Oct 23, 2005

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Hi, friends, today I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem Da Feng Ge -- The Song Of The Gale for you. This poem was written by Liu Bang (B.C.256- B.C.195),the first emperor who found of the Han Dynasty ( B.C.206 A.D. 220). Han Dynasty is one of the greatest dynasties in Chinese history for it unified the country, enlarged the territory, made the literature and art to be improved very much...

This poem was written at the time that the Han Dynasty was just found but it was not very stable yet. Liu Bang as the first emperor, he just defeated a rise in revolt from an old general and he came back his hometown in today's Jiang Su on the road to go back to the capital of Han Dynasty in today's Xian. As the first emperor, he was so happy, so proud of himself for his success with many dreams for his new dynasty. At the same time, he was worrying his potential enemies would be against him and he had not found the warriors to protect the country. So, he sang this poem with dance and tears in the celebration party with his family, old friends and the younger ones in his hometown.

I love this poem for it expresses many feelings, emotions and much meaning with a very great momentum language. This is a happy poem with sadness in it.

For helping you to remember the lyrics and understand this poem easily, I wrote a piece of music to match it and hope you enjoy it.

MAIN MEANING OF THE POEM:

The gale is flowing strongly,
clouds are flying upwards.
I come back my hometown,
after I found a new unified dynasty.
How can I get the warriors,
to guard the frontiers of the country?


CHINESE CHARAQCTERS AND PRONUNCIATIONLISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM:

大风起兮--Da4 feng1 qi3 xi
云飞扬--yun2 fen1 yang2,
威加海内兮--Wei1 jia1 hai3 nei4 xi
归故乡--gui1 gu4 xiang1,
安得猛士兮--An1 de2 meng3 shi4 xi
守四方--shou3 si4 fang1!

NEW WORDS:

大风起兮云飞扬:Da4 feng1 qi3 xi, yun2 fen1 yang2-- Heavy wind is flowing strongly
大风: da4 feng1 -- gale, strong wind, heavy wind
起:qi3 -- blow, rise
兮:xi-- ah (auxiliary word, there is no meaning, just to help to express the feelings of the poet )
大风起兮:Da4 feng1 qi3 xi-- the gale is flowing
云飞扬: yun2 fen1 yang2 -- clouds fly upwards
云:yun2--cloud
飞扬: fei1 yang2 --fly upwards, rise

威加海内兮归故乡: Wei1 jia1 hai3 nei4 xi gui1 gu4 xiang1 -- I come back hometown, after I have found a new unified dynasty.
威加海内兮:Wei1 jia1 hai3 nei4 xi -- after I have found a new unified dynasty.
威：wei1 -- authority (as an emperor), power as (an emperor)
加: jian1 -- cover
海内:hai3 nei4 -- within the country, whole of the country (the ancient Chinese thought that country was around by the sea, so, they called the country as "hai nei").
海: hai3 -- sea
内：nei4 -- within
归故乡: gui1 gu4 xiang1 -- come back hometown
归:gui1 -- come back
故乡:gu4 xiang1-- hometown

安得猛士兮: An1 de2 meng3 shi4 xi -- how can I find the warriors
安: an1 -- how
得: de2 -- get, find
猛士: meng3 shi4 -- warriors
守四方: shou3 si4 fang -- to guard the frontiers of the country
守:shou3 -- guard
四方si4 fang -- the 4 directions (of a country) --east, west, south and north (Here means the frontiers of the country, whole of the country)LISTEN TO SHIRLEY SANGE THE POEM

Ok, that is all for this poem and hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, you are welcomed.

-- Shirley
Written and Edited on Fri., Oct 14, 2005
Recorded on Sat., Oct 15, 2005