讀江淹賦

讀江淹賦

六朝歌已歇

展卷氣猶清

雖雲繁華後

對此可忘形

落日離亭柳

芳草渭水濱

江郎曾有賦

千古唱別情

歷劫、抄經

歷劫

生來只為任自由

十年囹圄不白頭

千淘萬漉塵劫盡

便是人間浩蕩秋

 

抄經

雲遮天路月色昏

風呺檐下萬鬼嗔

半紙殘經抄未盡

一豆青燈入夜深

——記於共匪獄中抄写法輪大法經文

賦得春江花月夜 Listening to "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River"

江天渺渺江月霽    江上波光乍合離

一引洞簫春江夜    萬頃滉漾碧琉璃

明月遍照千江水    千江瀲灧月東西

雲邊鶴影誰化去    道人丹成著羽衣

江流千古月千古    月色江聲兩依依

江花渚中別樣紅    江畔高岸芳草萋

濤聲汩汩遠還近    江邊人立白石磯

天外清風如有意    隔水吹來拂面低 

望中江波增浩淼    遠接銀漢星斗移

清江一棹風煙外    月落江心生漣漪

"Inspired by ancient Chinese music "春江花月夜" - "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River" (Played with Vertical Bamboo flute/Chinese Bamboo Xiao)

The river scatters moon and sky, congeals them, light and wavering.

A bamboo flute brings spring by night, rolling miles of blue-green glaze.

Bright moon, a thousand rivers, thousands flowing, east-west, overflowing.

A cloud, a shadow crane* — a Taoist, freed to feathers, leaves the maze.

Both river, moon, forever rhythmed; sound and colour bind each other.

Clear river’s flowers skirt an islet; high sides’ grass, a luscious place.

The clasps of waves sound far, then close; at river’s edge, white rock, a stranger.

Clear breeze beyond the heavens, come and cross the river, stroke my face.

Far off, the river’s glints expand, becoming stars and cosmic stipples.

Clear river: boat, through wind and smoke. Moon sinks to river’s heart, ripples.

* a shadow crane: In Chinese history, legend has it that when Taoists succeeded in their cultivation, they could become immortals. Sometimes they transformed themselves into a beautiful crane and flew into the heavens, or rode upon a crane and flew away.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin

秋雁、秋興、秋望

秋雁

遙望雲山闊

秋空雁陣低

寒潭不留影

只因歸飛急

 

秋興

清角野戍殘秋

荒江落日渡頭

天涯雲路望斷

白鳥一片悠悠

 

秋望

夕陽古木秋煙

青山野渚相連

風裡襟懷何寄

晚鴉暮色江天 

再詠黃山雪霽 Huangshan(1) after Snow

七十二峰雪滿山
危乎高哉列千關
鐵馬重裘難為進
到此仰呼行路難

何代仙人開鳥道
往來天都一日還
上有奇松出雲海
下有九龍探百川

墨花點破太白筆
道場曾煉軒轅丹
梵天擲下青蓮座
光明之頂不可攀

半空俯仰壯心目
上下泱漭若渾涵
元氣磅礴萬萬古
始知乾坤有大觀

注釋：

①七十二峰雪滿山：黃山七十二峰
②往來天都一日還：三大主峰之天都峰
③上有奇松出雲海：黃山四絶之一奇松
④下有九龍探百川：黃山三大名瀑之「九龍瀑」
⑤墨花點破太白筆：黃山奇峰「夢筆生花」傳為太白之筆化成
⑥道場曾煉軒轅丹：黃山傳為軒轅黃帝煉丹處，故稱黃山
⑦梵天擲下青蓮座：三大主峰之蓮花峰
⑧光明之頂不可攀：三大主峰之光明頂

Over seventy summits, mapped and named, obscured by snow.

Vastly high, to rising sky, lined up, a thousand passes!    

Weaponed suits, in furs, on armoured horse—no easy passes—

Battled armies halt: So huge their ride! How far to go!?

Which immortals built those paths where only birds can fly?

So high, so far away, yet reachable in just a day.

Life-affirming, miracle pines peak over clouds’ seas’ sway.

