Ode to E Fang Palace

Ode to E Fang Palace
By Du Mu
Translated by Laijon Liu 20100701

Six kings were dethroned, four seas were united.
The mountain of Shu was chopped off,
and then E Fang Palace was built.
It covered three hundred li, isolated the sky and the sun.
From Li Mountain of north they constructed
toward west till they reached capital Xian Yang.
Two broad rivers slowly flowing into the wall of palace.
Five step a chamber, ten pace a pavilion;
The corridors like snakes creeping and circling,
eaves and brim like bird bills highly raised;
every carved stone held its unique pose,
hooking each other’s heart or charging with their horns.
Convolving and encircling, like hives and whorls,
And highly the houses stood many thousands.
Long bridges flying above the waves and ripples;
Oh, the clouds did not gather, how come the dragons appeared?
The overbridges hanging in midair;
The sky was still dim, but why the rainbows shining?
Among the high and low structures,
One would be lost and couldn’t point out west or north.
Singing platforms, warm melodies,
Spring scenery, all in harmony;
Dancing halls, breeze of sleeves,
Winds and rains, sadness and misery.
On the same day, in this palace,
The weather were all different.

Concubines, mistress, bedmaids, and sex slaves,
Princes and sons, and grand children of kings,
They all farewell their country and house
And drove here to serve the Emperor Qin.
They chanted their morning songs,
Plucked their musical strings at night,
Hailed the emperor all the days
To fulfill their duty in this palace.
Bright stars were glimmering,
Those were their makeup mirrors;
Dark clouds swinging and floating,
They washing their hair at morn.
The river Wei flowing like oil,
Their face cream dumped into it;
The smoke rose into the sky,
Their incense burning hour.
Suddenly thunders stroke,
The emperor’s chariot past.
The echoing sound remained,
Yet one knew not where it was.
Every inch skin, every fair face,
Perfect condition, gorgeously beautiful,
They kindly leaned and stood long time,
to the distant place they had looked,
hoping for the favor of the emperor.
Some had never seen him for thirty six years.
The collection of State Yan and Zhao,
The work of state Han and Wei,
The talents of state Qi and Chu,
So many years and so many generations,
All were plundered and carried away,
Piled up here like countless hills.
Once they could not possess their treasure,
Then all delivered here.
Caldrons and bells, jade and stones,
Gold bricks and pearl gravels,
Were cast off on the floor,
Even the citizen of Qin saw the scene
felt that was appropriate.

Ah, one man’s feeling, connected to all men’s heart.
The Qin Emperor lusted for luxury and extravagance,
And common people loved and cared their houses.
Even he could extort people to nothing,
But why he wastefully treated them like dust?!
The pillars stood in the palace
Were more than the farmers in field;
Rafters and girders were many,
More than sewing maids by the machine;
Screws and nails too much,
More than millet and grain in storehouse;
Massive covering roof tiles
More than people’s coat;
Handrails vertical and horizontal,
More than the city walls;
Noisy instrument music
Flooded the people’s voice;
And all people in the world
Dared not to complain, but dared to rise up mad!
Arbitrary dictatorship filled his heart,
Day by day he became proud.
So people cried out, warriors broke in,
A torch was lit up, the palace burnt and ravaged!

Welladay! Who conquered six states?
Not Qin Emperor, but themselves.
who destroyed Qin empire?
Qin emperor himself, not people.
If all six states loved and trusted each other,
Then together they could resist Qin army;
If Qin loved all its conquering states,
Then the empire would last its reign,
Who would want to overthrow it?
The Qin rulers did not have a chance
to pity and recollect themselves,
Only the later generations shall do,
Yet if we only sigh but do not reflect,
Then our children will shed tears for us.


Chinese:
阿房宫赋
杜牧

六王毕，四海一。蜀山兀，阿房出。覆压三百余里，隔离天日。骊（Lí）山北构而西折，直走咸阳。二川溶溶，流入宫墙。五步一楼，十步一阁；廊腰缦回，檐牙高啄；各抱地势，钩心斗角。盘盘焉，囷囷（qūn）焉，蜂房水涡，矗（chù）不知其几千万落。长桥卧波，未云何龙？复道行空，不霁（jì）何虹？高低冥迷，不知西东。歌台暖响，春光融融；舞殿冷袖，风雨凄凄。一日之内，一宫之间，而气候不齐。

妃嫔[pín]媵（yìng）嫱，王子皇孙，辞楼下殿，辇（niǎn）来于秦。朝歌夜弦（xián），为秦宫人。明星荧荧，开妆镜也；绿云扰扰，梳晓鬟（huán）也；渭流涨腻，弃脂水也；烟斜雾横，焚椒兰也。雷霆乍惊，宫车过也；辘辘（lù）远听，杳（yǎo）不知其所之也。一肌一容，尽态极妍，缦立远视，而望幸焉。有不见者，三十六年。燕赵之收藏，韩魏之经营，齐楚之精英，几世几年，剽（piāo）掠其人，倚叠如山。一旦不能有，输来其间。鼎铛（chēng）玉石，金块珠砾，弃掷逦（lǐ）迤（yǐ），秦人视之，亦不甚惜。

嗟乎！一人之心，千万人之心也。秦爱纷奢，人亦念其家。奈何取之尽锱（zī）铢（zhū），用之如泥沙？使负栋之柱，多于南亩之农夫；架梁之椽（chuán），多于机上之工女；钉头磷磷，多于在庾（yǔ）之粟(sù)粒；瓦缝参差（cēn cī ），多于周身之帛缕；直栏横槛（jiàn），多于九土之城郭；管弦呕哑（ōuyā），多于市人之言语。使天下之人，不敢言而敢怒。独夫之心，日益骄固。戍（shù）卒叫，函谷举，楚人一炬，可怜焦土！

呜呼！灭六国者六国也，非秦也；族秦者秦也，非天下也。嗟夫！使六国各爱其人，则足以拒秦；使秦复爱六国之人，则递三世可至万世而为君，谁得而族灭也？秦人不暇自哀，而后人哀之；后人哀之而不鉴之，亦使后人而复哀后人也。