Dec 31, 2005

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM

Hi, friends, today, I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem -- Zhuzhi Ci -- Bamboo Branch Lyrics by Tang Dynasty (618-907)poet Liu Yuxi(772 -842).

Liu Yuxi lived in the middle phase of Tang Dynasty, was a great philosopher and litterateur who made some unique accomplishment. The theory of literature of his was that literature should learn from the traditional of "Yue Fu" that was from Qin Dynasty (B.C. 221- B. C.206) and be popular in Han Dynasty(B.C.206 - A.D.220), to learn from the first great poet in China -- Qu Yuan(about B.C.340 - B.C.278), to get the nutrition from the folk literature, art and music, to express the sociel reality.

His accomplishment on philosophy and literature made him the same reputation as Liu Zongyuan(773―819) and be called "Liu and Liu". Also, for his success on poetry, he was called "Liu and Bai" with Bai Juyi -- 白居易 (772―846) together.

So, his poems are full of the realism emotion and folk breath. :-)

This poem is from his a group of poems -- Zhuzhi Ci -- Bamboo Branch Lyrics. Bamboo Branch Lyrics was a folk in Bayu area (today's eastern area of Sichuan and Chongqing City). When it was sung, poeple accompanied it with bamboo flute and drum. It was a Jueju with 4 sentences and 7 words a line. Then, it becomed a title of a Cipai -- name of the tunes to which ci poems are composed with 14 words.

Zhuzhi Ci was made via learning local folk. So, it is very daring to express the feelings of people directly.

I wrote a piece of music for it with some pauses for wanting express this sentiment and hope you enjoy it. :-)

Note: If you need help, please hit any Chinese word to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them

THE MAIN MEANING OF THE PEOMLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM

One of the Bamboo Branch Lyrics

Poplars and willows are green on the bank,
The river is flowing calmly,   
Suddenly I hear your singings over the river,
You are just like the weather
that I can not make sure
-- The sun is rising in the east,
the rain is raining in the west.
-- It says that it is not fair,
it is in fact fair there.

Then my question is:

--It sounds like you do not love me at all,   
it sounds like you are loving me as well,
which one is the true feelings of yours? :-)

NEW WORDS AND CHINESE PRONUNCIATION:

You are welcomed to hit any Chinese word that you need to be helped to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them.

CHINESE CHRACTERSLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM:

竹枝词 之一

杨柳青青江水平，
闻郎江上唱歌声。
东边日出西边雨，
道是无晴却有晴。

Note: If you need help, please hit any Chinese word to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them

It is really a very interesting poem. It expresses the heart of a young girls who is getting love with a young boy. She does not make sure whether the boy also loves her. So, when she hears his sound of songs over the river, she feels that the boy's feelings to her is just like the weather that can not make sure ?-- There is the sunrise in the east, and it is raining in the west   -- It sounds like you do not love me, it sounds like you are loving me as well …

This poem is successful for it uses the double meanings-- pun. I mean the two words   晴 and 情 have the same tone. But, the word Qing   --晴 means fair, to talk about weather and the word Qing --情   means feeling, to talk about love. She talked her feelings with pun. From the surface, she is talking something a bout weather, but, in fact, she is questioning something about the feelings of her lover in her heart. :- )

I do hope it is helpful to you to know a little thing more about Chinese culture via the little poem. LISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM

Note: If you need help, please hit any Chinese word to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read them

If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn , or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are welcomed.
--Shirley
Written, Edited and Recorded on Sun, Jan 1, 2006