Uploaded byChristine May Petajen-Brillantes
Chinese literature
Bai Juyi was a renowned Chinese poet during the Tang Dynasty who wrote over 2,800 poems. Many of his poems concern his experiences as a government official or capture simple observations of daily life. Two of his most famous poems are "Song of Eternal Sorrow" and "The Elderly Charcoal Seller," which depicts an old man who cuts wood and burns charcoal to sell in order to support himself. The poem describes the man's difficult life and a time when officials unexpectedly commandeer his wagon of charcoal to bring to the palace.
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Chinese literature
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- 2. BAI JUYI •Also knownas Bai Letian and Haku Rakuten •A renowned poet during the Tang Dynasty •Many of his poems concern his career or observations made as a government official, including as governor of three different provinces. •The less educated people at that time could easily understand the language used in his poems, with their explicit themes.
- 3. • His stylethat was simple and easy to understand, making him one of the most well-loved and widely read of all Chinese poets • He is one of the most accessible to English readers • wrote over 2,800 poems • Among his best works are: – Song of Eternal Sorrow – Song of the Pipa Player – Song of Eternal Sorrow – Bloom is not Bloom – The Elderly Charcoal Seller BAI JUYI
- 4. 花非花 雾非雾 夜半来 天明去 来如春梦几多时 去似朝云无觅处 Bloom is nota Bloom Chinese Version First Translation Second Translation huā fēi huā wù fēi wù yè bàn lái tiān míng qù lái rú chūn mèng jǐ duō shí qù sì zhāo yún wú mì chù Bloom not bloom mist not mist Night half come heaven bright go Come like spring dream how long time? Go like morning cloud not find place The bloom is not a bloom, The mist not mist. At midnight she comes, And goes again at dawn. She comes like a spring dream - how long will she stay? She goes like morning cloud, without a trace.
- 5. 賣炭翁 白居易 賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中 滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑 賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食 可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭價願天寒 夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍 牛困人飢日已高，市南門外泥中歇 翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒 手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北 一車炭，千余斤，宮使驅將惜不得 半匹紅紗一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭值 The Elderly CharcoalSeller By Bai Juyi Cutting wood and burning charcoal in the forests of the Southern Mountain. His face, stained with dust and ashes, has turned to the color of smoke. The hair on his temples is streaked with gray: his ten fingers are black. The money he gets by selling charcoal, how far does it go?
- 6. 賣炭翁 白居易 賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中 滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑 賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食 可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭價願天寒 夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍 牛困人飢日已高，市南門外泥中歇 翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒 手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北 一車炭，千余斤，宮使驅將惜不得 半匹紅紗一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭值 It is justenough to clothe his limbs and put food in his mouth. Although, alas, the coat on his back is a coat without lining, He hopes for the coming of cold weather, to send up the price of charcoal!
- 7. 賣炭翁 白居易 賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中 滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑 賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食 可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭價願天寒 夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍 牛困人飢日已高，市南門外泥中歇 翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒 手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北 一車炭，千余斤，宮使驅將惜不得 半匹紅紗一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭值 Last night, outsidethe city, a whole foot of snow; At dawn he drives the charcoal wagon along the frozen ruts. Ox was weary; man was hungry; the sun was already high; Outside the Gate, to the south of the Market, at last they stop in the mud.
- 8. 賣炭翁 白居易 賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中 滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑 賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食 可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭價願天寒 夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍 牛困人飢日已高，市南門外泥中歇 翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒 手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北 一車炭，千余斤，宮使驅將惜不得 半匹紅紗一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭值 Suddenly, a pairof prancing horsemen. Who can be coming? A public official in a yellow coat and a boy in a white shirt. In their hands they hold a written warrant: on their tongues, the words of an order;
- 9. 賣炭翁 白居易 賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中 滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑 賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食 可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭價願天寒 夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍 牛困人飢日已高，市南門外泥中歇 翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒 手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北 一車炭，千余斤，宮使驅將惜不得 半匹紅紗一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭值 They turn backthe wagon and curse the ox, leading them off to the north. A whole wagon of charcoal, More than a thousand catties! If officials choose to take it away, the charcoal seller may not complain. Half a piece of red silk and a single yard of damask, The Courtiers have passed over the ox's head, as the price of a wagon of charcoal!