Kujia song lyrics: Kujia Song Cycle (Part 1)

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（Play All）Kujia song lyrics: Kujia Song Cycle (Part 1)

Kujia, literally 'crying marriage' is a custom found among a number of ethnic groups in China, but it is practised to a far more sustained degree among the Tujia than in other minority groups. During the period prior to her wedding, the bride visits various relatives or friends each evening, staying to weep and sing with them. The tradition is hundreds of years old, but appears to have been given special impetus by the gaituguiliu reforms imposed on the Tujia in the early 18th century by the Qing court (see Introduction). Kujia may have developed to this level of sophistication among the Tujia as a covert form of protest against the Qing imposition of matchmaker-mediated arranged marriages, rather than the traditional love match. In the past, brides from wealthy families who could afford the time might weep every night for two or three months, while poorer brides would only weep for a week. Nowadays the practice has almost disappeared, though many older women are still able to perform kujia songs. On this and the next page, Mrs Tian Xintao sings a complete cycle of such songs. See the photo in the photo archive.

5.1.1: The Bride Sings with the Matchmaker
5.1.2: The Bride Sings with her Mother
5.1.3: The Bride Sings with her Aunt

Tian Xintao, Daba Township, Yongshun County
recorded on 05 August 2002

01	tu³ga³ luo³. Scolding the Matchmaker
02	Bride: kuo²ti¹ ka¹pu¹pu³ la² ru¹ la² ru¹, bei¹si¹ tu³ga³ cuo³xie² ji¹la¹ di⁴; su²xi¹bu²li¹ ka¹pu¹pu³ bu²li¹ ji², bei¹si¹ tu³ga³ zi⁴ kuo¹ba¹ di⁴. Bride: The beans have flowered in pairs, Even at this time of sadness, the matchmaker is pestering me for shoes and socks; The chestnuts have flowered and are bearing fruit, At this unfortunate time, the matchmaker wants a pig's head.
03	ni² luo⁴bi³ cuo⁴ ga² biu² cuo⁴ hhi², luo⁴bi³ cuo⁴ li³ biu² si³-xi² ca²; biu² cuo⁴ li³ luo⁴bi³ re⁴kuo³kui¹. You eat at the groom's home and then head for my home, You tell the groom's family that the bride is pretty, You tell the girl's family that the groom is very handsome.
04	ni² nga² ca⁴-bo³ luo⁴ba¹ cuo⁴ ye⁴, luo⁴die¹-nie³ wu² ge³ da⁴ye²ze³, luo⁴die¹ jie² di¹di¹-bo³ ha³, ha³-ji² luo³-ji² me²ga³; You deceive me into marrying into the groom's home, To become like their cow or horse, People raise their hands to strike me, Even after hitting and scolding me their enmity remains,
05	a⁴duo³ nga²-nie³ si³ ga²-duo³! a⁴duo³ nga²-nie³ mie⁴ hu³-duo³! They want their pound of flesh! They want every last drop of blood!
06	nga² li²-nie³ cuo⁴ wo²tu¹ xie²hui¹ zu²-duo³, kang³ku¹ a³ji¹la³ nga²-nie³ cuo⁴; kang³ku¹-nie³ ni²bi¹ nga² da⁴xi⁴; kang³ku¹-nie³ bu²li¹ nga²-nie³ zi³. I must escape from the tiger's den, The mountains will be my home; The birds on the hills will help me, And wild fruits are my food.
07	ge³di¹ nie⁴ ke²ji¹ji¹, kang³ku¹ ni²bi¹ nga² wo⁴-bo³ hhi², me² ga³ha² ra² ca²-xi² ni¹. These are truly bitter days, Would that a bird from the mountains would bear me away, And fly me high to a better life.
08	Matchmaker: me² ong³ ta¹nie¹ me²ze³ tai², tu³ga³ tai²-nie³ zuo⁴ni³ be² tai²; tu³ga³ zi³ ga² ri³ cuo⁴ ri³-xi³tai², ca² sa³ ri¹ mo³ zuo⁴ni³ xie². Matchmaker: Without thunder rain will not fall, Nor will there be marriage without a matchmaker; The matchmaker eats in many a home, Working hard that marriages may occur.

