Wei Yingwu: Travel to Gather Jade

Travel to Gather Jade

采 玉 行

官 府 征 白 丁
言 采 蓝 溪 玉。

绝 岭 夜 无 家
深 榛 雨 中 宿。

独 妇 饷 粮 还
哀 哀 舍 南 哭。

Cai Yu Xing

Guan fu zheng bai ding
Yan cai lan xi yu.

Jue ling ye wu jia
Shen zhen yu zhong su.

Du fu xiang liang huan
Ai ai she nan ku.

Travel to Gather Jade

Local government has asked these young people to work in the quarries
They were told to pick lantian jade from the clear streams.

Unique mountain range evenings without a house in sight
Workers have to bivouac among hazelnut trees in the rain.

Lonely wives return home after delivering food
Heavy sorrows, cry in front of southern windows.

Notes:

Lantian jade: Famous jade deposits from Lantian County, near the capital city of Chang’an (Xi’an).