Another Painting Mei

[RobertM]

Hi Guys,

 

Could anyone please assist in this translation?

 

Many thanks

 

Robert M

[Ford Hallam]

very odd combination of seal characters, sosho script and semi cursive kanji...and a dodgy looking horse

 

possibly a patriotic exhortation dating from the early part of last century...Japan/Russian war maybe

[RobertM]

Yes, i thought it was an odd piece myself.

[Nobody]

Though I cannot read the mei, I found that the Chinese poem is a famous poem composed by Gen. Nogi on June 7th 1904 at Kinshu (金州). His eldest son died in the same battle just ten days before the day.

 

[Loosely]

å±±å·è‰æœ¨è½‰è’涼 – mountains and streams, trees and plants, more and more desolate

å里風腥新戦場 – bloody winds from afar, battle field again

å¾é¦¬ä¸å‰äººä¸èªž – a military horse stands still, a man is silent

金州城外立斜陽 – standing at outside of Kinshu, setting sun

 

Ref. Gen. Nogi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nogi_Maresuke

[RobertM]

Thank you very much for your assistance and knowledge. I have found the full poem for those interested:

 

Mountain and river, grass and tree, grow more barren;

for ten miles winds smell of blood in the fresh battlefield.

Conquering horses do not advance nor do men talk;

outside Jinzhou Castle, I stand in the setting sun.

 

Emperor's army, a million, conquered the powerful foe;

field battles and fort assaults made mountains of corpses.

Ashamed - how can I face there fathers, grandfathers?

We triumph today?