The Translation of Hua Mulan And the analysis of the Rhyme and Figuration in Ancient Poetry of Chinese

【Abstract】This essay deals with the translation of one of Chinese ancient poems named “Hua Mulan”， besides， a general comparison between the rhyme， figuration and meter of ancient poetry of China and western countries will be done， followed by personal apprehension.

【Key Words】Hua Mulan； Ancient poetry； Comparison； Rhyme； Figuration

【作者簡介】閆鑫雷，新疆石河子大學中區。

1. Translation

Hua MulanWitten during North and South Dynasties

From where floating a voice over chirping？ Only faced the door Mulan was weaving； For what declined the voice of weaving loom， Only was heard her heavy sigh and gloom.

Asked what she thinks of and worries about， Replies that she hath not much them no doubt； But we sighted the soldier list last night， When Khan enrolling the warriors far field fight； Among the name-lists of dozen by dozen， On Each one was her fathers name chosen.

Grayed her fatherd no elder brother since， Ready was she to fight front buying horse.Around the market laying all business， She bought for herself a set of harness.Farewell parents dawnd camped by River night， No voice from them heard but stream clutter bright； Farewell the river morn to Mount in darkness， Just foe horse chitters from Mount Yan clearness.Rush to front traversed long arduous path though， Like her winging over piles of mounts through.The night watch beat was heard in bitter air， Lightened soldiers bardes that moon glow coldd fair； Thousand wars fought then some sacrificed lives， Thousand wars fought then some returned with triumphs. With win she came court， emperor sat state， Awarded her with treasure infinite； And then asked her requirements any more， ‘No hope of officer， back home by horse no late.

Upon they hearing Mulans arriving， Parents in arms out city for meeting；Faced door sister was busy fine dressing； Younger Fra honed sharply knife to slaughter for celebrating.

She stepped the ever-lived room the moment， Took off the bardes and wore her old garment.

By the mirror， faced the window， combed hair， And affixed the trimmings to face so fair.

Comrades-in-arms who saw her， beyond surprised， The lass， whom they fought years along， they never recognized.

When grasping the ears of double rabbits and lifting them in the air， One shakes feet for male， whenas the other blinks eyes for female. Once they run together， could thou tell apart their genders？

2. Analysis

This ancient poem is concerned with a heroine who took place her father for fighting in the frontier. It conveys a spirit that a woman showed great love and care to her father at the cost of life and departure of the family. The poem almost appears in the regulated verse of 5 characters each line， and rhymes every two lines， as the first 4 lines above. As Chinese ancient poetry goes， no matter verses of seven characters or five， it adhere strictly to the regulation of rhyme， above all， tone pattern， i.e. level and oblique tones. Take 4-line poem as an example， the first and second rhyme， the third line doesnt rhyme， and the rhyme of the last line will be the same as the first two， i.e. aaba， ccbc， eebe…. If the rhyme tone of the first line is level， the second must be oblique. The last line is also the case， for the reason that the line will be fluent and beautiful to read.

e.g. 唧唧復唧唧，木蘭當戶織。不聞機杼聲，惟聞女嘆息。床前明月光，疑是地上霜，舉頭望明月，低頭思故鄉。

While for English， the regulation of rhyme is quite different， which means it contains no level or oblique. Sonnet or heroic couplet， all the same， the heroic couplet is a pair of rhyming line of iambic pentameter. Shakespearian rhyme as abab cdcd efef gg. They rhyme every line. Some have two-line rhyme.e.g. For what declined the voice of the loom， Only left her heavy sigh and gloom.

（2） Shall I compare thee to a summers day？ Thou art more lovely and more temperate：Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May， And summers lease hath too short a date.

Meter： In Chinese ancient poem， meter refers to rhythm. For instance， diameter refers to two characters， monometer refers to one.

大漠 // 孤煙 // 直，長河 // 落日 //圓。While in ancient English poems， the analysis of meter depends on syllables. syllables equal a meter. Take iambic pentameter as an example.

Shall I compare thee to a summers day？ ai // ? ε? // i： u //? // ei Antithesis is the most prominent figuration in Chinese ancient poetry， while English one usually fails to achieve that： From where floating a voice over chirping？ But faced the door Mulan was weaving； Intertexuality： 東市買駿馬，西市買鞍韉，將軍百戰死，壯士十年歸。