How to Read Chinese Poetry A Guided Anthology

(Amelia) #1

68 t He Han Dy na s t y
Sir Wei accompanies the chariot. 衛公參乘 (wèi gōng cān shèng)
Guards and attendants marching on the flank, 扈從橫行 (hù cóng héng xíng)
Are chosen from the four brigades. 出乎四校之中 (chū hū sì jiào zhī zhōng)
280 To the drumbeats from the rigid ranks of the
cortege, 鼓嚴簿 (gŭ yán bó)
They unleash the hunters. 縱獵者 (zòng liè zhĕ)
The Yangtze and Yellow River are the corral, 江河為阹 (jiāng hé wéi qù)
Mount Tai is the lookout tower. 泰山為櫓 (tài shān wéi lŭ)
Chariots and riders thunderously set forth, 車騎靁起 (jū jì léi qĭ)
285 Shake the heavens, move the earth, 殷天動地 (yīn tiān dòng dì)
Front and rear, hither and thither, 先後陸離 (xiān hòu lù lí)
Scattered and dispersed, in separate pursuit; 離散別追 (lí sàn bié zhuī)
Steadily streaming, continuously coursing, 淫淫裔裔 (yín yín yì yì)
They skirt along the mounds, follow the marshes, 緣陵流澤 (yuán líng liú zé)
290 Spreading like clouds, showering like rain. 雲布雨施 (yún bù yŭ shī)
They capture alive leopards and panthers, 生貔豹 (shēng pí bào)
Pummel dholes and wolves, 搏豺狼 (bó chái láng)
Hand-capture black and brown bears, 手熊羆 (shŏu xióng pí)
Kick at wild goats. 足壄羊 (zú yĕ yáng)
295 Capped in pheasant-tail hats, 蒙鶡蘇 (méng hé sū)
Clad in white tiger skin pants, 絝白虎 (kù bái hŭ)
Garbed in striped pelts, 被斑文 (bèi bān wén)
Astride wild horses: 跨壄馬 (kuà yĕ mă)
They scale steeps of three-tiered peaks, 陵三嵕之危 (líng sān zōng zhī wēi)
300 Descend slopes of rocky ridges, 下磧歷之坻 (xià qì lì zhī dĭ)
Cut across defiles, dash into scarps, 徑峻赴險 (jìng jùn fù xiăn)
Traverse gullies, ford rivers. 越壑厲水 (yuè huò lì shuĭ)
They maul the flying dragon-bird, 推蜚廉 (tuī péi lián)
Paw the sagacious stag, 弄解廌 (nòng xiè zhì)
305 Wrestle a yeti, 格蝦蛤 (gé xiā gé)
Spear a fierce tapir, 鋋猛氏 (tĭng mĕng shì)
Rope the graceful galloper, 羂要褭 (juàn yăo niăo)
Shoot the giant boar. 射封豕 (shè fēng shĭ)
Arrows do not wantonly injure, 箭不苟害 (jiàn bù gŏu hài)
310 They sever the neck, split the brain. 解脰陷腦 (jiĕ dòu xiàn năo)
Bows are not shot in vain, 弓不虛發 (gōng bù xū fā)
At the bowstring’s twang down a beast falls. 應聲而倒 (yìng shēng ér dăo)
And then the emperor 於是乘輿 (yú shì chéng yú)
Slackens the pace to wander about, 弭節徘徊 (mí jié pái huái)
Roam and ramble, going to and fro, 翱翔往來 (áo xiáng wăng lái)
315 To watch the movements of his regiments and
companies, 睨部曲之進退 (ní bù qŭ zhī jìn tuì)
To observe the changing poses of the
commanders. 覽將帥之變態 (lăn jiàng shuài zhī biàn tài)

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