Du Fu’s “A Painting Song for General Cao Ba” (300 Tang Poems #61)

Year

Mon, 2012-07-30 12:00

Translation

Du Fu (712-770)	杜甫
A Painting Song for General Cao Ba	丹青引贈曹霸將軍

General, son of the founders of the Kingdom of Wei:	將軍魏武之子孫
In recent times you’ve become a humble commoner.	於今為庶為青門
Your grandfather was a hero, brave in the time of separate states;	英雄割據雖已矣
He passed on literary grace, a talent you still retain.	文采風流今尚存
At first you learned calligraphy from Lady Wei,	學書初學衛夫人
Regretting only that you could not surpass Master Wang.	但恨無過王右軍
Painting, painting—you did not perceive the approach of old age, for:	丹青不知老將至
“Riches and honors are floating clouds to me.”	富貴於我如浮雲
During the Kaiyun Reign you often called upon the emperor,	開元之中常引見
Frequently receiving favor from the Southern Fragrant Palace.	承恩數上南熏殿
When glorious ministers lost their luster in the paintings in the Hall of Fame,	凌煙功臣少顏色
It was you, General, who brought them down to give them a fresh look.	將軍下筆開生面
Worthy ministers wore a cap above their heads	良相頭上進賢冠
While brave generals wore a feathered arrow about the waist:	猛將腰間大羽箭
Lord Bao, Lord Er, both with flowing hair,	褒公鄂公毛髮動
In manner brave, exuberant—and drunk on war. ~~	英姿颯爽猶酣戰
The Late Emperor had a heavenly steed, a piebald named Jade Flower;	先帝天馬玉花驄
But in paintings it looked like a mountain, not as the horse it was.	畫工如山貌不同
One day, it was led along, beneath the palace’s steps of red,	是日牽來赤墀下
Standing upright at Heaven’s Gate, with living hair in the wind.	迥立閶闔生長風
The emperor decreed that you make a silk for painting	詔謂將軍拂絹素
And put your feelings into it with painstaking craft.	意匠慘淡經營中
And quickly you made a real dragon come out from the nine layers of heaven,	斯須九重真龍出
Washing away completely the memory of ten thousand horses.	一洗萬古凡馬空
Jade Flower now exists above the imperial couch;	玉花卻在御榻上
And above that couch, before the courtyard, rising high, you faced each other:	榻上庭前屹相向
His Highest Honor, the Emperor, bestowed a smile, giving gold	至尊含笑催賜金
While his groomsman and carriage master felt only distress. ~~	圉人太僕皆惆悵
Your apprentice, Han Gan, joined your workshop	弟子韓幹早入室
And painted other horses in fine detail,	亦能畫馬窮殊相
Yet could only capture the flesh, not the marrow—	幹惟畫肉不畫骨
For how could he make the spirit of fine horses just wither and die?	忍使驊騮氣凋喪
General, your paintings thrive because they hold a spirit divine	將軍畫善蓋有神
For seldom do we cross a scholar who can paint with such reality.	偶逢佳士亦寫真
But now you’re tossed in the tides of rebels and war	即今漂泊干戈際
And seek to paint the portraits of common passerby.	屢貌尋常行路人
The street poor sneer and look down upon you with vulgar eyes	塗窮反遭俗眼白
For the world has no one poorer than you.	世上未有如公貧
Look at the ancients who come to us in great fame:	但看古來盛名下
Always, their bodies are wrapped in calamity’s snare.	終日坎壈纏其身

Commentary

Du Fu wrote this poem when he was 53-years old. He had suffered throughout his life and is making a parallel of his life to that of General Cao. General Cao came from a great family; his ancestors founded the Wei Kingdom, one of the kingdoms in a period when China was split into separate states. His ancestors also possessed great literary and artistic skill, transmitting it through the generations. He learned calligraphy from Lady Wei, one of his family’s outstanding calligraphers, but could not surpass Master Wang, another famous calligrapher, in excellence.

