[updated October 2022]
Send Off My Eldest Daughter to Become Part of the Yang Family
送 扬 氏 女
永日 方 戚 戚
出 门 复 悠 悠。
女 子今 有 行
大 江 诉 轻 舟。
尔 辈 况 无 恃
抚 念 益 慈 柔。
幼 为 长 所 育
两 别 泣 不 休。
对 此 结 中 肠
义 往 难 复 留。
自 小 阙 内 训
事 姑 贻 我 忧 。
赖 兹 托 令 门
仁 恤 庶 无 尤。
贫 俭 诚 所 尚
资 从 岂 待 周。
孝 恭 遵 妇 道
容 止 顺 其 猷。
别 离 在 今 晨
见 尔 当 何 秋。
居 闲 始 自 遣
临 感 忽 难 收。
归 来 视 幼 女
零 泪 缘 缨 流。
Song Yang Shi Nu
Yong ri fang qi qi
Chu men fu you you.
Nu zi jin you xing
Da jiang su qing zhou.
Er bei kuang wu shi
Fu nian yi ci rou.
You wei zhang suo yu
Liang bie qi bu xiu.
Dui ci jie zhong chang
Yi wang nan fu liu.
Zi xiao que nei xun
Shi gu yi wo you.
Lai zi tuo ling men
Ren xu shu wu you.
Pin jian cheng suo shang
Zi cong qi dai zhou.
Xiao gong zun fu dao
Rong zhi shun qi you.
Bie li zai jin chen
Jian er dang he qiu.
Ju xian shi zi qian
Lin gan hu nan shou
Gui lai shi you nu
Ling lei yuan ying liu.
Send Off My Eldest Daughter to Become Part of the Yang Family
All of your days spent in silent weaving
Again I worry about you going out the door.
My daughter now begins her new journey
Take a light boat upstream on a wide river.
Your extended family will not be around to support you
While growing up you developed a good and soft disposition.
By being the oldest you had to be the guardian of the others
When leaving your sister, tears will not cease.
Knowing this tore up my insides
You have to move away even though I am not there.
When you were young you failed to get the proper female guidance
I worry for you and your in-law relationships.
I depend on, and hope you are entering a good household
And that their benevolence will overcome any of your shortcomings.
Our family valued frugality and sincerity
Hope your money and aptitudes follow you everywhere.
Adhere to reverent filial piety of the woman’s path
Face, then follow their household designs.
This morning you depart
Should be able to see you again next autumn.
I feel a little bit guilty living in leisure
Suddenly it is difficult to face all of these emotions.
Arriving home and seeing only the young ones
Those wearing tassled hair are with flowing tears.
Commentary:
Wei’s oldest daughter recently got married. In traditional China, the bride leaves her biological family to become a member of her husband’s. The reference to a lack of female guidance acknowledges the death of Wei’s wife years before. Those wearing tassled hair have yet to be married.