Vọng Tiền Nhân / Reminiscence About Historical Figures
Vương Thanh

Reminiscence About Historical Figures 

Some evening, I was reminiscing about people who lived years ago
The Exiled Angel who breathed thousands of intoxicating verses
The phoenix had flown away to fairyland
For ten thousand years, the empty pavilion waits in remembrance… (1)

The scholar weaves dreams by the windowsill
Under the flowers, two hearts in love enter the poetry realm
Her dreamy, innocent bright eyes belong to eons ago
A dream for a hundred years of being together|
In the moonlit cove of Poetry, Music, and Love. (2)

Fog veils the Long River, stretching endlessly to the sky
By the silent shore, parting words linger in sorrow
Clouds drift like verses from ancient Tang poetry
Waves of grief follow the footsteps of the departee. (3)

Life holds countless sorrows and pain,
Three hundred years from now — who will shed tears for me? (4)
Reading a few lines of verses in the quiet night,
Feeling sad for the human plight.
A beauty adrift, bound to a sorrowed fate,
Talent and destiny, forever at odds, (5)
Make her life rise and fall like waves upon the sea.

With bold passion, drink and sing in carefree delight,
Where in this vast misty sky and earth should I go?
Winds rage, rains howl from all four directions,
I strike my sword and sing, tilt my cup and recite.
How few are the kindred spirits one finds in life,
Who is a true heart friend? Raise a glass and drink with me! (6)

A noble soul, bound to high ideals and grand adventure,
Armed with wisdom and strength to shape the world.
One day, when dreams and ambitions are fulfilled,
He’ll retreat to the mountains — poetry and wine in hand. (7)

The moon rises, brightening the night sky.
There sits the Fair Maiden, gazing into her mirror.
The moon glows in the far sky, shining over her home.
O Tố, Hoàng’s heart aches with sorrow, longing for you. (8)

Silkworms spin their threads throughout a lifetime,
A sorrowful song weeps for the soldier’s wife.
A sea of mulberry trees shrouds them from one another.
Each day stretches like three autumns in her lonely chamber. (9)

The fish sauce boat of Nghệ An rides back and forth on the river
The court’s poetry guild still carries that sharp, pungent flavor
Leg chains stumble a princely stride
An arrogant scholar — strutting with pride,
Leaves behind a page soaked in boast and blight. (10)

“Sunshine and rain are Heaven’s jobs” (11)

His poetry simple and elegant like folk verses

The scent of country grass fields familiarly sweet

Makes fragrant the six-eight verse,

and beautify the romance of gentle lovesickness 

A poet’s heart drifts to dreamland’s harbour,
Who moors the moon boat by the Silver River?
The night sky glows with the full moon’s light,
As the Moon Fairy walks the earth in delight.

The long river flows to the sea
The soldiers of olden days, where are their burial graves?
Grass by the riverside, the wind blows sad sighs
Seems like in the water waves, thousands of swords clashing
The campfires, the war drums beating…
The cries of soldiers in pain stretch for miles
In war, since eons ago, only a few escape unscathed
The river water of Bạch Đằng Giang flows quietly
But several times, blood had dyed the river red
History records glorious victories against the invaders
Ten thousand hearts as one,
For the race of the Mountain Fairy and Dragon King. (13)

The homeland endures relentless smoke and flame
I recall the heroine who plunged into Hát River’s wave
The drums of Mê Linh still echo strong
Summoning the Nation’s Spirit to right ancient wrongs
Radiant still, the Valor of a Thousand Years
Heart-incense lit to honor the Trưng Sisters revered (14)

Here stand Mount Tản and River Đà,
Through endless years, reveling in tea and wine afar.
The mountains and rivers still resound his verse,
Yet the waters flow — departing, never to reverse.
Peach blossoms scatter upon the mountain stream,
Mist veils the fairyland — where does the road to paradise gleam?

Tầm Dương’s rivershore hums a wistful tune,
Once, adorned in splendor — rosy cheeks in bloom.
Talent and beauty echoed far and wide,
Feasts and music filled the nights in joyous stride.
Yet life drifts on, indifferent as the tide,
The mulberry fields shift — youth and grace subside.
Time wears thin the colors of the past,
As the lonely lute sighs — its sorrow vast. (16)

Suddenly, I hear the call of mountain and river
The “Righteous Spirit Song” ascends to the high clouds above.
A heart of gold stands unashamed before the full moon bright
In life, who does not face death’s destined rite? (17)
No narrow pond can house a giant’s sweep,
No gilded cage can chain an eagle’s leap.
Let my name stand bold for all to see,
A fragrant legacy carved into history.

Translation by Vuong Thanh, 2019, 2025

Notes:

1. Phoenix Pavilion – Li Bai

2. Tête-à-tête Under Flowers - Đinh Hùng

3. Farewell Poem - Thâm Tâm

4.Nguyễn Du

5. The Tale of Thuy Kieu - Nguyễn Du

6. Hồ Trường - Nguyễn Bá Trác

7. Chí Nam Nhi - Nguyễn Công Trứ

8. The Twelfth of June - Vũ Hoàng Chương

9. Chinh Phụ Ngâm - Đặng Trần Côn / Đoàn Thị Điểm

10. Cao Bá Quát

11. Nguyễn Bính

12. Hàn Mặc Tử

13. Trần Hưng Đạo, Lý Thường Kiệt defeated the Chinese invaders at Bạch Đằng river in the Nguyên and Sung dynasties. 

14. The Trưng Sisters

15. Tản Đà

16. Tỳ Bà Hành - Bạch Cư Dị

17. "Nhân sinh tự cổ thùy vô tử ..." - Chính Khí Ca - Văn Thiên Tường