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(Play All)Formal story texts: The Story of the Eight Kings
1.4: The Story of the Eight Kings
prepared by Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan; narrated by Lu Meiyan, Tasha, Longshan County
recorded on 28 March 2003
This text relates the legend of the Eight Great Kings, brothers reputed to be the ancestors of the Tujia in northern Xiangxi. As well as describing the origins of the Tujia, the tale explains the significance of the dragon and phoenix totems in their traditional baishouwu dance. This is a prepared text, written down using Chinese characters as phonetic aide-memoires to indicate Tujia words. The photo archive includes a photograph of the footprint reputed to have been left on a large boulder by one of the eight brothers.
01 |
ye3ti3ci1ba1-nie3
ze2
li3.
八部大王的传说。 The Story of the Eight Kings |
02 |
ye3ti3ci1ba1
bi2zi1ka3
ze2
li3-zu2-nie3
luo4ci1ba1,
bi2zi1ka3-nie3
nie3ti3ge1ti1.
八部大王是土家族传说中的大人物,是土家族的祖先。 The Eight Kings are major characters in Tujia legends and are the ancestors of the Tujia people. |
03 |
qie2long1-nie3
zi1ge1,
pa2ni1
po3pa1
nie1
hu3,
re1
hi2
long1
nie4
se1tong1
ta2ci1-zu2,
bo1li3
tai2.
很久年前,两位公婆,四十多岁了还没有小孩。 Once upon a time, there was an old couple who after more than forty years still remained childless. |
04 |
ta1nie1
jie2ri1-hi1ce1,
long4-ma1
tai2-xi2
ge4,
la2
nie1
hi4lie3
zi2. ei1
la2
nie1,
ma1pa3
a3si3-nie3
po3pa1cei1
lao4
pa2ni1
bo3
li3: "ni2
guo2
eng1di1
ra2gu1-bu2li1
ye3
bu2
luo2
mo3
ce3
hu3-lie3
qing2die1
xie2."
以后做不起工夫时怕没人瞻养,就天天哭泣。有一天,一位白胡子老头对老婆婆说:“你把这八颗茶叶籽籽熬水吃了,就会有喜。” Every day they wept, afraid that when they were too old to work there would be no one to look after them. One day a white-bearded old man said to the old woman: "Take these eight tea-leaves, drink the tea brewed from them, and then you will have children." |
05 |
pa2ni1
guo2-jiao3-lie1
ra2gu1-bu2li1
ye3
bu2
huo3-lie3
cu1
luo2
mo3
ce3
hu3-lie3, suo1
long1
wo3
si1
ye4-nie3
lang3cei1
bo1li3
long4-liao3.
老婆从他手中把八颗茶叶籽籽拿回家熬水吃了。过了三年六个月,就在那天晚上生了孩子。 The old lady took the eight tea-leaves home with her, made tea from them and drank it. One evening, after three and a half years, she gave birth. |
06 |
po3pa1cei1
xie1hu1
cong3gao3
tie4tie3
ti2-bo3
ba4-xie2: "me2!
bo1li3
he2la3!
bo1li3
qian2la2bu1!" lao4
lao4
mo3
hi4-lie3,
ye3
hu3-nie3
luo4bi3!
老头子立刻点着丛膏油灯去看。天啊!孩子,这么多的孩子!一个个数起来有八个男孩啊! Her husband immediately lit an oil-lamp to have a look. Good heavens! Such children, so many of them! Counting them one by one, altogether there were eight boys! |
07 |
po3pa1cei1
ge4-xi3tai2,
qie4
die2ka1la1
la2
tong4
die2-lie3, guo2
guo2
rong1ti1
la2
rong1
huo3lie3
wo4-lie3
kang3ku1
ku1za4
ga3-bo3
tu2-lu3.
老头子怕得很,认为是一窝怪物。他用一个大背笼背到山上丢弃了。 The old man was very frightened, wondering what kind of evil brood they might be. He carried them away in a large back-basket and abandoned them in the mountains. |
08 |
luo4bi3
ye3
la1hu3
gua2gua2
mo3
zi2-zu2, li2
a3si3
lao4
eng3zou2, za2qi1
ga2ga1
mo3
bo1li3
ga2-zu2, pu3
tie2ba1
lao4
ra2-diu2, jie2tang1ke1
huo3lie3
bo1li3-die1
a2hu1-bo3, li2
a3si3
ge4
mo3
xi4ca3-lu3.
八个男孩哇哇地哭时,一只白虎来了。张开嘴巴要吃小孩的时候,一只大凤凰飞来,用翅膀护着小孩们,白虎怕得跑了。 Whilst the eight babies were crying, a white tiger appeared. Just as it was opening its mouth wide to eat them, a big phoenix came flying down and used its wings to protect the children. The tiger ran away in fright. |
09 |
ta1nie1,
pu2
tie2ba1
lao4
eng3zou2,
pu2,
guo2
bo1li3-die1
bo3
mang3
a4; huan3,
guo2
bo1li3-die1
bo3
suo4ti3
luo4.