Tian Xintao, Daba Township, Yongshun County
recorded on 05 August 2002

01	Bride: me² ga³ha² xi⁴bu²li¹ ri³, su³su³ jia¹jia¹-da², a³ba¹ a¹nie³ nga² bo³ long¹ke³si²li¹ niao³: Bride: The sky is full of stars, but the moon does not shine, My father and mother have worked hard for me:
02	la² ge⁴ biu² bo³ li²a⁴, sa⁴, nie¹ ge⁴ biu² bo³ suo⁴ti³ di², suo¹ ge⁴ biu² da²-nie³ luo⁴die¹-nie³ ca²-da². Afraid lest their daughter should be hungry or cold, Afraid lest their daughter should suffer illness, Afraid lest their daughter's clothes should not be as good as others'.
03	a²lie¹ qie³ ke²ji¹ se¹ li¹kuo¹li¹ si⁴-ji², a¹nie³ ca²-xi² li³-ji²-da², ong¹ se¹tong¹ a¹nie³ nga² jie³-bo³ jie²ri¹. My parents plough and sow with all their strength; I cannot describe all my mother's kindness, When I was five, my mother taught me how to farm.
04	la² jie³ biu² mo³ zi³ ri¹-duo³, o nie¹ jie³ biu² mo³ ce³ku¹ pi³, suo¹ jie³ biu² mo³ ka³ wo⁴-duo³, a re¹ jie³ biu² mo³ ka¹pu¹ ri¹, ong¹ jie³ biu² mo³ ci¹ci¹ a². Taught me how a daughter should cook, Taught me how a daughter should twist hemp, Taught me how a daughter should fetch firewood, Taught me how a daughter should embroider, Taught me how a daughter should write.
05	ni² biu² long⁴-bo³ mo³ gei¹ qi⁴, ni² nga² be⁴ a be⁴-lie³ yi¹ be⁴ la, ni² nga² wo⁴ a wo⁴ a yi¹ wo⁴ la. You raised your daughter to adulthood, But it was in vain you nurtured me, In vain you bore me on your back.
06	[long⁴-lie³] biu²-die¹-nie³, suo¹ce³ ha³-nie³ pu²ta¹ da⁴ye²ze³, re²su⁴ su⁴-ji² ke³du¹ ra²; ce³ ha³-nie³ bu⁴ ka³ da⁴ye²ze³, ce³ lao³ga³ la² ha³ duo³ [yi³-dao²]. I'm born a woman, Like leaves nipped by frost, Blown by the wind, they fly in all directions; Like a ship's timbers buffeted by the waves, The waves break once and are seen no more.
07	nga² xie²hui¹ a³ba¹ a¹nie³ pie⁴-bo³ hhi², ji²-nie³ bu¹ce³ duo³-xi² ri³, biu² si³ a³ba¹ a¹nie³ long⁴-ta¹ti¹, luo⁴bi³ du⁴ biu² ru⁴ a⁴se³ ze² be² ca²-da². Soon I will be uprooted from my mother and father, Shedding endless tears, Raising a daughter does not benefit her parents, Valuing male over female is so unfair.
08	nga²-nie³ sa²qi¹ ong² hhe³-da², nga²-nie³ suo⁴ti³ ong² qi⁴-da², ce³ku¹ ce⁴, tu⁴mong³ za² a⁴duo³ ha¹tai²; My hair has not grown long, My body has not grown tall, Twisting hemp and spinning thread I have not learnt;
