In the last post, I briefly mentioned “Song of the Yue Boatman”—”Yue-Ren-Ge”—in an endnote. The texts of this “song” was quoted in Chapter 11 of Liu Xiang’s Shuo Yuan, a collection of historical anecdotes.[1] The general title of Chapter 11, Shànshuō 善說, means “eloquent speeches.” The paragraph containing “Song of the Yue Boatman” is a story within a story:[2]
On the day Lord Xiang Chéng was to receive his fief, with splendid clothing and accessories, he stood by the river shore, surrounded by ministers. Provincial officer called out: “Who could cross the river with the Lord?” Chu minister Zhuang Xin, passing by, approached the Lord with admiration and asked: “Would it be all right, if I, your servant, hold your hands?” Angrily, Lord Xiang Chéng did not reply. Zhuang Xin retreated and washed his hands. Then, he returned to say, “Has the Lord never heard of the story of Prince È [ə], Jun Qi, on his boat excursion?”
* * * * * *
Prince Jun Qi, clad in gorgeous garments, sat on a boat decorated with bird-shape carvings, flowers, feathery canopy, and rhino tails. There was music of bells and drums. While resting, the boatman from Yue State held the oar and sang:
“濫兮抃草濫予昌枑澤予昌州州𩜱州焉乎秦胥胥縵予乎昭澶秦踰滲惿隨河湖。”
The Prince said: “I do not understand the song in Yue, would you gentleman explain it to me in Chu?” An interpreter was called. He recited the verses in Chu:
今夕何夕兮，搴舟中流。
What an evening this is, rowing the boat on the river.
今日何日兮，得與王子同舟。
What a day today is, I have the chance to share the same boat with the prince.
蒙羞被好兮，不訾詬恥。
Feeling unworthy of your adoration, yet I am not shamed by the mockeries.
心幾煩而不絕兮，得知王子。
Endless fluctuations in my heart: I made acquaintance with the prince.
山有木兮木有枝，心說君兮君不知。
There are trees on the mountain, and branches on the trees.
my heart desires for the Lord yet the Lord does not know.
Upon hearing this, Prince Jun Qi went up to the boatman, embracing him, wrapping him with embroidered cover.
* * * * * *
Zhuang Xin continued: “Prince È was the King’s younger brother. Lordly and powerful, yet he was willing to share his pleasure with a boatman from Yue. Why was it that you placed yourself above the Prince? Why was it that I could not equate myself to a boatman? Why was it inappropriate that I wished to hold your hands?” Lord Xiang Chéng reached out to Zhuang Xin and promised to always follow his advice.
Widely recognized as the earliest “translated” poem in Chinese history, “Song of the Yue Boatman” has been referenced in many later poems. The text has been the subject of many literary studies. Here, I like to use it an example to show the complexity of Chinese language.
I left the original transliteration of the Yue song as it appeared in Shua Yuan. Although it was written in Han characters, it was intended to be read with Chu sounds and not the Standard Chinese of today. I also did not make any attempt to punctuate the line. When hearing a language for the first time, it is unlikely that one would be able to group the sounds. Isn’t it always the case that we think foreigners all talk really fast? Even though these characters didn’t help with the comprehension of the words, it did record the sounds of the words—for its intended audiences.
Chu, as a spoken language, has been lost. Even its root is uncertain. However, as documented in many historical sources, it was clearly different than the language of the Central Plain. Some believe that it was a branch of the Sinitic linguistic family; others believe that it belongs to Hmong-Mien family, still spoken today in the mountainous regions of southern China.[3]
The territory of Yue State covered the coastal region of southeastern China. Ancient Yue was believed to have been spoken in the States of Yue and Wu. In written form, it was preserved in Yuejueshu, historical records of Yue, in addition to “Song of the Yue Boatman.”[4] Many linguists believe that ancient Yue was related to Zhuang-Tai language, a branch of Kra-Dai family.[5] Based on this concept, Wei Qing-Wen 韋慶穩 and Zhengzhang Shangfang 鄭張尚芳 reconstructed the transliterated characters.[6]
Yet, at least for me, the question remains: The reconstruction was based on Yue sounds. Wasn’t Liu Xiang’s transliteration intended for Chu sounds? At this point, let’s take a moment to imagine what would have happened to Chine culture, if there wasn’t a unified written language.
Shuo Yuan, with its emphasis in ethics and morality, was listed in the Ruism section of Siku Quanshu. Which, in a sense, means that it represents culture of the Central Plain. Nevertheless, it encompassed regional tales, evidence of interchanges of northern and southern cultures. Although “Song of the Yue Boatman” was not an original Chu song, from its translated form, personal and sensuous, we could still discern the characteristics of Chu poetry.
For the 2006 movie “The Banquet,” Tan Dun composed a theme song “Longing in Silence,” based on the translated version of “Yue-Ren-Ge,” sung in Mandarin. A version for piano and voice was written by Liu Qin.[7]
[1] Shuo_Yuan_Wiki
[2] Staying as close as possible with the original texts, my interpretation was not word-for-word. Shuo_Yuan_Shan_Shuo_ctext.org 《劉向·說苑·善說》(繁體中文)
[3] Chu_(state)#Linguistic_influences_Wiki, Sinitic_languages_Wiki
[4] Yue_(state)_Wiki, yuejueshu.html_chinaknowledge.de, 《越絕書》_Wiki_zh-tw (繁體中文)
[5] 壯侗語系_Wiki_zh-tw (繁體中文) , Kra_Dai_Languages_Wiki Tai_languages_Wiki
[6] Zhengzhang_Shangfang_Wiki
“Decipherment of Yue-Ren-Ge (Song of the Yue Boatman),” Zhengzhang Shangfang, C.L.A.O. Vol. XX, winter 1991, No, 2, pp. 159-168. (PDF)
[7] Longing_in_Silence_YouTube Tan Dun, The Banquet, Deutsche Grammophon
Song_of_the_Yue_Boatman_YouTube Yuanlong Li, countertenor, Pulignano, piano.