后来,又来了一条大龙。龙给孩子们喂奶,凤凰给孩子们暖身体。 Later, a large dragon also came. The dragon suckled the children and the phoenix warmed them with its body. |
10 |
hang2la3,
bo1li3
ye3
la1hu3
pu2-nie3
mang3
ku3,
pu3-nie3
luo4-bo3
ong2-lie3
luo4ci1ba1
zi2-liao3.
这样,八个孩子哺龙乳暖凤温长大成人了。 So, drinking the dragon's milk and warmed by the phoenix, the eight children grew to adulthood. |
11 |
ei1
la2
nie1,
ye3
la1hu3
luo4bi3-die1
da1bu3
mo3
ge3ci2-la1, pu2
nie1
pu3
ge4ze1
bo3
li3: "se2
ta4
ge3ci2-gu2,
xie1hu1
nie3ba3
ba4-i-duo3-hu3, nie3ba3
se2
die2
mo3
zi2
mo3
luo2bu1ta2pa4
duo3
hu3-liao3."
有一天,八个青年正在摔跤玩耍,龙和凤对他们说:“你们别再玩耍了,快看你们父母去。你们父母想你们哭得眼皮都肿了。” One day, when the eight young men were enjoying themselves wrestling with one another, the dragon and the phoenix said to them: "Don't play any more, go quickly and visit your parents, their eyes are swollen with crying from missing you." |
12 |
luo4bi3
ye3
la1hu3
ku1za4
da3-lie3
xi4ca3
mo3
cu1-nie3
nie3ba3
yi3-liao3,
ki4-bo3
mo3
a1nie3
a3ba1
jie3.
八个男儿下山跑到家见了父母,跪着喊父亲母亲。 The eight boys ran down the mountain to their parents' home. When they saw them, they knelt down and cried, "Father! Mother!" |
13 |
nie3ba3,
guo2
luo4bi3-die1
song1kuo1-xi2
yi3-lie3,
nie4
mo3
luo2bu1ce3
sa2gi1
duo3-diu2.
父母见儿子们回来了,笑得流出了热泪。 When their parents saw they had returned, they cried for joy. |
14 |
a1nie3
a3ba1
ge4ze1
luo4
tie2ba1
bi2kui1
lao4
wa
jie3-xi2
lao4
jie3: ngao3ce3huo3se4,
xi1ti1lao4,
xi1a1lao4,
li1du1,
su1du1,
la1wu1mi1,
long1ci1ye1suo1ye1cong1,
jie2ye1hui1ye1la1hui1lie1ye1.
父母就给他们从大到小起了名字:熬泽河舍、西梯佬、西阿佬、里都、苏都、那乌米、拢此也所也冲、接也会也那飞列也。 They then gave each of them names, from the eldest to the youngest: Ngaocehuose, Xitilao, Xi'alao, Lidu, Sudu, Lawumi, Longciyesuoyecong, and Jieyehuiyelahuilieye. |
15 |
ge4ze1
jie3-nie3-xi2
ti3-alie3,
luo4
guo2
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
jie3.
他们得了名字以后,人们称他们为八兄弟。 After they had been given their names, people called them the Eight Brothers. |
16 |
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
cu1
jie2ri1, tuo2ga1
a3bu3
di3,
kang3ku1
si3jie4,
hu3pa3
song2
zuo2,
la2
ye3
hi1hi1
ri1-xi2
ca2;
八兄弟在家务农,挖蕨打葛,上山打猎,下河捉鱼,样样工夫都做得好。 The eight brothers worked around the home, digging bracken and kudzu, hunting in the hills, catching fish in the rivers; whatever they did, they did well. |
17 |
ge4ze1
xie1qi1
ca2-xi3tai2,
me3guo3
wo2tu1
ze3,
wu1ni3zi3
ca2, kang3ku1
ka3
wo4,
ka3mong3
ci1ba1
la2
mong1
la2
mong1
mo3
be4-adi2-di1xi3, kang3ku1
si3jie4,
li2
tie2ba1
jie2
huo3lie3
bi1ci4
mo3
nie1
za1
zi2.
他们力大无穷,智勇双全,上山背柴,可以把大树一棵一棵地搬起来,上山打猎,用手把大老虎掰开两半。 They were full of might, both brave and resourceful. When they went into the mountains to fetch firewood, they could bring back a whole tree at a time; when they went hunting, they could tear a big tiger in two with their bare hands. |
18 |
ge4ze1
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
la2
ma1
nie4ka1-xi2
ca2-liao3, luo4
da4xi4
mo3,
hu2ni1
nie4ka1
ca2-liao3.