09	ce³ la¹ ke⁴ be² ke⁴-ta¹ti¹, a ka³ la¹ wo⁴ be² wo⁴-ta¹ti¹, du⁴ji³ji³ biu² ri¹ mo³ me³jie²-da², re¹ ji¹-nie³ pii² ao ri¹ mo³ se²-bo³-duo³. A load of water I cannot carry, Nor can I bear a load of firewood, I haven't finished enjoying life as a precious daughter, A lowly wife must work until she dies.
10	zi³ la² su¹ ga², me³ga² hi² po² zi³-nie³ xie²; wu²qi¹qi¹-nie³ zi³, ha¹ce¹ ga²-ta¹ti¹, sa⁴-nie³ sa³ ze² ru³-ta¹ti¹. For every bowl of rice I eat, I will have to endure a bushel of woe; I cannot bear to eat cold rice and vegetables, I cannot cope with heartless words.
11	wo³ si¹ lao³ci³ ta² se²-da², zuo⁴ni³-die¹-nie³ ye³ ri³ a²ci¹ mo³ se², se²ni² li¹kuo¹li¹ wo³ki¹ki¹! suo⁴ti³ si³-nie³ biu² jie⁴ mo³ la¹ming³ zu²! For six months the sun shines without fading, People are envious of my sisters' beauty, You are truly cruel to me! Pushing your own daughter out of the door!
12	nga² luo⁴die¹-nie³ jie²zu¹ pe¹, luo⁴die¹-nie³ a³ba¹ a¹nie³-nie³ luo³; nga² luo⁴die¹-nie³ xi¹ba¹ da², luo⁴die¹ la² cuo⁴ nga² luo³, ha³; I will put on other people's headscarves, I have to endure scolding from my parents-in-law, I have to wear other people's clothes, I have to endure harsh words from another household,
13	suo⁴ti³ luo⁴die¹-nie³ ku³ da², luo⁴die¹ la² cuo⁴-nie³ sa³ ru³-duo³; luo⁴die¹-nie³ ji²la¹ pe¹, luo⁴die¹ la² cuo⁴ nga² ha³, luo³. I have to wear other people's trousers, I have to obey those from another household, I must wear other people's leggings, I have to endure scoldings and beatings.
14	ge³di¹ nie⁴ qing³mo¹ ka¹, nga²-nie³ a³ba¹ a¹nie³ a! How can I get through the days, My father, my mother!
15	Mother: nga²-nie³ biu² a! ni²-nie³ a¹nie³ qi³qie¹ ye³ be² tai²! nga² ni² bo³ suo¹ pi¹ cu⁴-nie³ la² pi¹ be² tai², nga² ni² bo³ suo¹ ye³ cu⁴-nie³ la² ye³ be² tai². Mother: My daughter! Your mother has no possessions! I should give you three sets of clothing, but not one do I have, I should give you three kinds, but not one do I have.
16	nga² lei⁴ ye³ tai² ta²si¹-liao³, kuo¹-nie³ wo⁴-nie³ ni² ba⁴ ti³-bo³-da², ka³-nie³ mu⁴nie³-nie³ wo³sa³ wo⁴-nie³ wo⁴-xi² be² tai², ni² cuo⁴zu⁴ nga² si²-xi² tai². Today I am penniless and weak, Gold and silver you will not be able to see, Not even wooden or bamboo back-baskets, Nothing to send when I give you in marriage.

