How to Read Chinese Poetry A Guided Anthology

(Amelia) #1

f u P oe t ry : an anC i e n t-s t y l e r Ha P s oDy 69
Then, little by little he increases the pace, 然後侵淫促節 (rán hòu qīn yín cù jié)
And suddenly he departs for the distance, 儵敻遠去 (shū yōu yuăn qù)
Scattering fleet-winged birds, 流離輕禽 (liú lí qīng qín)
320 Trampling nimble beasts, 蹵履狡獸 (cù lǚ jiăo shòu)
Axles crushing albino deer, 轊白鹿 (wèi bái lù)
Snatching up nimble hares. 捷狡菟 (jié jiăo tù)
Overtaking scarlet lightning, 軼赤電 (yì chì diàn)
Leaving its effulgent brilliance behind, 遺光耀 (yí guāng yào)
325 Pursuing strange beasts, 追怪物 (zhuī guài wù)
He leaves the mundane realm. 出宇宙 (chū yŭ zhòu)
Bending the Fanruo bow, 彎蕃弱 (wān fán ruò)
Drawn to the tip of the white-plumed shaft, 滿白羽 (măn bái yŭ)
He shoots the roving simian, 射游梟 (shè yóu xiāo)
330 Strikes the flying chimera. 櫟蜚遽 (lì fĕi jù)
Carefully selecting a fleshy one, he then shoots, 擇肉而后發 (zé ròu ér hòu fā)
His first shot hits the spot he names. 先中命處 (xiān zhòng mìng chù)
Just as the arrow leaves the string, 弦矢分 (xián shĭ fēn)
The quarry is killed and falls to the ground. 蓺殪仆 (yì yì pū)
335 Then, raising the signal flag, he soars aloft, 然後揚節而上浮 (rán hòu yáng jié ér shàng fú)
Outdistancing the startling wind, 陵驚風 (líng jīng fēng)
Passing through the frightful gale, 歷駭猋 (lì hài biāo)
Riding the empty void, 乘虛亡 (chéng xū wú)
Companion of the gods. 與神俱 (yŭ shén jù)
340 He tramples the black crane, 藺玄鶴 (lìn xuán hè)
Confounds the great fowl, 亂昆雞 (luàn kūn jī)
Harries the peacock and simurgh, 遒孔鸞 (qiú kŏng luán)
Torments the golden pheasant, 促鵔鸃 (cù jùn yí)
Strikes the canopy bird, 拂翳鳥 (fú yì niăo)
345 Clubs the phoenix, 捎鳳凰 (shāo fèng huáng)
Snatches the sea-argus, 捷鵷鶵 (jié yuān chú)
Seizes the blazing firebird. 揜焦明 (yăn jiāo míng)


“At journey’s end, road’s limit, he wheels round his carriage and turns back.
道盡塗殫,迴車而還。

350 “Slowly and leisurely he roams and rambles, 消搖乎襄羊 (xiāo yáo hū xiāng yáng)
And lands in the northern bounds. 降集乎北紘 (jiàng jí hū bĕi hóng)
Rapidly he advances straight ahead, 率乎直指 (shuài hū zhí zhĭ)
Suddenly he reverses direction. 揜乎反鄉 (yăn hū făn xiāng)
He treads Stone Gateway, 蹷石關 (jué shí guān)
355 Crosses Great Peak Tower, 歷封巒 (lì fēng luán)
Passes Jaybird Tower, 過鳷鵲 (guò zhī què)
Gazes at Dewy Chill, 望露寒 (wàng lù hán)
Descends to Pear Palace,13 下堂棃 (xià táng lí)
Rests in Befitting Spring.14 息宜春 (xī yí chūn)

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