STUDY IN CHINA GLOBAL (SCG)Pipa Style: Part Two
First playing Rainbow Skirt Song and the Lu Yao
The thick strings sound like a sudden downpour
The thin strings speaking softly like private conversations
Whispered sounds played blending the different tones together
Like large and small pearls dropped onto a jade plate
Orioles singing smoothly mixed songs under the flowers.
Flowing spring water whimpering as it slowly meanders across flat lands
Cold icy spring water congeals
Not flowing easily when the string finished
Thickened sounds lose their freedom as they gradually come to rest
Different secluded and sad feelings of regret come out
This time the silence is better than sounds.
Then the sounds of a silver glass vase suddenly breaking with thick water spurting out
Cavalry suddenly going out with knives and halberds clanging
Music finished, long stylized pick restrained as in the middle of painting
Four strings making one sound together like the tearing of silk material.
From the east my boat
Quietly moved from the west
Her pleasure boat with no one talking
Only see the white autumn moon on the middle of the river.
Deep feelings and thoughts of remorse
Replace the long stylized pick by inserting it inside the strings
While rearranging and packing her clothes
Beginning a serious, yet polite facial expressions
She exclaims, “Originally I was a capital city lady.”
Her family living below the mountain range at Xia Ma
(Where people have to dismount and walk their horses)
For thirteen years she studied the pipa
Achieved mingshu status as first in her class at the government music academy
Once the music stopped, one can then admire this exceptional talent
Her usual made-up self would be enough to make Qu Niang jealous.
A lot of young men of noble birth and worthy of imperial burial
Compete to give her a gift of silk hair ties
After one song, unknown how many red silks.
Gold hairpins used in thick beautiful hair
Break when used to beat out the time
Overturned wine stains a skirt of thin silk blood red
Laugh heartily this year, and again next year
Autumn moons and spring winds easily pass away.
Now her younger brother is off to the army
And her mother’s sister is dead
As dusk leaves and morning arrives
So goes a women’s beauty as she ages
No visitors come to the front door
Saddled horses are few and far between.
Getting old, married as a businessman’s wife
Business man attaches importance to profits
Looks down on, and then leaves her
Last month he went to go buy tea in Jingde Zheng.
From then to now, this boat at the river mouth has been the empty house
In which a wife lives while her husband is away
Revolving around the boat, bright moon on the chilly river water
Late at night, a dream suddenly reveals the times of younger years
From the dream crying
Make-up stained tears and red eyes the full length and width.
As I listened to the pipa, also heave a sigh
Listening again to her story
I heave a sigh, and another sigh
We are the same people: destitute wanderers far from home
Now that destiny has brought us together
It matters little that we never met before.
Notes:
Rainbow Skirt Song and Dance: A romantically enchanting dance, personally choreographed by emperor Xuanzong for Yang Guifei. The story involved both reality and fantasy, including emotional love with magical beauty. The emperor’s inspiration came from the mythological mountain on the island of Penglai, the home of immortals. The dancer’s skirt and cape were rainbow colors and feathered. Long sleeves were flared and billowed. They also wore headgear with golden hairpins and ornaments. The musical score was in three movements and involved flutes, lyrical songs and dances.
Mingshu: Imperial examinations
Jiangde Zheng: Northeast Jiangxi provincial city, and large regional tea market.
Lu Yao: Another song and dance like the Rainbow Skirt Song. Often played for the Tang Dynasty court.
Xia Ma mountain range: The pipa players hometown located south of the capital city of Chang’an.
Qu Niang: Famous palace concubine. Well known for impressive beauty.