Tian Xintao, Daba Township, Yongshun County
recorded on 05 August 2002

01	Bride: nga²-nie³ ma³ma¹ a! ni² di¹ga³ ang² cuo⁴ hhi², hu⁴ca³-bo³ la¹ming³ wo⁴ta³ hhi², nie⁴li¹nie⁴ga² nga² ni² a³-xie². Bride: My aunt! You used to come to my house, Running up outside our door, Happily I welcomed you.
02	lei⁴ ni² ang² cuo⁴ eng³qie², nie⁴ gu² lie³ ji² [gu²] ri¹-duo³. a³ba¹ a¹nie³ si³ ca² si² ca²-da², si²-nie³ cuo⁴ si³tie² pe²ti¹ tai², ga²-ci³ tai² da²-ci³ tai², a¹di¹ nie⁴ qing³mo¹ ka¹? Today you have come to my home, You must mask your tears with smiles. My parents raised me but cannot see me off, Without house or land to be my dowry, Nothing to eat, nothing to wear, How can I live through those days?
03	Aunt: nga²-nie³ biu² a! ni² ta⁴ ji²! ni² bu¹ce³ ta⁴ duo³, ang²ni¹ si³-bo³ ma³ma¹-die¹, Aunt: My daughter! Do not weep! Stop crying, We were born women,
04	ong² qi⁴ cuo⁴zu⁴-duo³; ga²me¹-nie³ biu² be² luo⁴ba¹ ni¹-duo³, kua²-nie³ biu² be² cuo⁴zu⁴-duo³. When we grow up, we all must marry; Even a chieftain's daughter must find a husband, And an official's daughter be given in marriage.
05	ni² ce³ tie¹bi¹-nie³ ce³ci¹ke³ da⁴ye²ze³, xing³di¹xing³ga²; ni² me² ga³ha²-nie³ xi⁴bu²li¹ da⁴ye²ze³, jia¹jia¹-ga², ni² wo¹la¹ wo²tu¹ la¹be¹ da⁴ye²ze³, ni² tie²ba¹. You are fairer than the willow trees across the water; You are brighter than the stars of heaven, Everyone notices you, like the largest turnip in the garden.
06	ma²ni¹ ze² ni² ca²di³ca²ga², luo⁴die¹ ni² ba⁴-ca²-ta¹ti¹, ni² luo⁴die¹-nie³ luo⁴ be² cai³mo¹ ri¹-duo³; luo⁴die¹ a²qi⁴ jie³, ni² ta³tie³bo¹ ru³-bo³-duo³. We all praise your comeliness, People yearn to see you, You must honour other people; When others shout out to you, You must listen carefully.
07	ni² luo⁴die¹-nie³ pa³pu¹ a³ba¹ bo³ ra²ce³ la² su¹ tu², ni² luo⁴die¹ luo⁴ba¹-die¹ bo³ [ke²ka⁴] la² zi² si². ni² a³ba¹ a¹nie³ xie², ni² qian¹ngai⁴-die¹ be² xie², luo⁴die¹ ni² luo³-ta¹ti¹, ha³-ta¹ti¹. You must pour tea for the elders of another household, You must offer pipes for the men of another household to smoke. You have a mother and father, Brothers you also have, Other people will not dare scold or strike you.
08	ni² ma³ma¹ si³-zu² be² ke²ji¹-nie³ luo⁴, ka³ke³ se²-ji² qing²die¹ bie⁴, nga² la² hu³ wo⁴-bo³ la² hu³ be⁴, cuo⁴ wo²tu¹ a⁴duo³ ga⁴ la¹hu³ po¹; zao⁴gu¹die¹ zi³ ga²-ji² ong¹ga³ tai², ga²-ci³ tai², da²-ci³ tai² qing³mo¹ si³. Your aunt was also born to a harsh fate, My husband died, leaving the children, I bore one on my back and carried another in my arms, Yet still more remained at home; Breakfast eaten, there was none left for lunch, No food and no clothing, how could we live?
09	si²sang¹-nie³ ze¹ge³ ke²ji¹ji¹, nga² ze¹ge³ hi² xi¹ ke²ji¹; si²sang¹-nie³ xi³bu²li¹ jian², nga² xi³bu²li¹ bo³ hi² xi¹ jian². In the world nothing is as bitter as goldthread, Yet my bitterness is ten times worse; In the world nothing is of less value than grass seed, Yet I am ten times more despised.
10	ang² cuo⁴-nie³ luo⁴ yi²xi¹ ke²ji¹-xi³tai², ce³ ha³-nie³ bu⁴ da⁴ye²ze³; nga² ni² bo³ die²-xi² ca² ri¹-xi² tai², ni² bo³ ye³ la² ye³ be² si²-da². My whole family has a bitter fate, Like a boat buffeted by the waves; That which I would do for you I cannot, Not a single present can I give you.