During his life, General Cao became famous for his paintings, winning the admiration of the emperor. He gained notice touching up the portraits of the great generals and statesmen in the Hall of Fame, including the generals, Lord Er and Lord Ba. Then he did a beautiful job painting the Emperor’s horse, capturing its spirit (literally the “bones,” which I have translated here as the “marrow”). In the poem, the emperor’s carriage master and groomsmen were distressed because the painting was so realistic that the emperor might prefer the painting to the real horse. The vitality was like a dragon coming out of the heavens (believed to have nine layers at the time). For this, General Cao received the emperor’s favor and a present of gold.

However, during the An Lushan rebellion, the resulting destruction disrupted his riches and honors. The capital was sacked several times and the emperor fled. General Cao became poor, painting the portraits of passerby to make a living. The common people he painted had no idea of his great talent or fame, looking down on him as a mere beggar.

To illustrate General Cao’s devotion to his craft, Du Fu quotes a line from Confucius: “Riches and honors / are floating clouds to me.” General Cao cared little about riches and honors, which he viewed as a temporary phenomenon, like floating clouds, and devoted his effort to his craft. Indeed, the turn of his life illustrated the “floating clouds” of fame and fortune. Instead, he was so engrossed in painting that he did not even notice the onset of old age.

Original Chinese

Traditional	Simplified	Pronunciation

杜甫	杜甫	Dù fǔ
丹青引贈曹霸將軍	丹青引赠曹霸将军	Dān qīng yǐn zèng cáo bà jiāng jūn

將軍魏武之子孫，	将军魏武之子孙，	Jiāng jūn wèi wǔ zhī zǐ sūn,
於今為庶為青門；	于今为庶为青门;	Yú jīn wéi shù wéi qīng mén;
英雄割據雖已矣！	英雄割据虽已矣！	Yīng xióng gē jù suī yǐ yǐ!
