In this song, as with the previous one, the name of the singer is not recorded, but, again, internal evidence suggests that it was Yang Zhi.

The Miao clan leader is the same as before, and this song too is a lament for the loss of the ancient homeland. Unlike the previous song, however, it has a specific setting. Twin Miao villages are mentioned by name, Hmao-lu and Hmao-gha. A note in the manuscript identifies these as Hmao-bu-gha, which is located to the north and west of Weining. The local Yi landlord was called So-gha. He lived in his ancestral home, which resembled a fortified manor house. The whole suite of buildings and the high wall, which surrounded large ornamental gardens, were whitewashed, and were visible from far and near.

Though generations had passed, and the ancient homeland was far away, the sight of the landlord’s residence and walled gardens was a constant reminder to the Miao people of the kind of building they believed their clan leader had once occupied. They pictured ornamental gardens with circular "moon" doors through which the rays of the sun and moon would shine at their respective rising in the east.

Translation in verse
Literal Transcription
Notes

You can see the original documents for this song.

You can also see these pages as Word97 documents

Word97 Introduction
Word97 Translation
Word97 Transcription
Word97 Notes

Return to Index of Songs
Return to First Page of the Archive