image: traditional Tujia brocade


Play All)Kujia song lyrics: Kujia Song Cycle (Part 2)

The songs on this page make up the second half of a cycle of kujia songs, begun on the previous page.

Contents

5.2.1: The Bride Sings to her Sisters
5.2.2: The Bride Sings to her Eldest Brother
5.2.3: The Bride Sings to her Sister-in-law
5.2.4: The Bride Sings when her Hair is Combed
5.2.5: The Bride Sings when Adorned with Flowers
5.2.6: The Bride Sings when Putting on Special Clothes
5.2.7: The Bride Sings when the Doorway is Blocked
5.2.8: The Bride Sings when Mounting the Sedan Chair

5.2.1: The Bride Sings to her Sisters

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

01 qie2xi1 ga2 ca2 hi2 nie1 mi3, a2da1 a1mi1 ong3 ca2 da4pi3-duo3; ceng3zi3 ga2 ca2 ta2pa4 xie4, a2da1 a1mi1 ong3 ca2 be2 pi3-bo3-xi2.
It's good to eat the twelve segments of an orange, It's good to be with your sisters, but one day you must separate; It's good to eat a pomelo, but you must discard the peel, It's good to be with your sisters, but one day you will be separated.
02 ang2ni1 ma3ma1-die1 luo4 la2 hu3 da4ze3, la1si3la1nie1 be2 pie3-ta1ti1; di1ga3 sa2qi1 se2ta1 xi3, ca2-nie3 a2da1 a1mi1 eng3jiu3-diu2.
We sisters are as one, Always inseparable; Once we combed our hair to the side, All of us sisters are gathering together.
03 lei4 nie4 sa2qi1 ga3ha2 xi3, ca2-nie3 a2da1 a1mi1 qing3nie2 po1; nga2 qing3mo1 ni2 po1-die1xi3, die2-bo3 die2-bo3 bu1ce3 zu2.
Now our hair is combed on top, One by one my good friends have got married; How can I let you go, The more I think of it, the more my tears flow.
04 a2da1 a1mi1 me2la1ong3 da4ze3, re2su4 re2-ji2 yi2xi1 zao3; me2la1ong3 me2 ga3ha2 su4, ta1nie1 ba4 ang2-nie3 luo1you1-nie3 luo4 yi3-da2.
My sisters are like a cloud, Blown along by the wind never to return; The cloud drifts in the sky above, Looking back, our villagers are no longer in sight.

5.2.2: The Bride Sings to her Eldest Brother

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

01 me2 ga3ha2 xi4bu2li1 ri3 hi4-ji2-ta1, a1guo1 a1mi1 lei4 pie3-bo3 zu2; a1mi1 lei4 cuo4zu4-duo3, cuo4-nie3 a3ba1 a1nie3 long4-ta1ti1.
The stars in the sky cannot be counted, Today my brother must part with his sister; Little sister must be married today, She can no longer look after her parents.
02 cuo4-nie3 a3ba1 a1nie3 ni2 long4-bo3-duo3, du4ji3ji3-nie3 sa3 ni2 ke4-bo3-duo3; a3ba1 a1nie3 da3bie1 nie4-bo3-duo3, qing3nie2-die1 a3ba1 a1nie3 long4-bo3 ca2-duo3.
You must care for our father and mother, This heavy burden now falls to you; Smile before your father and mother, Children must look after their parents well.
03 a3kuo4 ang1ngai4 da4xi4-duo3, a3ba1 a1nie3 ta4 ke2ji1.
Brothers must help one another, Lest their parents should taste bitter days.

5.2.3: The Bride Sings to her Sister-in-law

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

01 me2 ga3ha2 me2ze3 la4 hhi2-ta1ti1, ma3ma1 ca3qi2 ong3 ca2 pie3-lie3-duo3; a1mi1 ce3 ga3ha2 ta3-xi2 da4ye2ze3, ong2 qi4 luo4die1 cuo4-bo3 hhi2.
The rain cannot find a path through the heavens, Though I sit with you, sister-in-law, we must part; I am like a floating weed, Grown up, I float to another's house.
02 a1mi1 ka3mong3 la2 zi2 da4ye2ze3, ca3qi2 ka3mong3 sou2 a1mi1 ka1pu1 sou2; ka1pu1 jing2zi1 wo2tu1 ong2-bo3 yi3, bu2li1 ji2-bo3 luo4ba1-die1 cuo4 bie1li3.
I am like a tree, Sister-in-law is a tree and I am the flowers; I see the flowers bud in the mirror, Ripe fruits fall in another's home.
03 ca3qi2 nga2 die2-bo3 ri1-bo3 ri3di2ri3ga2, nga2 bo3 a ze2, ce3ku1 ce4, ka1pu1 ri1, ca3qi2 ni2 a3ba1 a1nie3 long4 ca2-duo3.
Sister-in-law has remembered me and cared for me, Taught me to twist hemp and embroider, Sister-in-law, you must look after your parents.

