translating Hu Shi's poem "一笑“

[natalie]

Hello everyone.

I'm trying to translate the following poem but so far I got stuck in "那个人后来不知怎样了

只是他那一笑还在". I'd be very grateful if someone could help me understand the whole piece.

一笑

胡适

十几年前

一个人对我笑了一笑

我当时不懂得什么

只觉得他笑得很好

　

那个人后来不知怎样了

只是他那一笑还在

我不但忘不了他

还觉得他越久越可爱

　

我借他做了许多情诗

我替他想出种种境地

有的人读了伤心

有的人读了欢喜

　

欢喜也罢 伤心也罢

其实只是那一笑

我也许不会再见那笑的人

但我很感谢他笑的真好

　

Thank you and have a blessed and blissful 周末,

Natalie

[yonglin]

I'd say "那个人后来不知怎样了, 只是他那一笑还在"

reads as something to the extent of

I don't know whatever happened to that person

yet I his smile still lingers on my mind

That is, although he only met the person once, that person smiled in such a way which was very difficult to forget (left a very deep impression).

I'm really not a poet, though.

and yeh, the 的 in the last line should be 得, i think.

[fireball9261]

一笑 A smile

胡适 Hu Shi

十几年前

Over 10 years ago

一个人对我笑了一笑

Some one smiled to me

我当时不懂得什么

I did not understand at the time

只觉得他笑得很好

I only thought he smiled well

　

那个人后来不知怎样了

I don't know what happened to him later

只是他那一笑还在

However, his smile is still here

我不但忘不了他

Not only I can't forget about his smile

还觉得他越久越可爱

I feel that his smile is more and more lovely as time goes on

　

我借他做了许多情诗

I used it (his smile) created many love poems

我替他想出种种境地

I made up many situations for it (his smile)

有的人读了伤心

Some read my poems feel sad

有的人读了欢喜

Some read my poems feel happy

　

欢喜也罢 伤心也罢

Whether they are sad or happy

其实只是那一笑

It's just a smile

我也许不会再见那笑的人

Maybe I will never see that person who smiled

但我很感谢他笑的真好

But I am really grateful that he smiled well.

　

Hi Natalie, it's hard to understand the "他" in this poem because it is very ambiguous. The changing subjects in the lines of this poem are also very confusing. It is the special character of the poem in Hu Shi's era (and probably the modern Chinese poems). Many of the poets tried for this ambiguous feeling just like they were trying to cause hard times to future students who are studying 20th century Chinese poems. This poem is actually not that bad. I only need to read it 3 or 4 times before I figured it out the "他" in this poem. There were a few modern Chinese poems that I couldn't get the subjects straight after 20 years of looking at them!!!

[natalie]

thank you so much!

both your explanations really helped, now I look at it and it's not so intimidating anymore! It's like magic

and fireball- a special thank you for your effort, you're a true angel!

[fireball9261]

You are welcome. I like this poem also. Thanks for reminding me that Hu Shi was also a good poet!