念奴娇·赤壁怀古: Nian Nu Jiao·Reminiscence of Red Cliffs (by 苏轼 / Su Shi)

*poem mentioned in Jiang Hu Road Is Curved chapter twenty-eight

{{Nian Nu Jiao · Reminiscence of Red Cliffs}}

Yangtze River flows east, the waves flushing down,

Thousands of years’ worth of historical figures.

On the west side of that old fortress, people say,

That is Lord Zhou of the Three Kingdom’s Red Cliffs.

The rocks of this steep cliff pierces the sky as it falls,

Raging waves pounds on the banks, spraying like snow.

The land of our mother country like a painting,

So many outstanding heroes there was at that time.

–

Thinking of the Lord Zhou way back then,

Xiao Qiao having just married into the family,

Lord Zhou with extraordinary looks and heroic bearings.

Holding a feather fan and wearing a silk ribbon in hair,

Between his leisurely chatting and laughter,

Cao Cao’s battleships burns to ashes amongst the heavy smoke.

Touring this battlefield in my imagination,

Should mock my own over-sentimentality, white hair prematurely grown.

One’s life is like having one huge dream,

It is better to offer wine to the luminous moon above the river.

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《念奴娇·赤壁怀古》                 《Niàn Nú Jiāo·Chìbì Huái Gǔ》

大江东去，浪淘尽，                    (Dà jiāng dōng qù, làng táo jǐn)

千古风流人物。                          (Qiān gǔ fēng liú rén wù)

故垒西边，人道是，                   (Gù lěi xī bian, rén dào shì)

三国周郎赤壁。                          (Sān guó zhōu láng chìbì)

乱石穿空，                                  (Luàn shí chuān kōng)

惊涛拍岸，卷起千堆雪。           (Jīng tāo pāi àn, juǎn qǐ qiān duī xuě)

江山如画，                                  (Jiāng shān rú huà)

一时多少豪杰。                          (Yī shí duō shǎo háo jié)

–

遥想公瑾当年，                          (Yáo xiǎng gōng jǐn dāng nián)

小乔初嫁了，雄姿英发。           (Xiǎo Qiáo chū jiàle, xióng zī yīng fā)

羽扇纶巾，                                  (Yǔ shàn guān jīn)

谈笑间，                                      (Tán xiào jiān)

樯橹灰飞烟灭。                         (Qiáng lǔ huī fēi yān miè)

故国神游，                                 (Gù guó shén yóu)

多情应笑我，早生华髪。          (Duō qíng yīng xiào wǒ, zǎo shēng huá fà)

人生如梦，                                 (Rén shēng rú mèng)

一尊还酹江月。                         (Yī zūn hái lèi jiāng yuè)

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At the moonlit river, this poem was composed in memory of Zhou Yu, a military general and strategist of the Wu state during the Three Kingdoms period, whilst reminiscing the magnificence of Zhou Yu’s strategizing that completely annihilated Cao Cao of the Wei state’s strong navy force. This battle – Battle of Chibi or Battle of Red Cliffs – is also one of the most famous battles to date, and probably the most famous battle during the warring states period of the Three Kingdoms. The last sentence of offering wine, is an act of respect, it is a way Chinese people pay homage to the deceased.

Poem translated from: http://baike.baidu.com/view/46361.htm