5.2.4: The Bride Sings when her Hair is Combed

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

01 di1ga1 nie3qi1 li1kuo1li1 ca2, nga2 bo3 sa2qi1 hhe2la1 ti2, nie4li1nie4ga2 nie4ka1 ca2.
Aunt, once you were a mother to me, You helped me fasten my hair, We were always so happy.
02 lei4 nie3qi1 li1kuo1li1 ca2-da2, nga2 bo3 sa2qi1 suo1 pa1 xi3; luo2bu1 xi2ga4 pie4 mo3 da4ze3-da2, bu1ce3 xi2ga4 pie4 mo3 da4ze3 tai2.
Why are you hard-hearted to me today, Dividing my hair into three; Plucking my eyebrows; I no longer look the same, With eyebrows plucked, I am a different person.
03 qing3nie2 luo4die1-nie3 pii2 ri1-duo3, la2 nie1 la2 nie1 luo4die1 duo3 luo3, gai3di1 nie4 qing3mo1 ka1!
From now on I am a daughter in another household, Scolded by others day after day, How can I live through such days!

5.2.5: The Bride Sings when Adorned with Flowers

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

01 ji3 la2 ru1 ye3cuo3 da3bie1 ki4-bo3, lao2ji1 zao4gu1die1 biu2 si1li1 cuo4zu4; si2si1dai2dai1 cuo4-nie3 ca2, qing1xian1 mian1jie1 tie4tie3 jia2li1jia2.
Kneeling before the shrine, Tomorrow morning to be married far away; May my family prosper forever; Sweet incense and red lamps shining.
02 ga2me1-die1 biu2 bo3 long4-nie3 a2yi1-die1 die2-bo3-duo3, jie2ri1 sa3 ri1 ga2me1-nie3 a2yi1; ga2me1-die1 nga2 bo3 ri1, cai2 ri1-duo3, nga2 cuo4 luo4ba1-die1 cuo4 yi2xi1 ca2-duo3.
Daughters must remember their elders' words, Labouring according to the precepts of their ancestors; May my ancestors bless and protect me, May my husband's family prosper.

5.2.6: The Bride Sings when Putting on Special Clothes

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

01 lei4 suo1ce3 xi1ba1 da2-ta1ti1, luo4die1 la2 cuo4 luo3-ta1ti1; suo1ce3 jie3long1 da2-ta1ti1, da2-ji2 luo4ba1 pa3pu1 bie4.
Today I cannot wear my special clothes, Cannot bear to be scolded in another household; I cannot wear my special skirt, Wearing them, I shall leave the menfolk of my home.
02 luo3pang1 jing2zi1 kei3yi1 kei3yi1-ta1ti1, ca2-nie3 a2da1 a1mi1 po1-ta1ti1; suo1ce3 jie2zu1 die4-ta1ti1, a3kuo4 ca3qi2 bie4-ta1ti1.
I can no longer hang my oval mirror, Nor abandon my good sisters; I cannot wear my special headscarf, Cannot leave my brother and his wife.

5.2.7: The Bride Sings when the Doorway is Blocked

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

01 si1li1 wu2 lao4 eng3qie2, ang2 cuo4 eng3qie2 ka1ta1bu2; si1li1 ha4lie3 lao4 eng3qie2, ang2 cuo4 eng3qie2 sa3 ze2-ta1.
An ox comes from afar, Comes to our house to kowtow; A dog comes from far away, Comes to our house, but does not bark.

