纳兰性德
Nàlán Xìngdé （1655－1685）
蝶恋花
Dié liàn huā
To the Melody of
Butterflies Chasing Flowers
出塞
Chū sài
Out of the Great Wall
or
Over the border
今古山河无定据，
jīn gǔ shānhé wú dìng jù ，
(No matter) modern time or ancient time, the (boundary) of mountains or rivers has no everlasting dividing line.
今(Now)古(ancient)山(mountain)河(river)无(no)定(certain)据(occupy)，
画角声中，
huà jué shēng zhōng ，
In the sound of painted horns,
画(painted)角(horn)声(sound)中(within)
牧马频来去。
mù mǎ pín lái qù 。
Herding horses frequently come and go.
牧(to herd)马(horse)频(frequently)来(come)去(go)。
满目荒凉谁可语？
mǎnmù huāngliáng shéi kě yǔ ？
Eyes are full of desolate, and who (I) can talk to?
满(full)目(eye)荒凉(desolate)谁(who)可(can)语(talk)？
西风吹老丹枫树。
xī fēng chuī lǎo dān fēngshù 。
The blow of west wind aged red maple trees.
西(west)风(wind)吹(blow)老(old)丹(red)枫(maple)树(shu)。
从前幽怨应无数。
cóngqián yōuyuàn yìng wúshù 。
The hidden bitterness of the past should be countless.
从前(before/past)幽怨(hidden bitterness)应(should)无(no)数(number)。
铁马金戈，
tiěmǎ jīn gē ，
Armored horses and golden spears,
铁(metal)马(horse)金(golden)戈(spear)，
青冢黄昏路。
qīng zhǒng huánghūn lù 。
Green burial mounds by the evening road.
青(green or blue)冢(burial mound)黄昏(dusk/evening)路(road)。
一往情深深几许？
yìwǎngqíngshēn shēn jǐxǔ ？
The feeling is running deep, and how deep is it?
一(one way)往(toward)情(feeling)深(deep)深(deep)几(how)许(much)？
深山夕照深秋雨。
shēnshān xīzhào shēnqiū yǔ 。
In the deep mountains, sunset glows in the deep autumn rains.
深(deep)山(mountain)夕(setting sun)照(shine)深(deep(autumn)雨(rain)。
Poem analysis:
This poem was written when the poet Nalan Xingde was 29 years old during his journey to the outside of the Great Wall with his colleagues for a mission assigned by the Emperor 康熙 Kang Xi.
今古山河无定据，
jīn gǔ shānhé wú dìng jù ，
This line laments the uncertainty of dynasty and time. Each dynasty has different border line, and there is no constant one for has been always changing due to wars, politics etc.
画角声中，
huà jué shēng zhōng ，
This line describes what the poet heard – the sound of horns, the horns of army. This indicates the war was near. Thus, we can tell it was not a time of peace. It was a time of preparing, preparing for war.
牧马频来去。
mù mǎ pín lái qù 。
Horses are essential for the people in the northern China. They are not only their vehicles, but also the sources of their living. Why did the horse frequently move? Could it be the sound of horns scared them? Probably.
满目荒凉谁可语？
mǎnmù huāngliáng shéi kě yǔ ？
Wars brought desolation. The desolation was full of the poet’s eyes, and who he could talk to, to express what he felt at the moment? None, probably…
西风吹老丹枫树。
xī fēng chuī lǎo dān fēngshù 。
This tells us the season – the autumn. At the time west wind fiercely blew and the red maple trees were badly damaged. The blowing is not an one time event, but numerous times, year after year, and so the maple trees got aged by wind.
从前幽怨应无数。
cóngqián yōuyuàn yìng wúshù 。
Wars not only brought damages to places, but also to the hearts. Families lost sons, husband, father or brothers. How many people got killed in wars? Numerous. The past miseries should be countless and heavy to many many hearts.
铁马金戈，
tiěmǎ jīn gē ，
The brilliant, magnificent troops with splendid armored horses and golden shining weapons of the past (when they were marching to …)
青冢黄昏路。
qīng zhǒng huánghūn lù 。
The sunset road of burial mounds? It could be the scene that the poet saw in his eyes at that moment or the scene he had in his mind’s eye: the glory of marching troops ended up as the endless mounds in the ruins.
一往情深深几许？
yìwǎngqíngshēn shēn jǐxǔ ？
How sad was the poet’s feeling at that moment? The sad feeling run very very deep. (Just like …)
深山夕照深秋雨。
shēnshān xīzhào shēnqiū yǔ 。
How could the weak sunset glow shine through the cold rainy deep mountains? The answer is clear — it is not possible. The dark feeling and sorrow in the poet heart was too deep to fathom.
Translated and analyzed by Shu