Table of Contents

唐代词 
Ciin the Tang Dynasty 
唐代民间词 Folk Ciin the Tang Dynasty 
鹊踏枝（叵耐灵鹊多谩语） 
TUNE： THE MAGPIE ON A BRANCH 
“How can I bear to hear the chattering magpie” 
李白 Li Bai 
忆秦娥（箫声咽） 
TUNE： DREAM OF A MAID OF HONOUR 
“The flute plays a sobbing tune” 
张志和 Zhang Zhihe 
渔歌子（西塞山前白鹭飞） 
TUNE： A FISHERMAN’S SONG 
“In front of western hills white egrets fly up and down” 
温庭筠 Wen Tingyun 
菩萨蛮（小山重叠金明灭） 
TUNE： BUDDHIST DANCERS 
“Light plays with shade upon her bed—screen’s double peaks” 
望江南（梳洗罢） 
TUNE：DREAMING OF THE SOUTH 
“After dressing my hair” 
五代词 
CiDuring the Five Dynasties 
韦庄 Wei Zhuang 
思帝乡（春日游） 
TUNE： THINKING OF IMPERIAL LAND 
“On a spring day” 
冯延巳 Feng Yansi 
谒金门（风乍起） 
TUNE： PAYING HOMAGE AT THE GOLDEN GATE 
“The breeze begins to blow” 
李煜 Li Yu 
浪淘沙（帘外雨潺潺） 
TUNE： RIPPLES SIFTING SAND 
“The curtain cannot keep out the patter of rain” 
相见欢（无言独上西楼） 
TUNE： JOY AT MEETING 
“Silent， I climb the Western Tower alone” 
虞美人（春花秋月何时了） 
TUNE： THE BEAUTIFUL LADY YU 
“When will there be no more autumn moon and spring time flowers” 
宋代词 
Ciin the Song Dynasty 
柳永 Liu Yong 
雨霖铃（寒蝉凄切） 
TUNE： BELLS RINGING IN THE RAIN 
“Cicadas chill” 
蝶恋花（伫倚危楼风细细） 
TUNE： BUTTERFLIES IN LOVE WITH FLOWERS 
“I lean alone on balcony in light， light breeze” 
八声甘州（对潇潇暮雨洒江天） 
TUNE： EIGHT BEATS OF A GANZHOU SONG 
“Shower by shower” 
范仲淹 Fan Zhongyan 
渔家傲（塞下秋来风景异） 
TUNE： PRIDE OF FISHERMEN 
“When autumn comes to the frontier， the scene looks drear” 
苏幕遮（碧云天） 
TUNE： WATERBAG DANCE 
“Clouds veil emerald sky” 
晏殊 Yan Shu 
浣溪沙（一曲新词酒一杯） 
TUNE： SILK—WASHING STREAM 
“A song filled with new words， a cup filled with old wine” 
蝶恋花（槛菊愁烟兰泣露） 
TUNE： BUTTERFLIES IN LOVE WITH FLOWERS 
“Orchids shed tears with doleful asters in mist grey” 
欧阳修 Ouyang Xiu 
生查子（去年元夜时） 
TUNE： SONG OF HAWTHORN 
“Last year on lunar festive night” 
王安石 Wang Anshi 
浪淘沙令（伊吕两衰翁） 
TUNE： RIPPLES SIFTING SAND 
“The two prime ministers， while young， were poor” 
王观 Wang Guan 
卜算子（水是眼波横） 
TUNE： SONG OF DIVINATION 
“The rippling stream’s a beaming eye” 
50 Classical Chinese Ciwith Chinese—English Interpretations 
晏几道 Yan Jidao 
临江仙（梦后楼台高锁） 
TUNE： RIVERSIDE DAFFODILS 
“Awake from dreams， I find the locked tower high” 
苏轼 Su Shi 
江城子（十年生死两茫茫） 
TUNE： RIVERSIDE TOWN 
“For ten long years the living of the dead knows nought” 128 
江城子（老夫聊发少年狂） 
TUNE： RIVERSIDE TOWN 
“Rejuvenated， I my fiery zeal display” 
水调歌头（明月几时有） 
TUNE： PRELUDE TO WATER MELODY 
“How long will the full moon appear” 
念奴娇（大江东去） 
TUNE： CHARM OF A MAIDEN SINGER 
“The endless river eastward flows” 
定风波（莫听穿林打叶声） 
TUNE： CALMING WIND AND WAVES 
“Listen not to the rain beating against the trees” 
李之仪 Li Zhiyi 
卜算子（我住长江头） 
TUNE： SONG OF DIVINATION 
“I live upstream and you downstream” 
秦观 Qin Guan 
江城子（西城杨柳弄春柔） 
TUNE： RIVERSIDE TOWN 
“West of the town the willows sway in wind of spring” 
鹊桥仙（纤云弄巧） 
TUNE： IMMORTALS AT THE MAGPIE BRIDGE 
“Clouds float like works of art” 
贺铸 He Zhu 
横塘路（凌波不过横塘路） 
TUNE： LAKESIDE LANE 
“Never again will she tread on the lakeside lane” 
鹧鸪天（重过阊门万事非） 
TUNE： PARTRIDGE IN THE SKY 
“All things have changed； once more I pass the city gate” 
周邦彦 Zhou Bangyan 
六丑（正单衣试酒） 
TUNE： SIX TOUGHIES 
“Again it’s time to taste new wine in dresses light” 
朱敦儒 Zhu Dunru 
鹧鸪天（我是清都山水郎） 
TUNE： PARTRIDGE IN THE SKY 
