手裏桂香銷欲盡•別君無處話心期

A blog for trying to translate Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn's poems into English for fun!

[go-wun]

This blog is dedicated to poems by Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn (최치원/崔致遠), a Korean philosopher and poet from the Unified Silla period. His art name (호/號) was Ko-un (고운/孤雲), hence the URL.

I have a bachelor's degree in Korean Studies and, while on the hunt for a potential topic for my undergrad thesis, I stumbled upon a poem of his in a book on Korean poetry. I was immediately enamoured with this poem and at the same time intrigued by Literary Chinese.

I have no knowledge of any modern Chinese and am still only just beginning to learn Literary Chinese, but I find that attempting to make sense of poems is very rewarding.

Join me on this journey of trying to make sense of Ko-un's poetry!

[go-wun]

山陽與鄕友話別・孤雲

相逢暫樂楚山春

又欲分離淚滿巾

莫怪臨風偏悵望

異鄕難遇故鄕人

Translation into Korean Hangul

산양여향우화별・고운

상봉잠락초산춘

우욕분리루만건

막괴림풍편창망

리향난우고향인

Translation into English

Bidding farewell to a hometown friend at Shanyang・Koun

We met and enjoyed the spring in Mount Chu for a brief time

Now we must part again, our tears staining our handkerchiefs

Do not think me unusual for facing the wind, forlorn

After all, it is difficult to chance upon someone from one’s own hometown.

[go-wun]

春日邀知友不至・孤雲

每憶長安舊苦辛

那堪虛擲故園春

今朝又負遊山約

悔識塵中名利人

Transcription into Korean Hangeul

춘일요지우불지・고운

매억장안구고신

나감허척고원춘

금조우부유산약

회식진중명리인

Translation into English

Inviting an old friend on a spring day but being unable to meet・Koun

Whenever I remember Chang’an and its old bitter anguish

I wonder how I could bear all those wasted springtimes in my hometown

This morning, I failed to fulfil another promise of a ramble about the hills

And I regret knowing famous and wealthy people in this dirty world

[go-wun]

題芋江驛亭・孤雲

沙汀立馬待回舟

一帶烟波萬古愁

直得山平兼水渴

人間離別始應休

Transcription into Korean Hangul:

제우강역정・고운

사정립마대회주

일대연파만고수

직득산평겸수갈

인간리별시응휴

Translation into English:

At the pavilion of the courier station at Yu river・Koun

I pull up my horse on the sandy river shore, and wait for the boat to return

All around, mist billows on the waters and I remain forever sorrowful

When the mountains are eroded into nothingness, and all the water has dried up

Only then, upon leaving the human world behind, will I be granted respite

[go-wun]

留別西京金少尹峻 ・孤雲

相逢信宿又分離

愁見歧中更有歧

手裏桂香銷欲盡

別君無處話心期

Transcription into Korean

류별서경김소윤준・고운

상봉신숙우분리

수견기중경유기

수리계향소욕진

별군무처화심기

Translation into English

Parting from Kim Jun, a low-rank official, at the western capital・Koun

We met by chance, you stayed for two night’s time, and we parted again

With sorrow I gaze upon that crossroads within a crossroads

On my hands, the fragrance of the cinnamon tree – it’s already dissipated

Upon parting from you, I have nowhere to express my heart’s desires.

[go-wun]

送吳進士巒歸江南・孤雲

自識君來幾度別

此回相別恨重重

干戈到處方多事

詩酒何時得再逢

遠樹參差江畔路

寒雲零落馬前峯

行行遇景傳新作

莫學嵇康盡放慵

Transcription into Korean Hangul

송오진사만귀강남・고운

자식군래기도별

차회상별한중중

간과도처방다사

시주하시득재봉

원수참차강반로

한운령락마전봉

행행우경전신작

막학혜강진방용

Translation into English

Sending off the scholar Wú Luán returning home to the south of the Yangtze ・ Koun

Since I got to know you, you have come and left many times

This time we separated, my regret was deep, so deep.

War is upon us and everywhere my work piled up around me

Poetry and wine – when can I indulge those again?

Faraway trees form an uneven path on the jagged riverbank

The cold clouds fall in fragments on that hill before my horse.

I journey, and journeying, I happen upon great scenery and write a piece

I shan’t take an example from Xi Kang’s idleness and carelessness.

[go-wun]

泛海・孤雲

掛席浮滄海

長風萬里通

乘槎思漢使

採藥憶秦童

日月無何外

乾坤太極中

蓬萊看咫尺

吾且訪仙翁

Transcription into Korean Hangul

범해・고운

괘석부창해

장풍만리통

승사사한사

채약억진동

일월무하외

건곤태극중

봉래간지척

오차방산옹

Translation into English

Floating on the sea ・Koun

With woven mats rolled up, we float on the deep blue sea

And the rising wind is carrying us far away

Sitting in this raft, I think of the Han envoy

Who remembers Qin’s Tong gathering herbs

The sun and moon do not care that I’m a foreigner

I am but a being in this cosmos, in Tàijí

From here, the immortals’ abode of Penglai looks so close

I will soon visit my father, whose immortal spirit resides there.

[go-wun]

春曉偶書・孤雲

叵耐東流水不回

只催詩景惱人來

含情朝雨細復細

弄艶好花開未開

亂世風光無主者

浮生名利轉悠哉

思量可恨劉伶婦

强勸夫郎疎酒盃

Transcription into Hangul:

춘효우서・고운

파내동류수부회

지최시경뇌인래

함정조우세부세

농염호화개미개

난세풍광무주자

부생명리전유재

사량가한류령부

강권부랑소주배

Translation into English:

Written by Chance on a Spring Dawn ・ Koun

But once it has flowed east, the water will not return,

And hastily written poetry alone can torment people.

I cherish the morning rain falling delicately, so delicately

Those fine flowers, replete with charms, bloom and bud.

In these troubled times, there is not a person to behold the fine scenery

What use are fame and profit in this fleeting world?

I keep thinking about Liu Ling's wife, how wretched she!,

She forced him to abandon his wine cup.