The Ballad of Mulan was first transcribed in the Musical Records of Old and New (古今乐录) in the 6th century, the century before the founding of the Tang Dynasty. The original work no longer exists, and the original text of this poem comes from another work known as the Music Bureau Collection (乐府诗), an anthology of lyrics,songs, and poems, compiled by Guo Maoqian during the 11th or 12th century. The author explicitly mentions the Musical Records of Old and New as his source for the poem.(from Wikipedia)
The translation is mainly based on the version from The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry, by Han H. Frankel (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1976), 68-72. Also minor modification made based on another version translated by an unknown author.
The Ballad of Mulan
Click,click and again click and click (sound of the loom),
Mulan weaves, facing the door.
You don’t hear the shuttle’s sound,
You only hear Daughter's sighs.
They ask Daughter who’s in her heart,
They ask Daughter who’s on her mind.
“No one is on Daughter’s heart,
No one is on Daughter’s mind.”
Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there’s Father’s name.
Alas Father has no grown‑up son,
Alas Mulan has no elder brother.
I wish to buy a saddle and horse,
And serve in the army in Father’s place.
In the East Market she buys a steed,
In the West Market she buys a saddle,
In the South Market she buys a bridle,
In the North Market she buys a long whip.
At dawn she bids Father and Mother farewell,
At dusk she camps on the Yellow River’s bank.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
Upon her pillow the yellow waters' whisper rolling.
At dawn she takes leave of the Yellow River,
At dusk she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
But tarter horses wailing from Mountain Yen.
She gallops ten thousand miles, for the war she has to honor.
She crosses lofty hills, like an eagle soaring over.
From northern gusts, through biting chills,echoes the watchman’s clapper.
With wintry glow of icy hue, light glimmers on her armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Our warrior’s back, how ten years fly.
Upon her return she is summoned To see the Emperor.
In the Hall of splendor,she receives the highest honor.
She is awarded a promotion to top rank.
The Emperor bestows hundreds of thousands in prizes.
The Khan asks her what she desires.
"Mulan has no use for a minister’s post,
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home."
When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming
They go outside the wall to meet her, leaning on each other.
When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming
She fixes her rouge, facing the door.
When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming
He whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.
I open the door to my east chamber,
I sit on my couch in the west room,
I take off my wartime gown
And put on my old‑time dress.
Facing the window she fixes her cloud-like hair,
Hanging up a mirror she decorates her sideburns
She goes out the door and sees her comrades.
Her comrades are all amazed and perplexed.
"For twelve years, we fought as comrades in arms,
The Mulan we knew was not a lady of charm."
“The he‑hare’s feet go hop and skip,
The she‑hare’s eyes are muddled and fuddled.
If both are allowed to run free
How can they tell if I am he or she?” |
