Poetic Yunnan 12: Slight mood in early spring

Men have sorrow and joy, just like the moon that may be bright or dim. In the beginning of spring, the temperature is generally on the rise in Yunnan province, but coldness still takes hold in the highland areas. For those who have to live alone in the province in ancient times, it’s only natural for them to miss their family afar, especially on the traditional Chinese occasions for family reunions. Today, we present you three classic poems of the slight mood by Yang Shen/杨慎.

The ancient Wolong village lies on the eastern shore of the Dianchi lake.

I
hǎi qì chūn chū lǜ jiàn shēn
海气春初绿渐深，
fēi yún yī piàn jié kōng yīn
飞云一片结空阴。
bō píng cǎo duǎn kān cháng wàng
波平草短堪长望，
chóu shà fēng lín qiān lǐ xīn
愁杀枫林千里心。

Emerald tides surge where spring meets the Sea's first breath;
A lone cloud weaves shadow through heaven's vast breadth.
On calm waves, through short grass — my gaze stretches afar,
Yet crimson maples torment a heart bound by the North Star.

 

A cultural event for the Lantern Festival is staged in cnetral Yunnan's Kunming city.

II
chūn chéng fēng wù jìn yuán xiāo
春城风物近元宵，
liǔ yà lián lóng huā fù qiáo
柳亚帘栊花覆桥。
yù bǎ guī qī bǔ shén yǔ
欲把归期卜神语，
zǐ gū dēng huǒ zhèng xiāo tiáo 。
紫姑灯火正萧条。

Near the Lantern Festival, spring-city sights take form —
Willows kiss curtained eaves, blossoms smother the bourn.
To divine the date for my return, I seek signs in the night,
But purple maid's dim flame foretells no guiding light.

 

A sunset at the northern shore of the Dianchi lake.  

III

gāo lóu míng yuè yè rú hé ，
高楼明月夜如何，
chàng dào liáng zhōu xiāng sī duō
唱到梁州乡思多。
kěn wéi liú guāng xī chén zuì
肯为流光惜沉醉，
wǎng jiāo chóu mèng luàn yān bō
枉教愁梦乱烟波。

What does the moonlit tower in night's velvet hold?
Liangzhou ballads awaken my homesickness untold.
Shall I drown the fleeting hours in wine's golden hue,
Only to let sorrowed dreams churn misty waves blue?

Culture ABCs:
a.The poet Yang Shen (1488-1559) is a Number One Scholar of the Ming Dynasty, who was banished to Yunnan province for over 30 years. Yang was amazed by the provincial scenic beauty, but he largely lived a lonely life in Yunnan, traveling across the province for leisure. Yang is native to today’s Chengdu, Sichuan province.

b.The Sea in line 1 of the first poem refers to the Dianchi Lake in central Yunnan, with its ancient name being the Dian Sea.

c. The proper noun North Star in line 4 of the first poem does not appear in Chinese version. Rather, it is chosen by the translator to be a rhyme echoing with "afar" in line 3, as well as an allusion of the poet’s wife who lives apart far away in the north.

d. The spring city in line 1 of the second poem is the nickname of Kunming city, while the Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month. Marking the end of the Spring Festival in the eyes of Chinese folks, the Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese occasion for family reunions.

e. Purple maid, or purple goddess, in line 4 is an allusion of the Chinese tradition, where folks would ask the goddess to tell their return or other fortunes on the Lantern Festival.

f. Liangzhou in line 2 of the third poem is one of the nine Chinese administrative divisions back to the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600BC), with today’s Yunnan province being part of it.

g. Misty waves in Line 4 of the third poem refer to the waves of the Dian Sea, according to poem 1.

Chinese source: Selected Yang Sheng’an Poems and Lyrics at Refined Residency near Jade-rooster Mountain; Yunnan Daily photos; English text by Wang Shixue (with input from deepseek)