Du Fu: Spring Outlook (From Chinese)

Spring Outlook
By Du Fu
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original in Medieval Chinese
Click here to hear me recite the original in modern Mandarin pronunciation

The state shattered, river and mountain survive 
  The city springfallen, weeds and trees take ground
Touched by the times, tears splash at sight of blossoms 
  Aggrieved at displacement, the heart jolts at birds' sound
The beacons of war  have brimmed three months with flame
  Letters from home  are now worth a thousand in gold
I scratch and pull  so much at my whitening hair 
  It'll soon be too thin  for my hatpin  to keep hold




The Original:



(The Medieval Chinese transcription system used is that of Prof. David Branner)


Han Characters 

春望  
杜甫  

國破山河在,  
城春草木深。 
感時花濺淚, 
恨別鳥驚心。 
烽火連三月,  
家書抵萬金。 
白頭搔更短, 
渾欲不勝簪。 
Medieval Chinese

tshywen3b màng3

dúo1 púo3c

kwek1 phèsran2b ghe1d dzèi1a

dzyeing3b tshywen3b tsháu1 muk1b syem3 
kám1a dzyi3d hwa2 tsàn3b lwì3c 
ghèn1 pat3bx táukeing3a sem3
phung3c hwé1 lan3b sam1b ngwat3a
ka2 syuo3b téi4 màn3a kem3x
beik2a dou1 saukèing2a twán1
ghwèn1 yuk3c pet3a syeng3 tshrem3 
Modern Mandarin 

Chūn wàng  
Dù Fǔ  

Guó pò shān hé zài,   
chéng chūn cǎo mù shēn.  
Gǎn shí huā jiàn lèi,   
hèn bié niǎo jīng xīn.  
Fēng huǒ lián sān yuè,   
jiā shū dǐ wàn jīn.  
Bái tóu sāo gèng duǎn,   
hùn yù bù shēng chēn.

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