Verses of Su Dongpo (蘇東坡詞選)

By You-Sheng Chen

This is a book with the best verses selected from the Song Dynasty in Chinese literature. Su Dongpo is one of the best poets in this field. This book has selected some of the best poetic works of Su Dongpo. Actually, there is rare English translation about the verse selection written by Su Dongpo. Hopefully, this book can lead you into the brilliance of the Chinese literature. They are all the most representative textual verses and can make you insight both the sorrow and pleasure of the great poet, Su Dongpo.

• Language: English
• Publisher: You-Sheng Chen
• Release date: Feb 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370628537

Book preview

和子由澠池懷舊 Reminiscence with Ziyou on Mianchi

人生到處何所似？應似飛鴻踏雪泥。

泥上偶然留指爪，鴻飛那復計東西。

老僧已死成新塔，壞壁無由見舊題。

往日崎嶇還記否，路長人困蹇驢嘶。

What is a roaming life like? It's just like bird claws with footprints left on snow soil!

Even if the trace is still remained, birds have flown away without any memory left!

Old monks have faded away and a Buddhism tower is newly built.

Walls have collapsed without any old poems found thereon.

Do you remember the time when we walked along this uneven road together?

It is a long road ahead and our fatigue is accompanied with the grievous sobbing of lame donkeys.

念奴嬌 Missing Your Charm

大江東去，浪淘盡， 千古風流人物。

故壘西邊人道是，三國周郎赤壁。

亂石崩雲，驚濤拍岸，捲起千堆雪。

江山如畫，一時多少豪杰！

遙想公瑾當年：小喬初嫁了，雄姿英發。

羽扇綸巾，談笑間, 強魯灰飛煙滅。

故國神遊，多情應笑我，早生華髮。

人間如夢，一樽還酹江月！

The raging water of the Yangtze river rushes to the east ceaselessly.

Countless heroes have deceased for several thousands of years long.

As people said, on the west to the camp is exactly the place where Zhou Yu defeated Cao Cao in the period of Three Kingdoms, the reputed Red Cliff Rocky Shore.

Over there are steep cliffs disorderly rising into clouds.

Fierce waves blast the river shore.

Running water rolls up tens of thousands of white sprays

On such a place of remarkably pictorial scenery with numerous talents grown,

Myriads of heroes are conceived to take their stages.

Recall the time when Xiao Ciao just married to Zhou Yu

How handsome and wise Zhou Yu he was.

During the critical moment of the Red Cliff War,

He wore a literati hat easily shaking a lupine,

On a chatting occasion with laughters,

Leading his navy to burn down all the warships of Cao Cao.

How ridiculously！

Dreaming in the battlefield of the ancient dynasty of Three Kingdoms provokes my unstoppable sentimental grief.

All the life has been wasted with white hair covered everywhere.

Reminisce whatever in the past Just like a dream

With a cup of wine, salute to the moon welling on the river.

蝶戀花 Butterflies Yearning for Flowers

殘紅青杏小。 燕子飛時，綠水人家遶。

枝上柳綿吹又少，天涯何處無芳草？

牆裡秋千牆外道。 牆外行人，牆裡佳人笑。

笑漸不聞聲漸杳。多情卻被無情惱。

With the spring nearly ending and flowers withering,

Apricots start to bear small and green premature fruits.

The