文采風流今尚存。	文采风流今尚存。	Wén cǎi fēng liú jīn shàng cún.
學書初學衛夫人，	学书初学卫夫人，	Xué shū chū xué wèi fū rén,
但恨無過王右軍。	但恨无过王右军。	Dàn hèn wú guò wáng yòu jūn.
丹青不知老將至，	丹青不知老将至，	Dān qīng bù zhī lǎo jiàng zhì,
富貴於我如浮雲。	富贵于我如浮云。	Fù guì yú wǒ rú fú yún.
開元之中常引見，	开元之中常引见，	Kāi yuán zhī zhōng cháng yǐn jiàn,
承恩數上南熏殿，	承恩数上南熏殿，	Chéng ēn shuò shàng nán xūn diàn,
凌煙功臣少顏色，	凌烟功臣少颜色，	Líng yān gōng chén shǎo yán sè,
將軍下筆開生面。	将军下笔开生面。	Jiāng jūn xià bǐ kāi shēng miàn.
良相頭上進賢冠，	良相头上进贤冠，	Liáng xiàng tóu shàng jìn xián guān,
猛將腰間大羽箭。	猛将腰间大羽箭。	Měng jiàng yāo jiān dà yǔ jiàn.
褒公鄂公毛髮動，	褒公鄂公毛发动，	Bāo gōng è gōng máo fà dòng,
英姿颯爽猶酣戰。	英姿飒爽犹酣战。	Yīng zī sà shuǎng yóu hān zhàn.
先帝天馬玉花驄，	先帝天马玉花骢，	Xiān dì tiān mǎ yù huā cōng,
畫工如山貌不同。	画工如山貌不同。	Huà gōng rú shān mào bù tóng.
是日牽來赤墀下，	是日牵来赤墀下，	Shì rì qiān lái chì chí xià,
迥立閶闔生長風。	迥立阊阖生长风。	Jiǒng lì chāng hé shēng cháng fēng.
詔謂將軍拂絹素，	诏谓将军拂绢素，	Zhào wèi jiāng jūn fú juàn sù,
意匠慘淡經營中；	意匠惨淡经营中;	Yì jiàng cǎn dàn jīng yíng zhōng;
斯須九重真龍出，	斯须九重真龙出，	Sī xū jiǔ chóng zhēn lóng chū,
一洗萬古凡馬空。	一洗万古凡马空。	Yì xǐ wàn gǔ fán mǎ kōng.
玉花卻在御榻上，	玉花却在御榻上，	Yù huā què zài yù tà shàng,
榻上庭前屹相向；	榻上庭前屹相向;	Tà shàng tíng qián yì xiāng xiàng;
至尊含笑催賜金，	至尊含笑催赐金，	Zhì zūn hán xiào cuī cì jīn,
圉人太僕皆惆悵，	圉人太仆皆惆怅，	Yǔ rén tài pú jiē chóu chàng,
弟子韓幹早入室，	弟子韩干早入室，	Dì zǐ hán gàn zǎo rù shì,
亦能畫馬窮殊相；	亦能画马穷殊相;	Yì néng huà mǎ qióng shū xiàng;
幹惟畫肉不畫骨，	干惟画肉不画骨，	Gàn wéi huà ròu bù huà gǔ,
忍使驊騮氣凋喪。	忍使骅骝气凋丧。	Rěn shǐ huá liú qì diāo sàng.
將軍畫善蓋有神，	将军画善盖有神，	Jiāng jūn huà shàn gài yǒu shén,
偶逢佳士亦寫真；	偶逢佳士亦写真;	ǒu féng jiā shì yì xiě zhēn;
即今漂泊干戈際，	即今漂泊干戈际，	Jí jīn piāo bó gān gē jì,
屢貌尋常行路人。	屡貌寻常行路人。	Lǚ mào xún cháng xíng lù rén.
塗窮反遭俗眼白，	涂穷反遭俗眼白，	Tú qióng fǎn zāo sú yǎn bái,
世上未有如公貧；	世上未有如公贫;	Shì shàng wèi yǒu rú gōng pín;
但看古來盛名下，	但看古来盛名下，	Dàn kàn gǔ lái shèng míng xià,
終日坎壈纏其身。	终日坎壈缠其身。	Zhōng rì kǎn lǎn chán qí shēn.