Nine Dragon Waterfall(2) dashed to a hundred rivers—Li Bai(3):

Brush pen flourished into Dream Flower Pen(4), a tree-soft point.

Yellow Emperor(5) made dan inside this Taoist sphere.

Full of beauty—is this Buddha’s lotus seat(6) spread here?

Brightness Apex(7), it’s impossible to get to the point.

Half way to heaven, heart-vast, up-down, majestic, vision not finite,

No limit, far, inside, vast, unseen but known, profound—

Base Earth energy running millions of years unbound,

Only being here I now know the universe’s light.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin

Footnotes: 
1. Huangshan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangshan(Chinese: 黄山, literal meaning: Yellow Mountain) is a mountain range in southern Anhui Province in eastern China. Vegetation on the range is thickest below 1,100 meters (3,600 ft), with trees growing up to the tree line at 1,800 meters (5,900 ft). The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's major tourist destinations.

2. The Nine Dragon Waterfall is one of the three most famous waterfalls in Huangshan.

3.  Li Bai (701–762) was a Chinese poet acclaimed from his own day to the present as a genius and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He is regarded by many as the greatest poet in Chinese history. 

4.  Dream Flower Pen (Meng Bi Sheng Hua) is located within northeast of Yellow Mountain and close to the Bijia Peak. The elevation is 1,640 meters. A stone stands elevated with a round bottom cuspate top, like a brush pen used for calligraphy. Legend has it that once Li Bai dreamed that flowers blossomed on top of his brush. There is also another story that when Li Bai once visited Mount Huangshan, he was invited by a monk to write a poem. After he finished writing, everyone was so amazed by his calligraphy and poem. In his excitement (not without drinking some rice wine produced and provided by the monks), Li Bai threw away his brush which turned into a peak of Huangshan which is now called "夢筆生花Meng Bi Sheng Hua", or "Dream Flower Pen", meaning the brush blossomed in a dream. "Meng Bi Sheng Hua" also evolved into a Chinese idiom referring to very talented writers or writings. 

5. Legend has it that once the Yellow Emperor made his elixir, or dan, on Mount Huangshan. Huang means yellow, Shan means mountain. That's how Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) gained its name: It was named after the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di). The Yellow Emperor was
one of Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ancient China, living some 5000 years ago. He was believed to have succeeded in cultivation, become an immortal and rose to heaven on a dragon. Chinese people now call themselves "descendants of the Yellow Emperor".

6. Lotus Peak is one of the three main peaks of Huangshan. Buddhas are believed to sit on lotus petals (like a seat).

7. The Bright Peak is one of the three main peaks of Huangshan.

《北征集》二首

序：靖康之難後，二帝北狩，趙構南逃。老將宗澤留守東京，聯結諸路義兵，痛擊金人。河北人心大震，唯宗爺爺馬首是瞻。宗澤遂請趙構迴鑾，章二十餘上，皆石沉大海。宗澤心急如焚，疽發於背，兩月竟亡。彌留之際，諸將前來問疾，唯勉諸公殲敵。又嘆曰：「出師未捷身先死，長使英雄淚滿襟」，連呼「過河」三聲而亡，未有一語言及家事。宗澤死後，戰勢急轉直下，南渡遂成定局，趙構為金人所追，逃亡海上。讀史至此，感而愤之，悲而壮之，泣而歌之，遂为之志。

 憶南渡

車馬囂囂北來塵
衣冠南渡負忠魂
身後人與事俱去
中原何處不傷神

 憶宗澤

戎馬亂世是生涯
英雄彌留志未達
三聲大叫渡河去
半語遺言未及家

題白雲詩社 In Appreciation of The White Cloud Poetry Society

白茫茫神遊太古

雲蒼蒼浩歌九天

詩成兮清風朗月

社結兮高會諸仙

 

White realms vast, our hearts traversing back to the origins of  time

Cloud to oceans surrounding us, our poetic endeavors reaching to the heavens

Poetry now completed, we find a cool breeze with the moon so bright

Society of poets, we aspire to catch a glimpse of life upon the highest of mountains.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng. 

