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Classical Chinese

267 王翰 涼州詞 translation: Liangzhou Verse, by Wang Han

This is a translation and annotation of the poem 涼州詞 (Liángzhōu Cí), by the Tang dynasty poet 王翰 (Wang Han). The poem is #303 in the collection [300 Tang Poems](/china/classical/300-tang-poems/” rel="contents “唐詩三百首”), and is also known by its first line: 葡萄美酒夜光杯 (Pútáo Měijiǔ Yèguāngbēi). Sometimes this poem is seen with the title 凉州曲.

涼州詞 Liángzhōu Cí [Liang] [Zhou] [lyrics] Liangzhou Verse

葡萄美酒夜光杯， Pútáo měijiǔ yèguāngbēi, [grape][] [fine] [wine] [night] [light] [cup] Fine wine in a luminous glass;

欲飲琵琶馬上催。 yù yǐn pípá mǎshàng cuī. [want] [drink] [pi] [pa] [horse] [on] [urge forward] one wants to drink but the mounted pipa player orders us onwards.

醉臥沙場君莫笑， Zuì wò shāchǎng jūn mò xiào, [drunk] [crouch] [sand] [field] [sir] [do not] [laugh] If we are drunk, crouching on the battlefield, do not laugh;

古來征戰幾人回？ Gǔlái zhēngzhàn jǐ rén huí? [old] [since] [campaign] [battle] [how many] [man] [return] since old times, how many men return from war?

If you notice a mistake or disagree with the translation, please comment below to improve this resource. You might want to have a read of this, as well.

Notes

夜光杯 refers to a kind of drinking glass, made of white jade, that glows in the dark. Such a glass was supposedly given as a gift to 周穆王, one of the kings of the Zhou dynasty.

[caption id="attachment_6459” align="aligncenter” caption="夜光杯 (Source: 游比比)"][/caption]

夜光杯 are a specialty of Gansu province, the location of Liangzhou. The name is translated above as ‘a luminous glass’, but could also be ‘a glass of light’ or more literally ‘a glass that glows at night’.

The translation of the second line is pretty clumsy, but as with all translations here the intention is to make the poem clear and accessible to students, not to produce an elegant equivalent in English. There are links to more poetic translations below.

The pipa was used to give orders on the battlefield, in much the same way bugles and drums were used in Europe for this purpose.

沙場 is literally ‘sandpit’ or ‘foxhole’, but refers to the battlefield in general.

Source: 凉州曲 - 百度百科


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