“I am in charge of mountains and rivers divine” 
李清照 Li Qingzhao 
如梦令（昨夜雨疏风骤） 
TUNE： A DREAMLIKE SONG 
“Last night the strong wind blew with a rain fine” 
一剪梅（红藕香残玉簟秋） 
TUNE： A TWIG OF MUME BLOSSOMS 
“Fragrant lotus blooms fade， autumn chills mat of jade” 
醉花阴（薄雾浓云愁永昼） 
TUNE： TIPSY IN FLOWERS’ SHADE 
“Veiled in thin mist and thick cloud， how sad the long day” 
声声慢（寻寻觅觅） 
TUNE： SLOW SLOW SONG 
“I look for what I miss” 
李重元 Li Chongyuan 
忆王孙（萋萋芳草忆王孙） 
TUNE： THE PRINCE RECALLED 
“Luxuriant grass reminds me of my roving mate” 
岳飞 Yue Fei 
满江红（怒发冲冠） 
TUNE： THE RIVER ALL RED 
“Wrath sets on end my hair” 
陆游 Lu You 
诉衷情（当年万里觅封侯） 
TUNE： TELLING INNERMOST FEELING 
“Along I rode a thousand miles long， long ago” 
卜算子（驿外断桥边） 
TUNE： SONG OF DIVINATION 
“Beside the broken bridge and outside the post—hall” 
钗头凤（红酥手） 
TUNE： PHOENIX HAIRPIN 
“Pink hands so fine” 
附：唐婉 钗头凤（世情薄） 
REPLY by Tang Wan TUNE： PHOENIX HAIRPIN 
“The world unfair” 
辛弃疾 Xin Qiji 
菩萨蛮（郁孤台下清江水） 
TUNE： BUDDHIST DANCERS 
“Below the Gloomy Terrace flow two rivers clear” 
破阵子（醉里挑灯看剑） 
TUNE： DANCE OF THE CAVALRY 
“Though drunk， I lit the lamp to see the glaive” 
永遇乐（千古江山） 
TUNE： JOY OF ETERNAL UNION 
“The land is boundless as of yore” 
青玉案（东风夜放花千树） 
TUNE： GREEN JADE CUP 
“One night’s east wind adorns a thousand trees with flowers” 
姜夔 Jiang Kui 
扬州慢（淮左名都） 
TUNE： SLOW SONG OF YANGZHOU 
“In the famous town east of River Huai” 
吴文英 Wu Wenying 
风入松（听风听雨过清明） 
TUNE： WIND THROUGH PINES 
“Hearing the wind and rain while mourning for the dead”
蒋捷 Jiang Jie 
一剪梅（一片春愁待酒浇） 
TUNE： A TWIG OF MUME BLOSSOMS 
“Can boundless vernal grief be drowned in spring wine” 
虞美人（少年听雨歌楼上） 
TUNE： THE BEAUTIFUL LADY YU 
“While young， I listened to rain in the house of song”
参考文献 References

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Preface
中华文明是世界上唯一历时五千年未曾中断的文明，承载这一文明的中华文化源远流长、博大精深，反映这一文化的汉语言文字亦随之经过千锤百炼越来越炉火纯青。汉语的博大内涵、优美文字和抑扬顿挫的声调使无数人为之倾倒。目前，世界上大约有15亿人在使用汉语，其人数在世界上各种语言的使用人数中排位第一。鉴于中国在世界上的影响日益扩大，世界各国高等教育机构和文化机构对中国文化的研究也越来越深入和普遍，国外许多大学都开设了汉语专业，甚至设立了中文系，孔子学院也已经遍及世界各地。一个学习中国文化和学习汉语的热潮正在世界各国悄然兴起。
但是，学习中国文化和学习汉语不是一件轻而易举的事，其中最大的困难之一是难以理解从名诗雅句中引用的文字片段。要提高汉语的理解和写作水平，就不能不下一番功夫学习一些最著名、最常用的中国古代诗文篇章。还应该指出的是，在日益发展的国际交流中，中国人在向外国人介绍中国文化和翻译中国文字时，古诗词中名句的翻译和解释也是最令翻译者头疼的。
本书作者针对上述情况，在2003年编辑出版了《汉英双讲中国古诗100首》一书。该书对100首中国古典名诗的字句做了详细注释，并用中文和英文对其诗意进行解读赏析。更为难得的是，北京大学资深翻译家许渊冲教授亲自将这100首古诗译成英语。该书出版后，受到读者的普遍好评，更受到学习汉语和到中国旅游的外国友人的青睐。为了更加深入全面地介绍中国古代诗词的全貌，《汉英双讲中国古诗100首》的作者和译者们，又再接再厉，编选出版了这本《汉英双讲中国古词50首》，以飨读者。
中国诗歌发展到唐宋年间，词作为一种新兴诗体大放异彩。中国古代有“诗庄词媚”的说法。这种说法的意思是，诗比较典雅、严肃、庄重，多用来言志；而词则比较通俗、轻松、娱乐，多用来言情。所以有人认为，中国的词比诗更美丽温柔，更婉转动人。其实，严格地说，词也是诗的一种形式，两者并没有根本的区别。词发展到后来，与诗一样是“无意不可入，无事不可言”的了。词中除了温情脉脉的爱情、亲情和友情之外，也有雄心壮志和刀光剑影。但无论如何，在中国诗歌形式的分类中，词的创作方法与诗是大不相同的。词要依据一定的“词谱”来填写，而不能像诗那样由作者随意创作。所以，每首词都有“词牌”。所谓“词牌”最早是一首曲调的名称，作者要严格依据这个曲调乐句的要求，按照句式的长短和词句的格律来填词。因而古代词出现的早期，每首词都是能够按照曲调来歌唱的。随着时间的推移，绝大多数词的曲调渐渐被人们遗忘了，于是，词在创作时所标明的曲调名称也就只剩下了一个句式长短和格律要求有明确规定的框架。但这个框架对作品的要求依然是相当严格的，不可随意而为。这个框架就被称为“词谱”或“词牌”。在一首词中，由于多数词牌规定的句式是长短不齐的，所以词也常常被称为“长短句”。
词在隋代就出现了，到唐代中期逐渐兴盛，至宋代达到鼎盛。
“唐诗宋词”成为中国诗歌发展的两座高峰。宋代以后，词的创作虽然逐渐衰落，但人们对词的喜爱却有增无减。时至今日，那些美丽动人的词章词句，仍然脍炙人口，是人们文化生活中不可缺少的内容。
由于词通常比五七言的律诗绝句篇幅要长，所以限于全书篇幅，本书只选取了唐、五代至宋代的50首“名词”，逐首进行详细的文字注释（中文）、古词英译（英文）和词文鉴赏（中英文），同时，对每位词作者都有简略的介绍（中英文）。让我们深感荣幸的是，北京大学许渊冲教授一如既往地担纲将50首古词译成英语。
他的翻译优美流畅、朗朗上口、用语典雅、内涵丰富。我们在此对许先生表示由衷的感谢。同时，我们还聘请了美国 James Barnhart 教授对全书英文进行了审阅修改，在此一并表示真诚的感谢。
