[updated October 2022]
Climb a High Mountain, Ocean Far Away in the Distance
登 高 丘 而 望 远 海
登 高 丘 望 远 海
六 鳌 骨 已 霜。
三 山 流 安 在？
扶 桑 半 摧 折
白 日 沉 光 彩。
银 台 金 阙 如 梦 中
秦 皇 汉 武 空 相 待。
精 卫 费 木 石
鼍 无 所 凭。
君 不 见 骊 山
茂 陵 尽 灰 灭
牧 羊 之 子 来 攀 登。
盗 贼 劫 宝 玉
精 灵 竟 何 能？
穷 兵 黩 武 今 如 此
鼎 湖 飞 龙 安 可 乘？
Deng Gao Qiu Er Wang Yuan Hai
Deng gao qiu wang yuan hai.
Liu ao gu yi shuang
San shan liu an zai?
Fu sang ban cui zhe
Bai ri chen guang cai.
Yin tai jin que ru meng zhong
Qin huang han wu kong xiang dai.
Jing wei fei mu shi
Yuan tuo wu suo ping.
Jun bu jian li shan
Mao ling jin hui mie
Mu yang zhi zi lai pan deng.
Dao zei jie bao yu
Jing ling jing he neng?
Qiong bing du wu jin ru ci
Ding hu fei long an ke cheng?
Climb a High Mountain, Ocean Far Away in the Distance
Climb a high mountain, ocean far away in the distance
Shells of six large sea turtles already frosty
Where are the three peaceful mountains flowing to?
The place where the sun rises has halfway broken up
Daytime sun has lost some of its luster and radiance.
Silver towers and golden palace watchtower gates like the middle of a dream
Qin Zihuang and Han Huangdi await for heavenly gifts
Mythological bird, Jingwei, spent so much energy trying to fill up the ocean with pebbles
But even all the turtles and alligators cannot fill in a land bridge across the sea
And you do not see the burial places of Mt. Li for Qin Zihuang and Mao hills For Han Huangdi have mostly turned into dust.
A shepherd with his flock by accident burned Mao Ling to ashes
Thieves plundered all of the treasures and jade
Emperor’s spirit with an ability to protect?
Current circumstances forcing the poor to fight in the army
Could they ever mount the flying dragons like Yan Huangdi?
Notes:
Qin Shihuang: Founder of the Qin Dynasty (259-210 BC)
Han Huangdi: (2711-2598 BC) Famous as the Yellow Emperor and legendary initiator of Chinese culture.
Jingwei: A bird from Chinese mythology. After the goddess Nuwa drowned in the Eastern Sea, she transformed into this bird spirit. She carried twigs and stones from the western mountains in order to fill up the sea so no one else would drown.
Mt. Li: Located northeast of the capital city Chang’an (Xi’an). Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum, the Terracotta Army, and the Huaqing Pools are at the foot of this mountain.