PATRIOTIC POETS OF CHINA
六州歌頭 張孝祥
長淮 望斷 ,關塞莾然平。
征塵暗 ,霜風勁 ,悄邊聲。
黯消凝 ,追想當年事 ,
殆天數 , 非人力;
洙泗 上 ,弦歌地 ,亦膻腥 。
隔水氈鄉 ,落日牛羊下 ,
區脫 縱橫。
看名王 宵獵 ,騎火一川明 ,
笳鼓 悲鳴 , 遣人驚。
念腰間箭 , 匣中劍 ,
空埃蠹 ,竟何成 !
時易失 , 心徒壯 ,
嵗將零 , 渺神京 。
干羽 方懷遠 ,靜烽燧 , 且休兵。
冠蓋使 , 紛馳騖 ,若為情。
聞道中原遺老 , 常南望 ,
翠葆霓旌 。
使行人到此 ,
忠憤氣填膺 ,有淚如傾。
Prelude to Song of Six Counties Zhang Xiao-chang
Across River Wei I scan in vain,
The north is an endless grassy plain.
Dust of warfare has settled down,
A cold wind is blowing strong.
The frontier is quiet all around,
I gaze on with a heart torn.
Looking back in years, on past events
It’s Heaven’s fate, not men’s intent.
Upon rivers Chu and Shi,
Used to be music and songs.
With a stench, to the Jins they now belong.
Across the river, are their settlement tents;
In the setting sun, cattle wander along,
Between look-outs crisscrossing their land.
When Jin king hunts at night,
Cavalry torches show the river bright.
Melancholy notes, the Wu flutes play,
Taking one’s heart away.
Arrows along my waist;
Scabbard sheathing my blade,
Dusted and rusted in vain.
What’s been attained?
Time floutingly lost,
Breaking my gallant heart.
Year running out its course,
Capital lost, still so far apart.
Indulging in stage plays to appease,
Beacons are left in peace.
Soldiers resting disarmed,
Emissaries’ carriage, travelling up and down.
How should one keep calm?
It is said, in the central plain, old folks,
Often to the south they look,
For the King’s standard and carriage to appear.
Those who come this way,
Find in their bosom, indignation and despair,
Tears pouring out each day.
永遇樂 (京口北固亭懷古) 辛棄疾 (1140-1207)
千古江山，英雄無觅，孫仲谋處。
舞榭歌台，風流總被，雨打風吹去。
斜陽草樹，尋常巷陌，人道寄奴 曾住。
想當年、金戈鐵馬，氣吞萬里如虎。
元嘉 草草，封狼居胥 ，赢得倉皇北顧。
四十三年，望中猶記，烽火揚州路。
可堪回首，佛狸 祠下，一片神鴉社鼓！
凭誰問、廉颇 老矣, 尚能飯否？
Happy Encounter Xin Qi-ji 1140-1207
(Reminiscence at Beiku Pavilion in Jingkou)
In a country a thousand years old
Where do we find our hero
Such as Sun Zhong-mou ?
Past extravagance romance and pomp,
Were all erased by history’s rain and storm.
Trees and bushes in a setting sun
An ordinary lane known to none,
Tis’ abode of King Liu who’d begun
In his days with his iron cavalry wiping out the Huns;
Thousands of miles of country, by his bravery won.
Yuan Ka expedition,
A poor improvisation;
Intending to succeed,
Only earning a resounding defeat.
Forty three years before, I recall,
The way to Yangzhou in turmoil and war;
A heart-breaking episode.
Now under Foli temple,
Is the sound of pilgrims’ drums and crows.
Who’s there to ask: Is General Lian too old,
Can he still consume rice though?
King of the state of Wu 吳大帝in the era of the Three Kingdoms, who established his capital at Jingkou 京
口 (now Nanjing)
Liu Yu 劉裕of the Southern Dynasty 南朝, Song Wu-di 宋武帝
酹江月 文天祥
乾坤能大，算蛟龙、元不是池中物。风雨牢愁无著处，那更寒虫四壁。横槊题诗，
登楼作赋，万事空中雪。江流如此，方来还有英杰。
堪笑一叶漂零，重来淮水，正凉风新发。镜里朱颜都变尽，只有丹心难灭。去去龙
沙，江山回首，一线青如发。故人应念，杜鹃枝上残月。
Libation for Moon in the River Wan Tien-chang
It can transform itself to huge from small;
The sea-dragon, one can tell,
Never a creature of the pond at all.
Stormy weather surrounding a dismal cell,
Winter insects on four walls.
Holding a lance, I recall,
Reciting my poem at the time,
And on a high tower,
Composing an essay in rhyme.
They become snow-flakes in the air.
The river rolls on as ever,
In time, new heroes will appear.
I laugh at myself, dryly,
Floating like a leaf, crossing river Wei.
The cold wind has just begun neigh.
My face all changed, in the mirror frame,
But my pure heart is still the same.
Going north, I look back on my country fair ,
Hanging thinly on a thread of hair.
My friends can remember me by The cuckoo on the bough,
And a dying moon in the sky.
Note: The author was the last prime minister of the Song Dynasty captured by
the Mongols; he chose to be executed instead of surrendering.