[updated October 2022]
Heard That Qi Changdang Joined the Army
寄 畅 当：闻 以 子 弟 被 召 从 军
窛 贼 起 东 山
英 俊 方 未 闲。
闻 君 新 应 募
籍 籍 动 京 关。
出 身 文 翰 场
高 步 不 可 攀。
青 袍 未 及 解
白 羽 插 腰 间。
昔 为 琼 树 枝
今 有 风 霜 颜。
秋 郊 细 柳 道
走 马 一 夕 还。
丈 夫 当 为 国
破 敌 如 摧 山。
何 必 事 州 府
坐 使 鬓 毛 斑。
Ji Chang Dang: Wen Yi Zi Di Bei Zhao Cong Jun
Kou zei qi dong shan
Ying jun fang wei xian.
Wen jun xin ying mu
Ji ji dong jing guan.
Chu shen wen han chang
Gao bu bu ke pan.
Qing pao wei ji jie
Bai yu cha yao jian.
Xi wei qiong shu zhi.
Jin you feng shuang yan.
Qiu jiao xi liu dao
Zou ma yi xi huan.
Zhang fu dang wei guo
Po di ru cui shan.
He bi shi zhou fu
Zuo shi bin mo ban.
Heard That Qi Changdang Joined the Army
Bandits and devils arise from the eastern mountains
The heroic and talented are without leisure.
Heard of your joining the new general’s camp
Capital gates locked, mustering army getting excited to go.
Your family background cultured and competent with a writing brush
Very few can climb up to your level.
Yet your blue jacket shows you did not wait for an officer’s commission
Instead you carry a quiver of white feathered arrows.
In former days your appearance like exquisite tree branches
Now you have a wind and frosty look.
A serious soldier of integrity like those of old along a willow lined road outside the city
Your tactic is to strike quickly and then return by sunset.
Men like you are the ones who make a country
Enemies are destroyed like pushing over a mountain.
Don’t be like me, jobs of servitude in the cities
Here I sit with spotty temple hair.
Notes:
General Qi Changdang: Perhaps a prince of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Died in 573. Famously so handsome that he had to wear a mask before going into battle.