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Translation
Liu Yuxi (772-842) | 劉禹錫 |
Temple of the Shu-Han Dynasty’s First Lord | 蜀先主廟 |
Among the heavens and earth, a heroic spirit | 天地英雄氣 |
Inspired awe for a thousand years. | 千秋尚凜然 |
When power divided, like a three-legged cauldron, | 勢分三足鼎 |
He restored the Han Dynasty’s coinage. | 業復五銖錢 |
The Prime Minister created a state | 得相能開國 |
But the emperor's son was unworthy, unable. | 生兒不象賢 |
Miserable, dreary Shu—your dancers | 淒涼蜀故伎 |
danced before the Palace of Wei. | 來舞魏宮前 |
Source: Wikimedia Commons, artist: Yu Ninjie
Commentary
This is a historical poem, telling the story of the rise and fall of the Shu-Han Kingdom (221-263 AD). This kingdom was founded by Liu Bei (the “First Lord” in the title) after the fall of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). As Liu Bei was directly related to the royal family of the Han Dynasty, it can be seen as an attempt to restor the failed dynasty, alluded to in the line, “He restored the Han Dynasty’scoinage.”
The Shu-Han Kingdom was one of the kingdoms competing for control over all of China during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). The other two were the Wei and the Wu kingdoms. The poet, Liu Yuxi, alludes to this as power divided into a three-legged cauldron, a suggestive image with the internal boiling representing the struggles of the time.
While Liu Bei and his Prime Minister, Zhuge Liang, successfully created the state, the emperor’s son was incompetent. He was suspected of being mentally handicapped, but in any case lived for pleasure without paying attention to the affairs of state.
Finally, in 263 AD, the Wei Kingdom conquered the Shu-Han Kingdom, referred to in the line about the Shu-Han’s dancers dancing before the Wei Palace.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
劉禹錫 | 刘禹锡 | Liú Yǔ Xī |
蜀先主廟 | 蜀先主庙 | Shǔ xiān zhǔ miào |
天地英雄氣， | 天地英雄气， | Tiān dì yīng xióng qì， |
千秋尚凜然。 | 千秋尚凛然。 | Qiān qiū shàng lǐn rán。 |
勢分三足鼎， | 势分三足鼎， | Shì fēn sān zú dǐng， |
業復五銖錢。 | 业复五铢钱。 | Yè fù wǔ zhū qián。 |
得相能開國， | 得相能开国， | Dé xiāng néng kāi guó， |
生兒不象賢。 | 生儿不象贤。 | Shēng ér bù xiàng xián。 |
淒涼蜀故伎， | 凄凉蜀故伎， | Qī liáng shǔ gù jì， |
來舞魏宮前。 | 来舞魏宫前。 | Lái wǔ wèi gōng qián。 |
Translation Notes
劉禹錫 | Kill Legendary-Hsia-Dynasty-Founder Bestow [=Liu Yuxi (772-842)] |
蜀先主廟 | Shu Former Lord Temple [“Shu” refers to the Shu-Han Kingdom (221-263 AD), one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms (220-280 AD) period. It was in the western part of China and the smallest of the three kingdoms in terms of land size. In 263, it was conquered by the Cao Wei Kingdom (220-265 AD).] [“Former Lord” refers to Liu Bei (161-223), the founder of the Shu-Han Dynasty. Liu Bei, also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and directly related to the royal family of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), which ruled China immediately before the Three Kingdoms era.] [This temple was located in Kuizhou City, Fengjie County in the Tang Dynasty; this location currently is in Chongqing City, Fengjie County.] |
天地英雄氣， | Heaven earth hero male/hero/manly spirit [“Heaven earth” means “heaven and earth,” or the whole world] [“Hero male spirit” means “heroism” or “heroic spirit,” here referring to Liu Bei’s heroism. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao and Liu Bei talked about contemporary heroes. Cao Cao said to Liu Bei: “there are only two real heroes in the world, namely you and I.”] |
千秋尚凜然。 | Thousand autumns still shiver-with-cold-or-fear certainly [“Thousand autumns” = a thousand years or a very long time] [“Shiver-with-cold-or-fear certainly” = awe-inspiring] |
勢分三足鼎， | Power divided three footed cauldron [“Three footed cauldron” is a cooking vessel with three legs. During the Three Kingdoms period, three kingdoms reigned over China, drawing the analogy. Notice that the image of the character “鼎” also has three feet.] |
業復五銖錢。 | Achievement revive five zhu/unit-of-weight money [“Unit-of-weight” or zhu was an ancient unit of weight, equal to approximately 0.6 grams] [“Five zhu money” was a currency used in Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty issued Five-Zhu currency in 118 BC and it became a symbol of the Han Dynasty.] [Liu Bei was directly related to the sovereign family of the original Han Dynasty, and bore their surname. So this line actually means that Liu Bei’s ambition was to revive Han Dynasty.] |
得相能開國， | Obtain prime-minister able-to found nation/state [“Prime minister” refers to Zhuge Liang (181-234). Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the Shu-Han state during the Three Kingdoms period. He is often recognized as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era and contributed greatly to the founding of the Shu-Han.] |
生兒不象賢。 | Bore son not figure worthy-or-virtuous-person/able [“Son” refers to Liu Shan (207-271). Liu Shan was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Liu Shan was commonly perceived as an incapable, even mentally handicapped ruler. He was also accused of indulging in pleasures while neglecting state affairs. Liu Shan eventually surrendered to Cao Wei in 263 after Deng Ai (d. 264) led a surprise attack on the Shu-Han capital, Chengdu, marking the end of the Shu-Han.] |
淒涼蜀故伎， | Miserable/dreary cold Shu/name-of-an-ancient-state ancient/old talent/skill [“Miserable cold” means “desolate”] [“Talent” was a professional female dancer or singer in ancient China] [“Shu ancient talent” means a dancer or singer in the ancient Shu Han Dynasy] |
來舞魏宮前。 | Coming/returning dance Wei palace preceding/in-front [“Wei” refers to Cao Wei, one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms era and the conqueror of the Shu-Han Kingdom. It was located in the northern part of the country.] |
Year:
2012
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