STUDY IN CHINA GLOBAL (SCG)At the Bai Sha Pavilion, Met an Old Man From Wu
白 沙 亭 逢 吴 叟 歌
龙 池 宫 里 上 皇 时
罗 衫 宝 带 香 风 吹。
满 朝 豪 士 今 已 尽
欲 话 旧 游 人 不 知。
白 沙 亭 上 逢 吴 叟
爱 客 脱 衣 且 沽 酒。 问 之 执 戟 亦 先 朝
零 落 艰 难 却 负 樵。
亲 观 文 物 蒙 雨 露
见 我 昔 年 侍 丹 霄。
冬 狩 春 祠 无 一 事
欢 游 洽 宴 多 颁 赐。
尝 陪 夕 月 竹 宫 斋
每 返 温 泉 灞 陵 醉。
星 岁 再 周 十 二 辰
尔 来 不 语 今 为 君。
盛 时 忽 去 良 可 恨
一 生 坎 壈 何 足 云。
Bai Sha Ting Feng Wu Sou Ge
Long sha gong li shang huang shi
Luo shan bao dai xiang feng chui.
Man zhao hao shi jin yi jin
Yu hua jiu you ren bu zhi.
Bai sha ting shang feng wu sou
Ai ke tuo yi qie gu jiu. Wen zhi zhi ji yi xian zhao
Ling luo jian nan que fu qiao.
Qin guan wen wu meng yu lu
Jian wo xi nian shi dan xiao.
Dong shou chun ci wu yi shi
Huan you qia yan duo ban ci.
Chang pei xi yue ju gong zhai
Mei fan wen quan ba ling zui.
Xing sui zai zhou shi er chen
Er lai bu yu jin wei jun.
Cheng shi hu qu liang ke hen
Yi sheng kan lan he zu yun.
At the Bai Sha Pavilion, Met an Old Man From Wu
Inside the palace, Xuangzong lived in Long Chi before becoming emperor
We displayed our fancy shirts and belts, our fragrances blowing on the wind.
Palace full of heroes and intellectuals, now they are all gone
Speaking of this to older fellow travelers, they do not know what I am talking about.
Go to meet this Wu old man at the Bai Sha pavilion
Cherish our own company, fashion unimportant, for a long time we buy wine. Ask you about your job holding a halberd in the early dawn
Now difficult times, leaves wither and fall, you have to go out to sell cut and gathered firewood.
We truly witnessed cultural artifacts that suffered in the rain and dew
In former years you saw me wait upon the palace elite.
During winter we joined hunting parties, in spring visited ancestral memorial shrines
Happy and harmonious times, banquets and gratuitous gifts.
Autumn moon, prepare our bodies and minds for purities, to give alms in the bamboo palace
Every time we return drunk when traveling through Baling to Wen Quan.
Counting years, two annual rotations of the twelve celestial bodies
Today we met not to share personal troubles, but larger ones.
Really hate that these prosperous times suddenly departed
Our lives volatile and unsuccessful, yet compared to the empire, seems so small.
Notes:
Xuanzong: Long reigning emperor during the Tang Dynasty (r. 712-756)
Bai Sha Pavilion: White Sand Pavilion
Wu: An ancient nation state, approximately the area of the current province of Zhejiang.
Long Chi: Dragon Pond
Wei Yingwu met this old man from Wu while Wei was a teenager. They served as palace guards together.
Gather and cut firewood: This old man also did not get rich by taking
bribes while doing government work
Baling: region east of the capital Chang’an
Wen Quan: Warm Springs, where the emperor and his entourage went to enjoy the warm mineral baths.
Two annual rotations(of the twelve part zodiac) : 24 years
Halberd: An ancient battle axe.
