by Wang Zhihuan (c688 - 742)
Translation by William John Bainbrigge Fletcher (1879 - 1933)

涼州詞
Language: Chinese (中文) 
黃河遠上白雲間
一片孤城萬仞山
羞笛何須怨楊柳
春風不渡玉門關

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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-04-17
Line count: 4
Word count: 4

In Mongolia
Language: English  after the Chinese (中文) 
The Yellow River rises far from fleecy cloudland tossed.
Mid peaks so high our tiny town to sight is almost lost. 
Why need my Mongol flute bewail the elm and willow missed ? 
Beyond the Yü-men Pass the breath of Spring has never crossed.

Confirmed with William John Bainbrigge Fletcher, Gems of Chinese verse, Shanghai : Commercial press, 1919, p.217; Notes : The Yellow River is supposed to rise in the Kun-lun Mountains. " Elm and willow : " The flute complains that the time of plucking green (cf. the translator's "Stealing Green at Pakhoi "), the Spring Festival, has come but the spring verdure does not appear in time in this northern climate. A sprig of willow is given to departing friends. The Ch'iang are a tribe of Ouigours.


Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-04-17
Line count: 4
Word count: 43