please hit any Chinese word in the first part to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them
MAIN MEANING OF THE PEOMLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE FIRST PART OF THE POEM:
The north wind rolls the white grasses and breaks them,
Snow starts to fly in the Hu place in August,
As if suddenly coming a blast of spring wind,
to blossom out thousands pear flowers...
Accessories: Translation By Shanghai Online
The north wind rolls the white grasses and breaks them;
And the Eighth-month snow across the Tartar sky
Is like a spring gale, come up in the night,
Blowing open the petals of ten thousand pear trees.
It enters the pearl blinds, it wets the silk curtains;
A fur coat feels cold, a cotton mat flimsy;
Bows become rigid, can hardly be drawn
And the metal of armour congeals on the men;
The sand-sea deepens with fathomless ice,
And darkness masses its endless clouds;
But we drink to our guest bound home from camp,
And play him barbarian lutes, guitars, harps;
Till at dusk, when the drifts are crushing our tents
And our frozen red flags cannot flutter in the wind,
We watch him through Wheel-Tower Gate going eastward.
Into the snow-mounds of Heaven-Peak Road...
And then he disappears at the turn of the pass,
Leaving behind him only hoof-prints.
CHINESE CHRACTER AND PONUNCIATIONLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE FIRST PART OF THE POEM:
Note: If you need help, please hit any Chinese word in the first part to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them白雪歌送武判官归京
北风卷地白草折，胡天八月即飞雪。
忽如一夜春风来，千树万树梨花开。
散入珠帘湿罗幕，狐裘不暖锦衾薄。
将军角弓不得控，都护铁衣冷犹著。
瀚海阑干百丈冰，愁云黪淡万里凝。
中军置酒饮归客，胡琴琵琶与羌笛。
纷纷暮雪下辕门，风掣红旗冻不翻。
轮台东门送君去，去时雪满天山路。
山回路转不见君，雪上空留马行处。
That is all for this poem, hope you enjoy it.
If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to
shirley@ebridge.cn , or
shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are welcomed.
Shirley ZhangWritten, Edited and Recorded On Sat, Dec 17, 2005