5.2.8: The Bride Sings when Mounting the Sedan Chair

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

01 a3kuo4 a! a3kuo4 a! qing3mo1 li1kuo1li1 hang2la3 tai2, lei4 a1mi1 wo4-bo3 mo3 mi4tang3 tu2.
My brother! My brother! Why are you so hard-hearted? Bearing me today and plunging me into the fiery pit.
02 se2ta1 la1ming3 tong2, mu4nie3 pu2ta1 xing2ga1die3, nga2 jie3-nie3 zuo4ni3-die1; da3bie1 la1ming3 tong2, mu4nie3 pu2ta1 wan3ga1die3, nga2 luo4die1-nie3 a3ba1 a1nie3 jie3.
Opening the side-door, the bamboo leaves are green, I call out to my own family; Opening the front door, the bamboo leaves are yellow, I call the parents from another family.
03 wo4-bo3 mo3 a3sa3 ga3ha2 po1, nga2 ni2bi1 da4ze3 me2 wo2tu1 ra2; wo4-bo3 mo3 hu3pao2 wo2tu1 po1, song2 bi2 la2 zi2 ge3ci2 ca2.
Bear me away and leave me on a cliff-top, Let me fly high in the sky like a bird; Carry me away to the river, Like a fish, to live in freedom.
04 nga2 ku1lie1 ga3ha2 a2 ku1za4 ba4, hu3pao2 a2 ce3 ong2 gei1 qi4; ga4 long1 ga4 si1 song1kuo1-diu2, a3ba1 a1nie3 po1 die2-nie3 sa3 nga2 la1 ze2.
I climb the hills, but all I see are peaks, I cross the river, but meet only tall waves; How many years and months before I return, To listen to what my parents have to tell me.

 

 

 

 

 

n: mandarin orange vt: to eat, bite vi: to be good num: ten num: two cl: segment (of fruit) n: elder sister n: younger sister vi: to sit vt: to divide vsuff: [want] n: pomelo n: skin vt: to peel advm: also vt: to separate vsuff: [stative] vsuff: [that which] pron: we n: aunt; young woman nsuff: [plural] n: person num: one cl: (for people) vt: to resemble advm: regularly vt: to separate vsuff: [can't] advt: formerly n: hair n: side vt: to comb suff: ['s] vi: to come vsuff: [come+now] advt: today n: day n: on advt: after, behind vt: to place, pasture, release, shoot pron: I, me pron: how pron: you vsuff: [can] vt: to think of n: tears vi: to go out n: cloud n: wind vi: to blow (of wind) vsuff: [end] advm: all vi: to be gone n: sky vi: to blow n: back vt: to look at pron: we n: village vt: to see vsuff: [not] n: star vi: to be many vt: to count vsuff: [can't] n: elder brother vi: to marry (of a woman) n: house n: father n: mother vt: to give birth; to raise vi: to be (very) heavy n: words, matters vt: to carry (usually with a carrying pole) advm: first, before vi: to smile, laugh n: child n: elder brother n: younger brother vt: to help neg: don't vi: to be bitter vi: to rain n: road vt: to go n: sister-in-law vsuff: [past] n: water vi: to float vt: to resemble vi: to grow up vi: to be large pron: (other) people nsuff: [towards] n: tree cl: (for long thin things: roads, sticks, guns, bamboo, candles) vc: to be; yes n: flower n: mirror n: inside n: fruit vt: to bear (fruit) n: husband; man vt: to lose vt: to work, do vi: to be very many part: (IO) part: (excl) vt: to tell n: hemp fibres vt: to twist (hemp into a rope) advt: formerly n: (maternal) aunt n: heart n: string, rope vt: to bind vi: to be cheerful vi: to live, get by num: three cl: (for fires, handfuls and things grasped in the hand, e.g. knives, flutes) n: eye n: fine hair vt: to pluck part: (-wise) vi: to not have n: daughter-in-law cl: day part: (agent) vt: to scold, curse pron: this vt: to spend (time) n: foot cl: pair n: 'baishouwu' temple vi: to kneel advt: tomorrow advt: morning n: daughter expr: ten li ('distant place') n: generations and generations n: (type of incense) vi: to be red n: lamp vi: to shine brightly n: official vt: to study vi: to labour n: good (one) n: dew n: clothes vt: to wear n: skirt n: grandfather vt: to leave, fall, shed n: compass vt: to hang n: handkerchief, headcloth vt: to wear (a hat) n: cow num+cl: one (person/animal) vi: to come vi: to kowtow n: dog vsuff: [won't] advm: like this vt: to carry on the back n: fireplace vt: to pour n: door, gate vt: to open n: bamboo n: leaf vi: to be green vt: to shout, call n: relative vi: to be yellow n: cliff n: bird vi: to fly n: river n: fish n: son vi: to have fun n: mountain vt: to cross n: mountain pron: many; how many? num: several, how many? cl: year cl: month vi: to return cl: a while


Copyright (C) 2004 Philip & Cecilia Brassett