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天 山 雪 歌 送 萧 治 归 京
Song of Snow on Tian Mountain: Sending Off
Xiao Zhi on His Return to the Capital
天 山 雪 云 常 不 开 Snow clouds never break on Tian Mountain, 6
千 峰 万 岭 雪 崔 嵬 Tens of thousands of lofty peaks and ranges are covered
in snow.
北 风 夜 卷 赤 亭 口
一 夜 天 山 雪 更 厚
The night's north wind rolls over Chiting Pass;
As night passes, the snow is thicker on Tian Mountain.
能 兼 汉 月 照 银 山 The snow both reflects the Han moon and shines on
Yin Mountain 7
复 逐 胡 风 过 铁 关 And again chases the Hu wind through Iron Gate Pass。 8
交 河 城 边 鸟 飞 绝
轮 台 路 上 马 蹄 滑
晻 霭 寒 氛 万 里 凝
阑 干 阴 崖 千 丈 冰
将 军 狐 裘 卧 不 暖
都 护 宝 刀 冻 欲 断
正 是 天 山 雪 下 时
送 君 走 马 归 京 师
雪 中 何 以 赠 君 别
9
惟 有 青 青 松 树 枝
At the edge of Jiaohe birds in flight disappear;
On the Luntai road horses' hooves slip.
Gloom cold clouds freeze everything over a distance of
ten thousand li,
Railings upon shaded cliffs are a thousand meters of ice.
The general's fox skins do not keep the bed warm,
The protector-general's sword is frozen and about to break.
Just when it snows on Tian Mountain
I send you off as you set forth for the capital;
In the midst of snow what can I give you when we part?
Only a green pine branch.
6
Tian Mountain, which also went by the names White Mountain 白 山 and Snow Mountain 雪 山 in ancient times, is
located north of the Tarim basin at the borders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
7
Located near modern day Kumushen 库 木 什 , southwest of Turpan 吐 鲁 番 Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
8
A pass southwest of Yin mountain
9
See CSJJZ, pp. 168-169.