他们八兄弟全家日子过得好了,又帮助大家过上好日子。 The eight brothers and their parents lived happily together, and helped others to live happily too. |
19 |
ei1
la2
long1,
wo4ta3-nie3
luo4die1
ang2
guo3jia1
ha3-diu2, huan3di2
guo2
ha3
mo3
hhi2-ya1ti1, seng2zi1
da3-lie3
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
duo3
[ha3-xie2].
有一年,外面的人来攻打我们国家。皇帝打不退敌人,就下圣旨叫八兄弟一起去打。 One year, foreigners came to attack our country. The emperor was unable to repulse them, so he issued an edict ordering the eight brothers to go and fight. |
20 |
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
da4ha3-nie3
zi1gi1
ye4-lie3, jie2
nie1
ci3
huo3lie3
luo4
zuo2-bo3,
la1sa1die1
kuo1ba1-bu2li1
tie2-lu3,
la1sa1die1
ji3
nie1
ci3
ci1ca4-lie3
nie1
za1
zi2, luo4ci1ba1
guo2
ca3ca1ku1li1
zuo2-xi2
da4ze3,
luo4
die2ka1la1
qian2la2bu1
ha3-si3.
八兄弟到了打仗的前线,用两只手抓住敌人,有些人被摘掉了头,有些人的两只脚被扯成两半,好像大人捉蝗虫一样,打死了许多敌人。 When the eight brothers reached the battlefield, they used their hands to seize the enemy: they plucked off the heads of some and tore the legs off others, just like a man grasping a grasshopper. They put to death many of the enemy. |
21 |
se2-da2-nie3
luo4die1
kuo1ba1
a2hu1
mo3
xi4ca3-ji2-lu3.
没死的敌人抱着头逃跑了。 Those who survived fled, clutching their heads. |
22 |
ye3
hu3
qian1ngai4-die1
guo3jia1
a2hu1
mo3
gong1
ti3-lie3, huan3di2,
guo2
lao4
bo3
wan3
lao4
po1, ye3ti3ci1ba1
jie3, la2
hu3
la2
dong2
ka4,
la2
dong2
la2
bu2luo4.
八兄弟保国立了功,皇帝给每人封了个王,叫八部大王,每人管一峒,一峒为一部落。 The eight brothers made a great contribution to saving the nation, so the emperor conferred a kingship on each of them, and called them the Eight Kings. He gave each of them a tract of land to rule, one per tribe. |
23 |
ze2
li3,
tie2ba1
long3ce1
ong3,
bi2kui1
sou1ba1dong1
ong3.
传说,老大坐农车(龙山),老幺坐首八峒(保靖)。 According to legend, the eldest ruled in Nongche [in Longshan] and the youngest in Shoubadong [in Baojing]. |
24 |
ta1nie1-nie3
re4bi2-die1
guo2
die2-zu2,
se1ba1
ri1-zu2
ge4ze1
jing2-la1.
后来的子孙们纪念他们时,跳着摆手舞敬他们。 Afterwards, their descendants wanted to commemorate them, venerating them during the 'baishouwu' dance. |
25 |
mu2la1,
bao1jing3
sui1ba1dong1
ye3ti3ci1ba1-nie3
miao2
ti2mi1
ai4duo3
xie2-nie2, long3sang1
long3ce1-nie3
se1ba1
ci1ba1
ri1-nie3-xi2
luo4
hu2ni1
ri1-de1xi3.
现在,保靖水坝峒八部大王庙的遗址还在,龙山农车的大摆手大家都会。 Today, the remains of the Eight Kings Temple still exist at Shuibadong in Baojing; and in Nongche in Longshan, people still know how to perform the large-scale 'baishouwu' dance. |
26 |
ze2
li3-zu2,
ei1
la2
a3tong1
ga3
ye3ti3ci1ba1-nie3
ji3mi2
lao4
xie2.
传说时,那里在石头孔上面有一个八部大王的脚印。 According to legend, one of the king's footprints can be seen on a depression in the rock there. |
27 |
bi2zi1ka3
se1ba1
ci1ba1
ri1-zu2,
wei3zi3
ka3tong3
ga3ha2
pu2
nie1
pu3
qi3
nie1
hhi1
zuo1-bo3-duo3, pu2
pu3,
guo2
bi2zi1ka3-nie3
nie3ti3ge1ti1
long4-nie3
qing3
die2-xi2.
土家族跳大摆手舞时,要在桅杆柱子顶上挂两面龙凤旗,为了纪念龙凤扶养土家族远祖祖先的恩德。 When the Tujia perform the large-scale 'baishouwu' dance, they must hang flags depicting a dragon and a phoenix on two poles, to commemorate the kindness shown by the dragon and phoenix in raising the ancestors of the Tujia. |