Li Bai (701-762)

 

Listening to Shu Province Monk Jun Play the Lute

 

 

 

A monk from Shu

now holds the green and elegant lute,

 

Having come from the west,

the mountains of Emei.

 

For me alone

he work his hands

 

And it feels like listening to

a thousand streams among the pines

 

Where the soul of the listener

is bathed in flowing water:

 

The lingering echoes

enter as crystals in a clock.

 

Without awareness,

the sun has set over the mountain green

 

And the autumn clouds

have darkened a few shades.

 

 

 

 

Lǐ Bái

Tīng shǔ sēng jùn tán qín

 

 

 

Shǔ sēng bào lǜ qǐ,

Xī xià é méi fēng;

Wèi wǒ yī huī shǒu,

Rú tīng wàn hè sōng.

Kè xīn xǐ liú shuǐ,

Yú xiǎng rù shuāng zhōng.

Bù jué bì shān mù,

Qiū yún àn jǐ chóng?

Plum White=Li Bai(701-762)

Listen/hear Shu monk/sangha Jun/profound/deep play lute/stringed-instrument/guitar

[Shu= Sichuan province in southwest China, one of the three kingdoms in the fall of Han Dynasty.]

[Jun= the monk’s name]

 

 

Shu monk embrace/hug/hold/carry/cherish Green Beautiful/open-work-silk/fine-silk/elegant/beautiful

[Green Beautiful/open-work-silk=the lute’s name]

West down/downward/below/lower/later/bring-down E/lofty Mei/eyebrows high-or-tapered-peak/summit/highest-level/mountain-like-in-appearance

[E Mei= Mt. Emei in Emei county in Sichuan]

As/for/to/do/by/serve-as/behave-as I/me one/single/as-soon-as wave hand

As-if/seem/as/like listen thousands-of gully/narrow-ravines/bed-of-torrents pine-tree/fir-tree

Customer/visitor/guest heart/mind/spirit/soul wash/bathe flowing/running water

[flowing/running water=idiom to describe the good virtuoso that the music is like lofty mountains and running water. It also means a good music performance can cause empathy in the listeners.]

Remaining/residue/extra/surplus echo/sound/noise/ring/loud enter/go-into/join/become frost/white-powder/cream-spread-over-a-surface/crystalize bell/clock

Not sense/feel/aware/wake-up green/jade/blue hill/mountain/gable evening/sunset/nightfall

[Not sense = unconscious]

Autumn cloud dim/dark/gloomy/muddled/obscure how-many/a-few level/layer/heavy