Tīng Ān Wànshàn Chuī Bìlì Gē
听安万善吹觱篥歌
Song on Hearing An Wanshan Play the Bili Flute

by 李颀 (Lǐ Qí)

nán shān jié zhú wéi bì lì, cǐ yuè běn zì qiū cí chū.
南山截竹为觱篥，此乐本自龟兹出。
From bamboo cut in the Southern Mountains, the bili pipe was made; this music originally came from Qiuci.

liú chuán hàn dì qǔ zhuǎn qí, liáng zhōu hú rén wèi wǒ chuī.
流传汉地曲转奇，凉州胡人为我吹。
As it spread into Han lands, its melodies became ever more wondrous; a Hu musician from Liangzhou plays it for me.

bàng lín wén zhě duō tàn xī, yuǎn kè sī xiāng jiē lèi chuí.
傍邻闻者多叹息，远客思乡皆泪垂。
Nearby listeners sigh again and again; travelers far from home think of their homeland, and all shed tears.

shì rén jiě tīng bù jiě shǎng, cháng biāo fēng zhōng zì lái wǎng.
世人解听不解赏，长飙风中自来往。
People know how to listen, but not how to truly appreciate; the music comes and goes by itself amid a long gale.

kū sāng lǎo bǎi hán sōu liú, jiǔ chú míng fèng luàn jiū jiū.
枯桑老柏寒飕飗，九雏鸣凤乱啾啾。
It is like cold wind soughing through withered mulberries and old cypresses; like nine young phoenixes crying out in a fluttering chorus.

lóng yín hǔ xiào yī shí fā, wàn lài bǎi quán xiāng yǔ qiū.
龙吟虎啸一时发，万籁百泉相与秋。
Dragon chants and tiger roars burst forth at once; myriad sounds and a hundred springs join together in autumn resonance.

hū rán gēng zuò yú yáng cān, huáng yún xiāo tiáo bái rì àn.
忽然更作渔阳掺，黄云萧条白日暗。
Suddenly the tune turns into “Yuyang Can”; yellow clouds grow desolate, and the bright sun darkens.

biàn diào rú wén yáng liǔ chūn, shàng lín fán huā zhào yǎn xīn.
变调如闻杨柳春，上林繁花照眼新。
Then the mode changes, as if spring were heard among the willows; in Shanglin Park, countless flowers shine freshly before the eyes.

suì yè gāo táng liè míng zhú, měi jiǔ yī bēi shēng yī qǔ.
岁夜高堂列明烛，美酒一杯声一曲。
On New Year’s Eve, bright candles are arrayed in the grand hall; with one cup of fine wine comes one song of sound.