Listen to this articleChaoran Terrace: (Gaze Into the Distance to Jiangnan)
超 然 台 作：望 江 南
春 未 老，风 细 柳 斜 斜。
试 上 超 然 台 上 看
半 壕 春 水 一 城 花。
烟 雨 暗 千 家。
寒 食 后，酒 醒 却 咨 嗟。
休 对 故 人 思 故 国
且 将 新 火 试 新 茶。
诗 酒 趁 年 华。
Chao Ran Tai Zuo: (Wang Jiang Nan)
Chun wei lao, feng xi liu xie xie.
Shi shang chao ran tai shang kan,
Ban hao chun shui yi cheng hua.
Yan yu an qian jia.
Han shi hou, jiu xing que zi jie.
Xiu dui gu ren si gu guo,
Qie jiang xin huo shi xin cha.
Shi jiu xiu nian hua.
Chaoran Terrace: (Gaze Into the Distance to Jiangnan)
Spring not yet old and gone
Wind blows delicate willows back and forth.
Above the Chaoran Terrace I see what is beyond
Half of the moat full of spring water around a city of flowers.
Misty rain hides a thousand houses.
After the Qing Ming cold food days.
The nature of wine wears off, bringing more lament
I am ready to contact my old friends, think of my hometown
For the time being make a new fire, new tea.
Don’t waste this time, it is for drinking wine and writing poetry.
Notes:
[The description at the end of the title identifies the name of the music which these lines are to be sung to.]
Qing Ming: Widely observed day to honor the ancestors by sweeping and then lighting incense around their tombs. Continuing for over 2,500 years, it is fifteen days after the spring equinox. Cold food days are when no cooking fires are used to honor those passed away.
