Mulan Again
But this time the whole ballad...
木 兰 辞
Mulan ci
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。
Jiji fu jiji, Mulan dang hu zhi.
不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息。
Bu wen jizhu sheng, wei wen nü danxi.
问女何所思？问女何所忆？
Wen nü he suo si? Wen nü he suo yi?
女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
Nü yi wu suo si, Nü yi wu suo yi.
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，
Zuoye jian juntie, kehan da dian bin,
军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
Jun shu shier juan, juan juan you ye ming.
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，
Ah ye wu da er, Mulan wu zhang xiong.
愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
Yuan wei shi an ma, cong ci ti ye zheng.
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，
Dong shi mai junma, xi shi mai an jian,
南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
nan shi mai peitou, bei shi mai chang bian.
朝辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。
Zhao ci ye niang qu, mu su huanghebian
不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅
Bu wen ye niang huan nü sheng, dan wen Huanghe liushui ming jianjian.
旦辞黄河去，暮宿黑山头。
Dan ci Huanghe qu, mu zhi Heishan tou.
不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑声啾啾。
Bu wen ye niang huan nü sheng, dan wen yan shan hu qi shen jiujiu.
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。
Wan li fu rongji, guan shan du ruo fei.
朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
Shuo qi chuan jin tuo, han guang zhao tie yi.
将军百战死，壮士十年归。
Jiangjun bai zhan si, zhuangshi shi nian gui.
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。
Gui lai jian tianzi, tianzi zuo ming tang.
策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
Ce xun shi er zhuan, shangci bai qian qiang.
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，
Kehan wen suo yu, Mulan bu yong shang shu lang,
愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
yuan jie ming tuo qian li zu, song er huang gu xiang.
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将。
ye niang wen nu lai, chu guo xiang fu jiang.
阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆。
Ah zi wen mei lai, dang hu li hong zhuang.
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
Xiao di wen zi lai, mo dao huohuo xiang zhu yang.
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。
Kai wo dong ge men, zuo wo xi ge chuan.
脱我战时袍，着我旧时裳。
Tuo wo zhanshi pao, zhuo wo jiushi chang.
当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄
Dang chuang li yun bin, dui jing tie hua huang
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。
Chu men kan huoban, huoban jie jinghuang.
同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
Tong xing shier nian, bu zhi Mulan shi nülang.
雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；
Xiong tu jiao pu shuo, ci tu yan mi li;
两兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌
Liang tu bangde zou, an neng bian wo xiong ci
The Ballad of Mulan
Whirr-clack and again whirr-clack, Mulan weaves facing the door.
(But now) no sound from the loom is heard, only (our) daughter’s sighs.
“ Daughter, what are you thinking of? What are you brooding over?”
Nothing I’m thinking of, nothing I’m brooding over.
Yestereve I saw the army register, the Khan is levying the troops.
The register is twelve scrolls, each one bears father’s name.
Father has no first-born son, Mulan has no elder brother.
I wish to buy horse and saddle, go soldiering in father’s stead.
In the East Market she buys a fine steed, in the West Market a saddle and blanket,
In the South Market she buys a bridle, in the North Market a long chain-whip (1).
At dawn she takes leave from her parents, at dusk she camps near the Yellow River,
She doesn't hear her parents calling her, only the river's current murmuring.
At daybreak she leaves the Yellow River, at dusk she stands on Black Mountain,
She doesn't hear her parents calling out, only the Yanshan nomads' horses neighing.
Ten thousand li (2) she goes, following the fortunes of war, passes and mountains she crosses as if flying,
the North wind carries the sound of the sentries clapper, cold light shines on metal armor.
The general dies after a hundred battles, after ten years the heroes come back.
They come back and see the Son of Heaven, he sits in the Radiant Hall.
the register of merit lists twelve promotions awarded to miryads of strong men.
The Khan asks her wants, Mulan doesn't need a cabinet post,
" I wish to borrow a fine, strong camel, to carry me back home".
Her parents hear (their) daughter is coming, leaning on each other they come out of the city walls.
Elder Sister hears Little Sister is coming, she puts on her makeup facing the door.
Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming, he sharpens the knife, looking at pigs and sheep.
"I open the door of my east chamber, I sit on my bed in the west room.
I discard my wartime clothes, I put on my old-time gown".
At the window she combs her cloud-like hair, in front of the mirror she pastes on a flower ornament(3).
She comes out to see her comrades-in-arms, they all are stunned.
"Twelve years we traveled together, without knowing Mulan was a woman!"
" The male hare hops and pounces, the female's eyes are entranced,
But when two hares run together, how can one tell what is what?"
(1) bian is a normal whip but is also the chain whip used in martial arts, the first known use in war predates the ballad by a few decades. In my opinion here a 'long whip' is more a weapon than horse-riding equipment .
(2) A li is a Chinese mile, about 500 meters
(3) These were paper ornaments that were pasted on the face, much like the false beauty marks in European tradition or some kinds of bindi .