Literal Notes

杜甫	Birchleaf-pear-tree Man [= Du Fu(712-770)]
丹青引贈曹霸將軍	Red green draw-out give-as-present Cao/ministry-officials Ba/Tyrant/Master General Army [Red green = painting], [draw-out = Yin, a poem genre, similar to songs], [Cao Ba/Tyrant/Master General Army = General Cao Ba, his ancestor was also a good painter in Sanguo Dynansty]

將軍魏武之子孫，	General army Wei-kingdom Wu/military/martial ’s son grandson [Wei Wu= Wei Kindom was founded by Cao’s family], [son grandson= offspring]
於今為庶為青門；	At/in today/modern-times as/become ordinary-people/multitude as/become green family [green= means quiet, so Quiet Family refers to a poor and humble family], [Note: General Cao Bao was demoted because of a crime. So he became an ordinary person.]
英雄割據雖已矣！	Brave/hero hero/manly separate independent-regime/occupy/take-possession-of though stop/finished [affirmation-of-completed-action] [Brave hero = hero], [separate independent-regime = set up an independent regime, separate, division]
文采風流今尚存。	Literary/culture grace/talent/collect manner/style genre today/now still maintain/keep [Literary grace = literary talent], [manner genre= talented and unconvetional in life style, distinguished and accomplished, romantic, dissolute]
學書初學衛夫人，	Learn calligraphy initially learn-from Wei/guard Husband Person [Wei Husband Person= Lady Wei, famous for her Lishu calligraphy. Lishu is one main genre of Chinese calligraphy. Husband Person = Lady or Madame.]
但恨無過王右軍。	Yet/only/but regret not surpass/excel Wang/king Right Army [King Right Army = Right Army is an official title, here refers to the outstanding calligrapher Wang Xizhi, who used to be an official in the army and also learned calligraphy from Lady Wei.]
丹青不知老將至，	Red green not know old/senior/aged will/would arrive [Red green = painting], [old will = old general, old-timer, veteran], [Meaning: General Cao spent his life and soul practising painting, and did not realize time was flying by.]
富貴於我如浮雲。	Rich/abundant noble/valuable to me as-if floating/drifting clouds [Rich noble = riches and honor], [floating clouds= idiom, a metaphor to describe something easily gone or hard to reach, like written in water.]
開元之中常引見，	Kai/Open/Start Yuan/Dynasty ’s during/around/inside often/frequent introduce/attract/guide/lead see [Kai Yuan = a reign name, Tang Xuanzong’s time, the peak of Tang prosperity], [introduce see= a term, introduced by some official to meet the emperor]
承恩數上南熏殿，	Bear/receive favor/grace frequently/repeatedly go-up South Scent/fragrance/perfume Palace [Bear/receive favor/grace= recipient of a favor by the emperor] , [South Scent Palace= Nanxun Palace]
凌煙功臣少顏色，	Soar/pure/rise-high Smoke achievement/meritorious-deed-or service official/minister lack/little/youth face color [Soar Smoke= Linyan Chamber, where the Hall of Fame was], [achievement official = minister who has given outstanding service], [face color = color], [Note: During the Kaiyuan years, Xuanzong ordered Cao to repaint the Hall of Fame, because the original colors were fading.]
將軍下筆開生面。	General army bring-down write/paint start/open give-birth face/look [Bring-down write = put pen to paper], [start/open give-birth face/look= offered a brand new look]
良相頭上進賢冠，	Good official/minister/portrait/picture head above to-advance virtuous-person hat [to-advance virtuous-person hat= name of a hat, which all Tang officials wear when they go to the imperial court.]
猛將腰間大羽箭。	Brave/violent/savage/bold general waist area big feather arrow [Brave general = brave person], [big feather arrow= the arrow Emperor Taizong favored.]
褒公鄂公毛髮動，	Bao/praise Duke E/Hubei-province Duke hair/fur hair move [Bao Duke E Duke= Duke Bao and Duke Er, both in the Linyin Hall of Fame.]
英姿颯爽猶酣戰。	Hero/brave looks/appearance/disposition/one’s-manner valiant/sound-of-the-wind/bleak/melancholy invigorating/pleasurable/happy/cheerful as-if/like intoxicated/enjoying-intoxicants fight/battle/war
先帝天馬玉花驄，	Earlier Emperor heavenly/sky horse Jade Flower Buckskin-horse/horse-with-bluish-white-color [Earlier Emperor= Late emperor, Tang Xuanzong], [heavenly/sky horse= horse used by the emperor], [Jade Flower Buckskin-horse= horse’s name]
畫工如山貌不同。	Painting labor/skill/profession like/as-if mountain appearance/look not same/alike [Meaning: The painter spent much time painting the horse, but still did not reflect the original look.]