梨花詩 Pear Blossom

寂歷三春誰家院  浩蕩東風吹過牆

玉樹千枝燃白雪  曲徑深巷梨花香

夜半溶溶光浸月  晝永脈脈煙生涼

時逢清明得氣早  開得冷艷天一方

仙子瑤台名有籍  謫來立盡小劫長

夢裡輕寒尤料峭  認取雲山是故鄉

Standing alone in Spring, whose courtyard is this?

Briskly, east wind overspills the wall,           

A thousand trees of sudden burning snow, 

pear blossom’s fragrance scorching lane and trail.           

Night descends, they beacon back the moon. 

At daybreak, they’re caressed by misty cool.

While Qingming*’s coming, they’re first to grasp Spring’s soul, 

making this far-off place beautiful.

 

I’m wondering: were they beings cast down          

to earth, to experience, whole, life’s jail?             

In cold night dreams they still remember lightness, 

home beyond the cloudy mountains’ rail.

* The Qingming or Ching Ming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in English, is a traditional Chinese festival on the first day of the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This makes it the 15th day after the Spring Equinox, either 4 or 5 April in a given year. Other common translations include Chinese Memorial Day and Ancestors' Day.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin

北征賦

寫北征之賦兮

憶南渡之世

悲中原之板蕩兮

傷文明以陵遲

自二帝之北虜

靖康有恥

至兩王之南竄

崖山浮屍

湖山如夢

偏安醉死

感懷飄零

至今思之

仰前古之烈聖兮

立人中極則

雖時窮而節見兮

彪炳後世

乃悟百代終之有盡

天道運以無窮

唯忠義可昭日月兮

知不可為而為之

千齡既遠兮

吾當秉筆

唯文明以聖頌

鼓南風之歌詩

春雪有懷 A Snowy Day in Spring

飛雪樹頭  太古周遊

我思浩浩  天地悠悠 

東風吹徹  孰與唱酬

我思茫茫  不見子猷 

尋梅策蹇  寒江泛舟

我思澹澹  聊以忘憂 

四望一白  如臨姑射

我思渙渙  夫復何求 

With all the trees in shrouds of falling snow,

We move towards the moment of Time's birth.

My thoughts leap forward with great strength and flow

Within the massive gap of heaven … earth.

 

Around me, cold East Wind that blows and blows

Much like a song—but who will sing with me?

Dispersing, wafting thoughts are vagrant echoes

Of Zi You gone, returned, now not with me.

 

I want to ride a donkey, sail the river

To trace plum blossoms at the edge of mind.

My thoughts reach gently, dancing on forever,

They leave the worried world’s concerns behind.

While in the center of this pure white realm,

I could be in the presence of Ku Yi.

Contented, all my thoughts flow with no helm.

All I have is all I need to be. 

Translated by Jennifer Zeng.

Edited by Damian Robin.

Ariel Tian, Art Director of White Cloud Poetry Society, at Central Park. Photo by Benny Zhang Studio.

梨花

雨打清明三月初

杖頭載酒醉相扶

梨花枝下歌白雪

郢中古調聽不俗

東風吹起花千瓣

飛入夢中有也無

天淨沙•梨花

清明暖日山光

幾家青瓦園牆

望若春雲浩蕩

梨花陌上

好風吹送天香

【鴻印集】無言

紅塵自古多謗  憂來幾度悽惶

鐵馬敲風驚夢  冷月照人微涼

九死歌哭昨日  一腔悲憤詩腸

天公不言有信  我亦如是何傷

故園桃花應老  別後千春茫茫 

冬日随笔（三）

風回寒林靜  雪落幽谷空
晶瑩珊瑚樹  妝成玉虛宮
舉步疑無路  仙源心徑通
野望登高處  不見長眉翁
茫茫天地大  誰與論道同
峰出四山上  獨坐白雲中

文心 The Soul of My Poetry

文心水機  道出於一

亦真亦幻  至怪至奇 

夫彼為文  淵洄如水

溢於筆端  為漣為漪 

夫彼為水  譎詭其文

噴薄而出  如虹如霓 

若夫可聽  鳴泉濺濺

若夫可賞  江煙合離 

文焉水焉  變態萬狀

發於方寸  頃刻千里 

The soul of my poetry

is like the essence of water

following the same Way

sometimes so real

other times elusive

they can be wonderful

yet hard to understand.

