Plum Blossom Chant
卜 算 子
驿 外 断 桥 边
寂 寞 开 无 主。
已 是 黄 昏 独 自 愁
更 著 风 和 雨。
无 意 苦 争 春
一 任 群 芳 妒。
零 落 成 泥 碾 作 尘
只 有 香 如 故。
Bu Suan Zi
Yi ai duan qiao bian
Ji mo kai wu zhu.
Yi shi huang hun du zi chou
Geng zhu feng huo yu.
Wu yi ku zheng chun
Yi ren qun fang du.
Ling luo cheng ni nian zuo chen
Zhi you xiang ru gu.
Plum Blossom Chant
Outside a post station, alongside a bridge
Solitary and lonely, the blossoms start to open without a host.
Already sunrise and alone, naturally sad
Even worse are the displays and blends of wind and rain.
Without a plan, spring flowers compete with one another
Do not want to be too fragrant, to spur the envy of the group.
Flowers fall down into the mud, yet others arise into the dust
Being alone causes the sweet fragrances.
Notes:
Post station: Ancient China had a system of settlements that were spaced along major highways and travel routes. Typically they had a hotel and restaurant with bar, along with a stable of fresh horses. Similar to the rest stops along the Pony Express routes, and our busy interstates in the United States of today.