To the Legendary Lady of Huian - Shu Ting / 舒 婷

Shu Ting / 舒 婷







To the Legendary Lady of Huian

A wildfire burns in the distance,

the distance in your amber eyes.

Silver baubles from an ancient tribe

hang from your soft wrist.

If one can’t confirm you will be happy, your girl-dreams

scatter gradually to the ocean, like dandelions.

Ah, the ocean sprays are eternal.

Naturally, you don’t like recounting your suffering.

Nor can it mean your suffering is finished for always.

When the songs of the bamboo flute and the lute

awaken sorrow in twilight

you bite softly the scarf’s corner at your mouth.

Graciously you wait between the sea and the sky

and no one notices your naked feet

cut by the rocks and bitter sands.

And this is why, on the covers and inside magazines,

you are merely part of the scenery and a myth.


(Translated by Gordon T. Osing & De-an Wu Swihart)







惠安女子

野火在远方，远方

在你琥珀色的眼睛里

以古老部落的银饰

约束柔软的腰肢

幸福虽不可预期，但少女的梦

蒲公英一般徐徐落在海面上

啊，浪花无边无际

天生不爱倾诉苦难

并非苦难已经永远绝迹

当洞箫和琵琶在晚照中

唤醒普遍的忧伤

你把头巾一角轻轻咬在嘴里

这样优美地站在海天之间

令人忽略了：你的裸足

所踩过的碱滩和礁石

于是，在封面和插图中

你成为风景，成为传奇

***





Shu Ting, originally known as Gong Shuting, currently lives in Gulang Island, Xiamen city, Fujian Province. Shu Ting began writing poetry in 1969. Her work “To the Oak” was originally published by the grassroots literary journal, Today, in 1978 and was then re-printed by the national poetry journal, Shikan. The poem “To the Oak” led to a heated debate and discussion which solidified Shu Ting’s place as one of the representative poets of “Misty Poetry” in China. Shu Ting's main poetry collections are: “A Boat with Two Masts,” “The Singing Iris,” “Archaeopteryx,” and “Shu Ting’s Poems”. Her prose collections include “The Mist of My Heart,” “Autumn Mood,” “Tecomaria Capensis,” “'Poetic Thoughts' in a Dewdrop,” “Pure Water Without Fragrance,” and three volumes of “Shu Ting's Anthologies.” Shu Ting has been invited by many organizations to visit more than twenty countries and territories including America and Europe. She has also individually participated in International Poetry Festivals in India, the Netherlands, Italy, and Israel. As a member of the Chinese writers’ delegation, she participated in the following important events for international cultural exchange: “The Berlin Skyline Art Festival” (1985), “The 3nd Dialogue between Chinese and American Writers” (1986), “China-Russia Cultural Festival” (2007), and “China-Korea Writer's Meeting” (2008). Shu Ting has also held poetry readings and seminars in more than thirty overseas cities and universities. Shu Ting's work has been translated into more than twenty different languages. Nine poetry collections in six different languages have been published by publishing houses outside of China. Currently, Shu Ting is a Councilor on the Executive Board of China's Writer Association. She is also the Vice-president of the Fujian Federation of Literary and Art Circles (FLAC) and the President of the Xiamen FLAC. Shu Ting was also selected to serve as a Representative during China's 12th National People's Congress.


舒婷，原名龚舒婷。世居福建厦门鼓浪屿。1969 年开始写诗，1979 年公开发表，作品引发多种争论。1998 年以后主要写作散文和随笔。 多次应邀出访欧美等二十多个国家和地区，在国外三十多座城市和大学朗诵讲座，作品被翻译二十多个国家的文字发表，境外出版有六个语种九部诗歌个人译本。现任中国作家协会主席团委员，福建省文联副主席。厦门市文联主席。第十二届全国人民代表大会代表。