总之，本书作者的最大心愿是，借助本书的出版，为推进中外文化交流，为向世界介绍中国文化和思想，为帮助中外朋友学习汉语和中国古代文学，为增进中国人民与世界各国人民之间的友谊、理解和合作，略尽自己绵薄之力。
编 译 者Among the world’s diverse cultures, only Chinese civilization has endured 5,000 years without interruption. This extensive and profound tradition has been sublimely tempered over its long history. In particular, the Chinese language has evolved to a high degree of refinement. There are currently 1.5 billion Chinese speakers—the largest single language population in the world today. This language, passed down from the ancient world, is still greatly admired for its rhythm, exquisite characters, and vast array of meanings.As China has been enjoying an increasing influence around the world, the Chinese language has become more and more widely used. Growing numbers of international higher educational institutions and cultural organizations have started to pay close attention to the study of Chinese culture. Many foreign universities have established the subject of Chinese Language, and even founded departments of Chinese Language and Literature. Moreover, Confucius Academies have sprung up around the globe, and there has been an international surge in the study of Chinese culture.However, the intricacies of Chinese language and culture are by no means easy to master. One of the greatest challenges is the comprehension of classical Chinese poems and song lyrics. These eminent masterpieces are a most rewarding source for those wishing to deepen their understanding of Chinese tradition. However, the translation and explanation of pieces drawn from the classical canon present particular difficulties when introduced to foreign audiences—an issue which has become more urgent in the light of the rapid Prefaceprogress of globalization.In 2003, in response to this problem, Dalian Publishing House presented 100 Classical Chinese Poems with Chinese-English Interpretations. This volume consisted of a careful selection of some of the most celebrated poems in Chinese history, along with bilingual commentary. Most significantly, this publication featured fresh translations of all 100 of these classic poems by Professor Xu Yuanchong of Peking University, one of the most distinguished translators in China. This book has not only been warmly praised by the general reading public, but also favored by students of the Chinese language and foreign travelers from around world. Thus, in order to present a more comprehensive introduction to ancient Chinese poetry, the authors and translators of 100 Classical Chinese Poems with Chinese-English Interpretationshave compiled the present volume: 50 Classical Chinese Ci with Chinese-English Interpretations.During the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) and Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), a new genre of Chinese poetry evolved known as ci. Flouring mainly in the Song Dynasty, citend to be quite different from shi(a popular Tang Dynasty genre). Some commentators on ancient Chinese poetry have said, “Shiare solemn and dignified, while ciare worldly and effeminate.” Shihave always been used to express authors’ ambitions with formality and elegance. Ci, however, have been frequently employed to play on the reader’s