是日牽來赤墀下，	To-be/that day lead-by-hand/drag/pull/guide along/come red courtyard go-down/under [To-be day= the other day], [red courtyard= the steps of the palace, which was painted in red.]
迥立閶闔生長風。	Distant stand-up/stand/establish heaven/gate-of-heaven/main-gate-of-palace gate/door grow/create/birth long wind [heaven gate= here refers to the palace gate.], [grow/create long wind= describe the full vitality people can feel around this horse. Grow long = to grow.], [Note: There is a Chinese idiom, “dragon and horse’s spirit,” which means to have the same vitality as those two animals.]
詔謂將軍拂絹素，	Imperial-decree says general army brush-away kind-of-stiff-silk white/plain [brush-away kind-of-stiff-silk white = clean the plain silk, get ready to paint]
意匠慘淡經營中；	Idea/thought craftsman/artisan gloomy/sad/pitiful dismal/insipid undergo/pass-through operate/manage in-the-midst [Idea/thought craftsman= craftsman who carries the thought into the work], [gloomy dismal undergo operate = to manage by painstaking effort], [in-the-midst = during the painting work]
斯須九重真龍出，	This moment nine levels/layers true/real/authentic dragon/symbolic-of-emperor come-out/go-out [This moment = shortly], [nine levels = Ancient Chinese believe the sky has 9 levels.]
一洗萬古凡馬空。	Completely/one wash/rinse ten-thousand history/ancient/old ordinary/earthly horses vacant/deserted [Meaning: Cao’s painting made people ignore the countless ordinarly horses.]
玉花卻在御榻上，	Jade Flower still/however/nevertheless at imperial/chariot couch/bed on/top [Meaning:The painting of Jade Flower (the horse) looks as if it is real.]
榻上庭前屹相向；	Couch/bed on/above courtyard front high-and-steep/to-rise-high each-other towards/face
至尊含笑催賜金，	Utmost Honorable contain smile urge reward gold [Utmost Honorable = the emperor], [contain smile = have a smile on his face]
圉人太僕皆惆悵，	Horse-stable person Very/extreme Servant all/each/in-all-cases depressed/distressed melancholy/disappointed [Horse-stable person = horse trainer, groom], [Very Servant = Taipu, the official in charge of the emperor’s carriages.]
弟子韓幹早入室，	Younger-brother child Han/fence Gan/trunk-of-tree-or-human-body earlier enter family/work-unit/room/house [Younger-brother child = apprentice, disciple], [Han Gan= Cao’s disciple, who has inherited the most knowledge from Cao], [enter family/work-unit= the best student]
亦能畫馬窮殊相；	Also able-to paint horse exhaustive/poor/destitute unique/special appearance/each-other/mutual
幹惟畫肉不畫骨，	Han/tree-trunk/body’s-trunk only paint flesh not paint bone [Meaning: Han’s painting did not portray the horses’ spirits.]
忍使驊騮氣凋喪。	Tolerate/endure/bear make/cause chestnut-horse/an-excellent-horse bay-horse-with-black-mane/famous-horse vital-breath withered lose/mourning
將軍畫善蓋有神，	General army painting good all-because/cover have spirit/soul/divine-essence/spiritual-being
偶逢佳士亦寫真；	Seldom/accidentally meet/encounter/come-upon/come-across good/fine specialist/scholar also draw real/genuine [draw real= portrait, describe something accurately]
即今漂泊干戈際，	At/promptly/quickly now/today drift/float/tossed-about in-the-tide/lie-at-anchor/anchor-vessel oppose/invade weapons-of-the-war/halberd/spear/lance time/circumstance/juncture [drift in-the-tide = to drift, wander, lead a roving life]
屢貌尋常行路人。	Often/frequently/time-and-again portrait/appearance seek/look-for common/ordinary/regular walk/travel path/way people [seek common/ordinary= ordinary, usual]
塗窮反遭俗眼白，	Street/scribble/smear/paint poor/exhausted/destitute contrary/opposite suffer/come-across/meet-with/encounter mundane/vulgar/unrefined eye white [eye white = white eye, whie part of the eyeball, idiom, supercilious look, look down upon]
世上未有如公貧；	World in/at/on not have as gentleman/sir poor/impoverished [Meaning: Nobody in the world is poorer than you.]
但看古來盛名下，	Only/but/however look/see/review ancient come great/abundant/flourishing fame/name under [ancient come = since ancient times], [great fame/name = famous reputation]
終日坎壈纏其身。	End/final day drawback/crisis/snare/trap disappointed wind-around/tangle/wrap/tie its/his body [End day = all day long], [drawback disappointed= poor and disappointed, because one could not fulfill his ambitions, meet with misfortune.]

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