Song of a Traveling Son, Meng Jiao (300 Tang Shi #45)

[lnhammer]

A caring mother, thread within her hand—
A traveling son, I lift up my clothes;
When I departed close, so close the stitches—
I’m afraid I’ll be late, so late returning.
Who says that these short grasses have a heart,
Announcing thus the splendid months of spring?

游子吟
慈母手中线，
游子身上衣；
临行密密缝，
意恐迟迟归。
谁言寸草心，
报得三春辉？

A quick break (while I rework the next poem in the sequence) for a folk-song-style poem from Part 2. 吟 (yin) is yet another term for an “old verse form” that seems best translated as the generic “song.” I’ve rendered idioms and syntax a bit more literally than usual, to try bringing out the folk-song flavor. That said, literally it’s “three (of) spring” with the “months” implied.

---L.

Comments

[sartorias]

I looked for the "hong" once I read the first line, because I was sure it had to be a ref to the red thread, but nope. Struck out again!

Enjoyed it, though.

[lnhammer]

Nope, no hong. Were any red thread stories even current in the 8th century?

[sartorias]

I don't know how far back the concept goes.

[lnhammer]

Okay, I've found reference to a red-thread of fate story dating to the Tang Dynasty, involving one Wei Gu meeting Yue Lao, the old man of the moon who was the lunar god of marriage. So far, though, the older stories are strictly romantic partners -- other family ties seems to be strictly modern interpretations. Which I kinda knew, given I know that Red Thread Families are using a somewhat problematic name. (We're still part of our local, though.)

[sartorias]

Thanks!