emotions. Thus, ciwere comparatively unpretentious and relaxed, used more to entertain than to edify. Therefore, in contrast to shi, ciwere considered milder, sadder, and more melodic. However, strictly speaking, the ciis simply a particular type of poem, and bears no fundamental difference from conventional poetry. Cilater developed to become as expressive as mainstream poetry in terms of breadth and depth of insight. In addition to expressive sentimental love, friendship, and filial affection, ciwere also used for articulating grand sentiments, ranging from battlefield vainglory to philosophical reflection.However, in terms of distinguishing poetic genres, one can say that the formula for creating a ciand a conventional poem are very different. Conventional poems can be composed freely, without strictures on the poet, whereas cishould be composed in according to set tunes. Every ci, in fact, is set to its own tune, originally drawn from a popular melody. Poets composed lines to fit the given tune, strictly according to the length of verses and the requirements of the music. As most of the melodies had been laid down over the course of time, the tunes left a structure which explicitly regulated the length of the verse. The structure was rigid for poets, who would not be free to compose as they pleased. Han poems used five characters per line, and Tang shiused five or seven characters, However, Song cihad a different number of characters for each line of the poem. Therefore, ciare also referred to as “the long and short lines.” The cigenre first emerged in the Sui Dynasty (581-618AD), started to flourish in the mid-Tang Dynasty and achieved its high point in the Song Dynasty. “Tang shiand Song ci” are the two pinnacles of ancient Chinese poetry. Although the writing of cihas been on the wane for centuries, people’s love of the genre has continued unabated. These refined verses have long been universally praised and nowadays have come an integral part of Chinese literary culture.Ciare usually longer than conventional five-character or seven-character rhythmical poems. So, due to space limitations, only 50 ancient cihave been included in this book. Representative poems were selected from the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties (907-960AD), and the Song Dynasty. The authors have presented English versions for all of the ci, with brief introductions on each poet, detailed Chinese annotation, as well as the Chinese and English interpretations of each poem. We are deeply honored to report that Professor Xu Yuanchong has once again composed new, authoritative English translations of all the ciin this volume. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to him for his superbly polished translations. We also wish to express our gratitude to Professor James Barnhart of Capital Normal University who assisted with editing the English commentaries.In brief, the authors of the book hope to promote a wider understanding of Chinese culture throughout the world and to effectively assist students of Chinese language and literature to enhance their level of appreciation. We hope this book contributes, in whatever modest way, to friendship and cooperation between China and other countries.The Authors and Translator