Thoughts of Home 乡愁

As I am well past the halfway mark of my year in China I have spent a lot of time thinking about my friends and family back home in England. So, I present a collection of my own translations of Chinese poetry from across the ages focusing on the theme of missing home.

Living by Jiande River 宿建德江 

Meng Hao Ran 孟浩然 680-740

移舟泊烟渚，Yí zhōu pō yān zhǔ

Mooring the boat on a misty bank,

日暮客愁新。Rìmù kè chóu xīn

In the dusk, the traveller dwells anew on his old home.

野旷天低树，Yě kuàng tiān dī shù

The wilderness is vast, the sky hangs below the trees, 

江清月近人。Jiāng qīng yuè jìn rén

The river’s water is so clear, I can touch the moon.

Miscellaneous Poem: You have come from my hometown 杂诗·君自故乡来

Wang Wei 王维 699-759 (other sources say 701-761)

　　

君自故乡来，Jūn zì gùxiāng lái

Since you have come from my old hometown,

应知故乡事。Yīng zhī gùxiāng shì

You should know what is happening there.

来日绮窗前，Lái rì qǐ chuāng qián

On the day you came, passing by my silken window,

寒梅著花未？Hánméizhe huā wèi?

Had the winter plum began to blossom?

9th of the 9th month, thinking of my brothers in the East Mountains 九月九日忆山东兄弟

Wang Wei 王维

独在异乡为异客，Dú zài yìxiāng wèi yì kè

Alone, I am a stranger in a strange land,

每逢佳节倍思亲。 Měi féng jiājié bèi sī qīn

Jia festival comes round again, and I think of my family.

遥知兄弟登高处， Yáo zhī xiōngdì dēnggāo chù

From afar, I know my brothers ascend some high place,

遍插茱萸少一人。Biàn chā zhūyú shǎo yīrén

Casting sticks in prayer, they are missing one person. 

Homesick 乡愁

Guangzhong Yu 余光中 (1928-present)

小时候 Xiǎoshíhou

When I was young,

乡愁是一枚小小的邮票 Xiāngchóu shì yī méi xiǎo xiǎo de yóupiào

My longing for home was as small as a stamp,

我在这头 Wǒ zài zhè tóu

I was at one end,

母亲在那头 Mǔqīn zài nà tóu

My mother at the other.

   

长大后 Zhǎng dà hòu

As I grew,

乡愁是一张窄窄的船票 Xiāngchóu shì yī zhāng zhǎi zhǎi de chuán piào

My longing for home was as thin as a ship’s ticket,

我在这头 Wǒ zài zhè tóu

I was at one end, 

新娘在那头 Xīnniáng zài nà tóu

My bride at the other. 

   

后来啊 Hòulái a

Later in life,

乡愁是一方矮矮的坟墓 Xiāngchóu shì yīfāng ǎi ǎi de fénmù

My longing for home was as shallow as a grave,

我在外头 Wǒ zài wàitou

With me on the outside,

母亲在里头 Mǔqīn zài lǐtou

My mother inside. 

   

而现在 Ér xiànzài

And now,

乡愁是一湾湝的海峡 Xiāngchóu shì yī wān jiē dì hǎixiá

My longing for home is as wide as the Taiwan Straits,

我在这头 Wǒ zài zhè tóu

I am at one end,

大陆在那头 Dàlù zài nà tóu

My motherland at the other.