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Liangzhou Blues #1

*****Wang Zhihuan 688-742 To the East;     White clouds cluster above Yellow River, Here;     Lone garrison town cowers under towering peaks.     Vexing Tartar pipe plays parting tune. To the West;     No spring breeze penetrates Jade-Gate Pass.

Liángzhōucí

Huánghé yuǎn shāng báiyún jiān, Yī piàn gūchéng wàn rèn shān. Qiāng dí héxū yuàn yángliǔ, Chūnfēng bù dù Yùménguàn.

Translator:

Dongbo 東波

Notes: Presumably this poem was written in Liangzhou 涼州, present day 武威 Wuwei, in the middle of Gansu, a way from Yumenguan 玉門關, but still farther from the center of China. It is said that one day, when Wang was drinking with his friends Wang Zhanglin and Gaoshi, that singing girls sang the verses of these two but not of Wang Zhihuan. They chided him his lack of popularity. Wang countered by saying they must wait until the lovely last girl sang. To their chagrin she sang his verse and we like to think it was the Liangzhou Blues 涼州詞! Audio is Dwight Yoakum singing Rocky Road Blues.

Related Items:

Gānsù 甘肅

Yùménguān, Jade Gate Barrier 玉門關