By Yuan Xi, translated into English by Jennifer 文：元曦 英文翻譯：曾錚
As a matter of fact, I’d rather immerse myself in the world of poetry, where flowers are forever blossoming and birds are forever singing in the everlasting radiance of spring. Away from the secular world, there are no conflicts or disputes. However, history is different. The grandeur and glory, the heaviness, the vicissitudes and tribulations, and the many gratitudes, grievances, rights and wrongs, often are too heavy for me to bear. Many times I cannot continue my reading, with tears covering my face. But perhaps it is my mission. I have to go back to history often, as if to live it through once more.
其實我更喜歡沉浸在詩歌之中，那裡永遠春日流麗，鳥語花香，遠離塵坌，沒有紛爭。歷史則不然，歷史的恢宏，厚重，滄桑，悲愴，還有沉積太久的解不開剪不斷的恩怨曲直常讓我感到難以承負，不得不中途掩卷，甚至淚流滿面。但也許是責任所使，使我不得不時常回歸歷史，有如重溫過往。
Of grandeur and glory
The play of China’s five thousand year history might be
五千大戲盡輝煌，
Yet why do I feel so sad and lonely?
我獨何為感淒涼。
Endless stories and tragedies cannot all be written down
個中曲直說不盡，
Even after oceans have turned into dry lands
Vicissitudes and tribulations are still here with us.
一路走來是滄桑。
Once deeply involved in the play
Where are you and I today?
戲中你我今猶在，
Closing my book, I look up to the skies for an answer
掩卷卻向天茫茫。
But only bitterness fills my eyes
And turns into tears
滿目辛酸俱成淚，
Am I too absurd?
Laugh at me if you may.
君莫笑我甚荒唐。