木 兰 辞
Mulan ci
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。
Jiji fu jiji, Mulan dang hu zhi.
不闻机杼声，唯闻女叹息。
Bu wen jizhu sheng, wei wen nü danxi.
问女何所思？问女何所忆？
Wen nü he suo si? Wen nü he suo yi?
女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
Nü yi wu suo si, Nü yi wu suo yi.
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵，
Zuoye jian juntie, kehan da dian bin,
军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
Jun shu shier juan, juan juan you ye ming.
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄，
Ah ye wu da er, Mulan wu zhang xiong.
愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
Yuan wei shi an ma, cong ci ti ye zheng.
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，
Dong shi mai junma, xi shi mai an jian,
南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
nan shi mai peitou, bei shi mai chang bian.
朝辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。
Zhao ci ye niang qu, mu su huanghebian
不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅
Bu wen ye niang huan nü sheng, dan wen Huanghe liushui ming jianjian.
旦辞黄河去，暮宿黑山头。
Dan ci Huanghe qu, mu zhi Heishan tou.
不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑声啾啾。
Bu wen ye niang huan nü sheng, dan wen yan shan hu qi shen jiujiu.
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。
Wan li fu rongji, guan shan du ruo fei.
朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
Shuo qi chuan jin tuo, han guang zhao tie yi.
将军百战死，壮士十年归。
Jiangjun bai zhan si, zhuangshi shi nian gui.
归来见天子，天子坐明堂。
Gui lai jian tianzi, tianzi zuo ming tang.
策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
Ce xun shi er zhuan, shangci bai qian qiang.
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，
Kehan wen suo yu, Mulan bu yong shang shu lang,
愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
yuan jie ming tuo qian li zu, song er huang gu xiang.
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将。
ye niang wen nu lai, chu guo xiang fu jiang.
阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆。
Ah zi wen mei lai, dang hu li hong zhuang.
小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
Xiao di wen zi lai, mo dao huohuo xiang zhu yang.
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。
Kai wo dong ge men, zuo wo xi ge chuan.
脱我战时袍，着我旧时裳。
Tuo wo zhanshi pao, zhuo wo jiushi chang.
当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄
Dang chuang li yun bin, dui jing tie hua huang
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊惶。
Chu men kan huoban, huoban jie jinghuang.
同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
Tong xing shier nian, bu zhi Mulan shi nülang.
雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；
Xiong tu jiao pu shuo, ci tu yan mi li;
两兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌
Liang tu bangde zou, an neng bian wo xiong ci
The Ballad of Mulan
Whirr-clack and again whirr-clack, Mulan weaves facing the door.
(But now) no sound from the loom is heard, only (our) daughter’s sighs.
“ Daughter, what are you thinking of? What are you brooding over?”
Nothing I’m thinking of, nothing I’m brooding over.
Yestereve I saw the army register, the Khan is levying the troops.
The register is twelve scrolls, each one bears father’s name.
Father has no first-born son, Mulan has no elder brother.
I wish to buy horse and saddle, go soldiering in father’s stead.
In the East Market she buys a fine steed, in the West Market a saddle and blanket,
In the South Market she buys a bridle, in the North Market a long chain-whip (1).
At dawn she takes leave from her parents, at dusk she camps near the Yellow River,
She doesn't hear her parents calling her, only the river's current murmuring.
At daybreak she leaves the Yellow River, at dusk she stands on Black Mountain,
She doesn't hear her parents calling out, only the Yanshan nomads' horses neighing.
Ten thousand li (2) she goes, following the fortunes of war, passes and mountains she crosses as if flying,
the North wind carries the sound of the sentries clapper, cold light shines on metal armor.
The general dies after a hundred battles, after ten years the heroes come back.
They come back and see the Son of Heaven, he sits in the Radiant Hall.
the register of merit lists twelve promotions awarded to miryads of strong men.
The Khan asks her wants, Mulan doesn't need a cabinet post,
" I wish to borrow a fine, strong camel, to carry me back home".
Her parents hear (their) daughter is coming, leaning on each other they come out of the city walls.
Elder Sister hears Little Sister is coming, she puts on her makeup facing the door.
Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming, he sharpens the knife, looking at pigs and sheep.
"I open the door of my east chamber, I sit on my bed in the west room.
I discard my wartime clothes, I put on my old-time gown".
At the window she combs her cloud-like hair, in front of the mirror she pastes on a flower ornament(3).
She comes out to see her comrades-in-arms, they all are stunned.
"Twelve years we traveled together, without knowing Mulan was a woman!"
" The male hare hops and pounces, the female's eyes are entranced,
But when two hares run together, how can one tell what is what?"
(1) bian is a normal whip but is also the chain whip used in martial arts, the first known use in war predates the ballad by a few decades. In my opinion here a 'long whip' is more a weapon than horse-riding equipment .
(2) A li is a Chinese mile, about 500 meters
(3) These were paper ornaments that were pasted on the face, much like the false beauty marks in European tradition or some kinds of bindi .