Year
Preface Translation
In the second year of Emperor Zhide, I escaped from the capital through the Gate of Golden Light, finding my way back to Fengxiang. In the first year of the Emperor Qianyuan, I was demoted from an imperial advisor to a Hua Province official. As I left for there through the gate, parting from long-time friends and relatives, I was left with mournful memories.
Poem Translation
Du Fu (712-770) | 杜甫 |
This path, through the Gate of Golden Light, I follow, returning to the past. | 此道 昔歸順 |
In the outskirts to the west, the barbarians are great in numbers | 西郊 胡正繁 |
And by now, my nerves are wrecked | 至今 殘破膽 |
And my soul, having fled, has not yet come back. | 應有 未招魂 |
Recently I was able to return to the capital, | 近得 歸京邑 |
But now I’ve been demoted— and was it really the emperor? | 移官 豈至尊 |
Lacking talent, seeing the time of my decline, | 無才 日衰老 |
I stop my horse and look at the palace’s thousand gates. | 駐馬 望千門 |
Notes:
1. Background: in 757, Du Fu was detained in the capital by the rebels. He risked his life to escape through the Gate of Golden Light, and then followed the Tang emperor in another town. Thus, he earned the position as an imperial advisor. The next year, he was demoted and he left through the same gate. He never returned to the capital city since then.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
杜甫 | 杜甫 | Dù Fǔ |
此道昔歸順， | 此道昔归顺， | Cǐ dào xī guī shùn, |
西郊胡正繁。 | 西郊胡正繁。 | Xi jiāo hú zhèng fán. |
至今殘破膽， | 至今残破胆， | Zhì jīn cán pò dǎn, |
應有未招魂。 | 应有未招魂。 | Yīng yǒu wèi zhāo hún. |
近得歸京邑， | 近得归京邑， | Jìn dé guī jīng yì, |
移官豈至尊。 | 移官岂至尊。 | Yí guān qǐ zhì zūn. |
無才日衰老， | 无才日衰老， | Wú cái rì shuāi lǎo, |
駐馬望千門。 | 驻马望千门。 | Zhù mǎ wàng qiān mén. |
Literal Notes
杜甫 | Birchleaf-pear-tree Man =Du Fu(712-770) |
此道昔歸順， | This direction/way/road/ path former-times/the-past/ancient/in-beginning return follow/go-along-with [This direction/way/road/ path = this matter, such matters, this endeavor; refers to the Gate of the Golden Light], [return obey/follow=submission, surrender], [Note: The capital was captured by the rebels.] |
西郊胡正繁。 | West(ern/ward) outskirts/waste-land reckless/foolish/wild/barbarian/non-Han-people/Huns right/just/proper/correct in-great-numbers/many/complicated/complex/difficult |
至今殘破膽， | Till/reach/arrive now/today/modern-era destroy/ruin broken/damaged/rout guts/nerve/bravery/courage/gall [Till now=so far, to this day], [destroy/ruin broken/damaged=broken, dilapidated] |
應有未招魂。 | Should/ought-to/must have/there-is/exist/to-be not-yet/have-not recruit/provoke/beckon/incur/summon soul/spirit [Should have = proper], [note: ancient Chinese believed that when people are really terrified, their soul disappears from the body. So people need to call their souls back to return to conscious.] |
近得歸京邑， | Recently/near/close-to/approach allow/permit/[linking particle] return-to Capital-city city/village/area [Note: Du Fu was bestowed a Shiyi position in 757. It is a middle-rank advisor position.] |
移官豈至尊。 | Move/shift/change public-official/government how Most/extreme Senior/honor/respect [Most Senior/honor=refers to the emperor], [Note: Du Fu was demoted due to some slander, in the second year of his service. So this sentence means he believes the decision wasn’t made based on the emperor’s original wish, but some bad-mouthing.] |
無才日衰老， | No talent/ability/a-capable-individual day/date/sun decline/wane old [decline/wane old=to age, deteriorate with age, old and weak] |
駐馬望千門。 | Halt/stop horse gaze(into the distance)/look-towards Thousand Gates [Thousand Gates=here refers to the palace] |