Sumuzhe (song) English translations
苏幕遮 is a loanword and it ‘originally refers to the “浑脱” dance music from Turpan (Ancient Gaochang) in Xinjiang today. “浑脱” means “bags”. It is said that dancers use oil bags to fill the water and splash each other, so the Tang people also call it “cold-water-splashing play of the barbarian” (泼寒胡戏). In order not to cast cold water on the head, the performer wears an oiled hat. The word of the oiled hat in the Gaochang language is transliterated as “苏幕遮”, so the song and the lyrics in the song are called “苏幕遮”. Someone translated it as “Screened By Southern Curtain”, who did not consider its origin and took the words too literally, especially the rootless word “Southern”. According to this, I think the literal translation “Oiled Hat” would be vulgar and prefer “Water-bag Dance”, which not only shows that it is dance music, but also allows the reader to appreciate the content and image of the dance.’
Reference: https://polyglotclub.com/wiki/Language/Literary-chinese/Culture/A-Translation-Company-on-the-English-Translation-of-the-Name-of-Tune-in-Tang-and-Song-Poetries
苏幕遮 is also the name of a poem written by Fan Zhongyan and here’s a translation by Julian Farmer with Liang Yujing.
碧云天，黄叶地，秋色连波，波上寒烟翠。山映斜阳天接水，芳草无情，更在斜阳外。黯乡魂，追旅思，夜夜除非，好梦留人睡。明月楼高休独倚，酒入愁肠，化作相思泪
A green, cloudy sky; and yellow leaves covering the ground –
there are even autumn colours in the waves.
Over the waves, there hangs an emerald green mist.
Mountains catch the setting sun; sky and water fuse.
The fragrant grasses are heartless,
but move further, now, beyond the setting sun.
There’s homesickness and wanderlust.
only happy dreams afford me sleep.
With the bright moon, on the balcony, I’m not to be alone!
The wine poured in my worry-guts
transforms itself to lovesick tears.
Here’s the song lyrics and my translations:
Light sweat from the loose clothing speckled onto the blot-ink painting
Lazy, slender hands beckoning the sale of a popular book
These two lines are from a poem by the poetess Li Qingzhao: (蹴罢秋千，起来慵整纤纤手。露浓花瘦，薄汗轻衣透。
见客入来，袜刬金钗溜。和羞走，倚门回首，还把青梅嗅。——宋·李清照《点绛唇》)
The pitiful flower petals float down and knocks agains the jade pillow, the person wearing billowing sleeves is still asleep.
The cool breeze brings about a slight chill and irritation; one side of the woman’s face is dolled up beautifully, while the other side is wrinkled with worry
As she looks into the mirror doing her makeup, she spies upon the noisy conversations going on behind her
People full of feeling have always been full of distress.
(From the poem 怨王孙 by the poetess Li Qingzhao 里春晚。重门深院。草绿阶前，暮天雁断。楼上远信谁传。恨绵绵。
多情自是多沾惹，难拚舍，又是寒食也。——宋·李清照《怨王孙》
The imperial city, late in spring. Double doors, a secluded courtyard. Grasses are green before the steps, at dusk the wild geese no longer fly. Who sends a distant letter to the person in the room aloft? Regrets stretch on and on.
People full of feeling have always been full of distress. It’s impossible to cast aside. And now, the Cold Food Festival again.)
My distant dream did not carry me home, as I feel somewhat withered.
(This line is also from another Li Qingzhao poem: 夜来沈醉卸妆迟。梅萼插残枝。酒醒熏破春睡，梦远不成归。
人悄悄，月依依。翠帘垂。更挼残蕊，更捻余香，更得些时。——宋·李清照《诉衷情
Drunk last night, I delayed taking off my make-up. A withered sprig of plum blossoms still sits in my hair. Sobering up now, their scent interrupts my spring sleep, my distant dream did not carry me home. No sounds of people now, the moon hangs longingly in the sky. The green blinds are lowered. Again, I toy with the fading flowers, pinching out, again, what fragrance remains, to make it last, again, a little longer. )
The embroidered harp for no reason produces a sound of regret, achieving streaks of tears.
(From the poem Embroidered harp by Li Shangyin:锦瑟无端五十弦，一弦一柱思华年。The embroidered harp for no reason has 50 strings, each string each wooden peg carries a memory of a golden year)
This straight path reveals a gentleman’s heart is devoid of beauty, just as in the northern river continues to flow day and night.
Far is my longing, deep is my grievance, when will there be an end to my abjection, half of the river is filled with faith, the other half, worry.
(From 2 poems. One poem being Everlasting Longing by Bai Wuyi:
The still flow of Bian River runs,
The still flow of Si River runs,
At the ancient ferry of Gua Zhou
The confluence whirls, eastward.
Beyond, Jiangnan peaks emerge as sorrows.
Far is my longing,
Deep is my grievance,
No end to my abjection
Till we are reunited.
Now, In the moonlight a solitary one stands.
思悠悠 ，恨悠悠，恨到归时方始休。月明人倚楼。——唐·白居易《长相思》
Song of the River by Evening by Bai Wuyi
A sunbeam paves the water, the last of a sun sunk low;
Half of the river rippling, half in red aglow.
How so lovely this third night, ninth month lunar calendar,
Dewdrops seem like pearl drops, the moon, like a bow
可怜九月初三夜，露似真珠月似弓。——唐·白居易《暮江吟》)
Wine and gambling chips intertwined, we absent-mindedly we raised a toast to each other, as we encourage our juniors to stay and join us.
(From the writer Ouyang Xiu: 觥筹交错，起坐而喧哗者，众宾欢也。——宋·欧阳修《醉翁亭记》
Drunk with red faces, we played chess - where soldiers and horses fight and retreat.
Unable to sever, Unable to think straight, Choked with emotion, my throat feels locked. Drunk with poetry and music, it feels like my liver and intestines are severed.
(From the poem The Joy of Meeting by Li Yu
剪不断，理还乱，是离愁，别是一番滋味在心头。——南唐·李煜《相见欢》)
The cool breeze brings about a slight chill and irritation; one side of the woman’s face is dolled up beautifully, while the other side is wrinkled with worry
As she looks into the mirror doing her makeup, she spies upon the noisy conversations going on behind her
People full of feeling have always been full of distress.
My distant dream did not carry me home, as I feel somewhat withered.
(The following lyrics are all from Sumuzhe)
There are even autumn colours in the waves.
Over the waves, there hangs an emerald green mist.
Mountains catch the setting sun; sky and water fuse.
The fragrant grasses are heartless,
but move further, now, beyond the setting sun.
When each night comes,only happy dreams afford me sleep. Leaning upon the balcony, as I rest alone,
酒入谁人愁肠 化作相思泪
The wine poured in my worry guts transforms itself to lovesick tears.
areudirty
baratheonpilled
yousharknotpass
annaxmalina
tangentwithtanner
origamiaround
