When traveling in the Pamirs

　　　　　　　I found a piece of ordinary Hotan jade

　　　　　　　Which looked like my mother’s eyes

　　　　　　　Her pureness, latent quality and luster

　　　　　　　Reminded me of my remote hometown

　　　　　　　And my mother’s worries to me

　　　　　　　Under the sky of my hometown

　

　　　　　　　This life, I am unable to turn into a tree

　　　　　　　Standing by my mother in my hometown

　　　　　　　When walking out of Gobi and the desert in Xinjiang

　　　　　　　I gave my mother this jade bracelet as a present

　　　　　　　Such a simple jade, like a flower blooming in my mother’s palm

　　　　　　　Seeming like a voiceless verse

　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　Later, my mother put this jade bracelet

　　　　　　　Around a girl’s wrist

　　　　　　　Its luster, reflecting my mother’s smiling face

　　　　　　　Flashing before my eyes

　　　　　　　Today the girl who wore this jade bracelet

　　　　　　　Has become my bride

　

　　　　　　　What’s the profound meaning of bride?

　　　　　　　—— Bride means wife

　　　　　　　Who always stays with you

　　　　　　　And gives you motherly love as your mother did

　　　　　　　　　　　　                          　　 (tr. Yang Zongze )

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

  [About the Author] Qi　 Ren: a famous contemporary Chinese poet, was born in Rongxian County, Sichuan Province in1965；graduated from Sichuan Teachers University. Since1985，he began to publish his poems in newspapers and magazines, in 1998 he was enrolled as member of Chinese Writers Association，he now holds an office of executive vice secretary-general of Chinese Poetry Society, adviser to Research Society of Chinese-Japanese Poetry Contrast of Beijing University .His poetry has won several kinds of state prizes. His major poetry publications are: The Gate of Fate, Fresh Flowers and Grave and The Scenery in Palm.

 

和 田 玉