When the Way manifests in my writing

It flows like water

swirling and creating ripples

spilling from the tip of my pen

causing waves from deepest origins.

When the Way manifest in water

Its ripples are mysterious

and hard to catch 

Bursting forth like a rainbow

with exquisite colors.

If the Way can be heard

Listen to the murmuring of the spring

If the Way can be seen

Watch the soft mist above a lake

Constantly gathering and departing

No longer can I tell apart

Whether it is the water or my writing

forever changing into endless forms

emerging from some intangible spring

that can erupt suddenly

with full power and majesty

outpouring and stretching

for a thousand miles.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng.

以《文心水機》為靈感設計的雲坊白水晶祥雲手串。

步虛歌 Seeking the Way

人世有大偽  代謝總無常

我生如過客  來去兩茫茫

寒潭不留影  空花隔岸香

紅塵多夢眼  一朝感悽惶

道心唯寂寞  常在水雲鄉

風起橫笛去  吹動羽衣涼

Our human world waves like a mirage blur,

So little stays the same.

I have no roots, a driven traveler

Without a family name.

My shadow shimmers. Crowds across the lake

Don’t comprehend. They take

My search as empty dreaming, lonely sorrow.

I seek the Way, to know,

So loneliness cannot be pushed away.

On high is my heart’s home.

When breezes blow, I am a flute at play,

The wind, my heavenly dome.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng

 Edited by Damian Robin

優曇婆羅花 The Mystical Udumbara

空花非是夢  夜來氣浮香

天外優曇海  縹緲白霓裳

玉骨無俗艷  寶相生清光

起舞在佛掌  下世應聖王

隨緣散花萼  忽然降十方

一花一世界  萬宇風露涼

皎然月下雪  潔白九秋霜

如意自來去  三千歲月長

The mystical udumbara is not a dream

Its fragrance penetrates the darkest night

And up into the heavens

There is a sea of udumbara flowers

Surrounded by countless layers of misty clouds

As pure as jade

Shining with ethereal light

They dance inside the Buddha's palms

And descend to this world

Responding to the Holy King

Blossoming in different places

According to predestined arrangements

Or suddenly flourishing simultaneously into ten directions

With each flower representing another world

Tens of thousands of worlds rejoice

Luminous like the snow under a full moon

Bright like the dew in deep forests

How they move with a free and easy spirit

Yet blooming only once every three thousand years

Heralding the advent of the King of the Golden Wheel

– 聽神韻交響樂曲目【優曇婆羅花】

– Original poem Inspired by "The Mystical Udumbara" by Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng.

雪域藏鼓

巍峨淨土  白雲終古

須彌腳下  先民抱朴 

獵獵長風  隆隆藏鼓

雪域少年  為神而舞 

舞如蒼鷹  盤還空行

舞如雄獅  載躍載騰 

舞如金剛  雷霆奮迅

舞如大日  十方光明 

寶幢莊嚴  飛虹在天

法號吹徹  白螺喧闐 

眾生喜悅  高山之巔

佛光普照  極樂無邊 

– 2018中國新年期間通過新唐人電視台再睹神韻晚會《藏鼓豪情》

陌上（調寄天淨沙） On the Way

乍寒乍暖時光，

鷓鴣聲裡斜陽，

驛路南來北往。

相逢陌上，

晚風油壁紗窗。

Quick-change season, feels warm then low.

Chatterings, francolins*, the sun angled low.

Coming south, going north, post-road flow,

Meet as we go.

Night breeze—painted walls, screened window.

*Francolins are terrestrial (though not flightless) birds; they feed on insects, vegetable matter and seeds.

Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin 

冬日隨筆（二）

我居異域久  嘗思北國寒 

茫茫天地古  落落對空山 

風回林更寂  雲起意近禪 

偶來松下坐  一尺雪蒲團