Pages: 25–26. Print quality clean, no ink bleed. Two-column layout, read horizontally row by row as paired couplets.
Dialect stack: Cantonese/Yue-influenced Southern Chinese oral tradition. Characters used both semantically and phonetically (heterophonic borrowing).
Footnote ① (p.25): 爷娘：俗语，借汉字记音，意为父母。下同。
"Yéniáng: colloquial term, characters used phonetically, meaning father and mother. Same below."
Key dialect terms: 唔使 (Cantonese: "no need to") · 奴娘 (Cantonese humble female self-reference) · 爷娘 (Yue phonetic: parents) · 栋 (dialect: to choose/select)
Theme: Courtship → imperial examination success → ancestral veneration. The song narrates fate-driven love, scholarly achievement, and the right to perform ancestral rites.
| # | Chinese | Pinyin (display) | Pinyin (database) | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1L | 高山平土出黄金， | gāoshān píngtǔ chū huángjīn, | gao1shan1 ping2tu3 chu1 huang2jin1, | The high mountains and flat earth yield gold, |
| 1R | 至今农夫不用心， | zhìjīn nóngfū bù yòngxīn, | zhi4jin1 nong2fu1 bu4 yong4xin1, | yet today's farmers have lost their will to work, |
| 2L | 天下四处郎行尽， | tiānxià sìchù láng xíng jìn, | tian1xia4 si4chu4 lang2 xing2 jin4, | the man has walked to all four corners of the world, |
| 2R | 都是田园中人心。 | dōushì tiányuán zhōng rénxīn. | dou1shi4 tian2yuan2 zhong1 ren2xin1. | everywhere, the hearts of those bound to the land. |
| 3L | 娘洞出的好宝贝， | niáng dòng chū de hǎo bǎobèi, | niang2 dong4 chu1 de hao3 bao3bei4, | the girl emerged from the cave like a precious gem, |
| 3R | 松柏抽心郎正来， | sōngbǎi chōuxīn láng zhèng lái, | song1bai3 chou1xin1 lang2 zheng4 lai2, | the pine and cypress drew up their hearts just as the man arrived. |
| 4L | 春来唔使油点火， | chūn lái ḿ sǐ yóu diǎnhuǒ, | chun1 lai2 m4 si3 you2 dian3huo3, | come spring, no need to use oil to light a fire, D |
| 4R | 冬来唔使种油菜。 | dōng lái ḿ sǐ zhòng yóucài. | dong1 lai2 m4 si3 zhong4 you2cai4. | come winter, no need to plant the rapeseed. D |
| 5L | 冬来唔使种油菜， | dōng lái ḿ sǐ zhòng yóucài, | dong1 lai2 m4 si3 zhong4 you2cai4, | come winter, no need to plant the rapeseed — |
| 5R | 娘同出的好宝菜， | niáng tóng chū de hǎo bǎocài, | niang2 tong2 chu1 de hao3 bao3cai4, | the girl came out together with a fine harvest of greens. |
| 6L | 娘同又出红花纽， | niáng tóng yòu chū hónghuā niǔ, | niang2 tong2 you4 chu1 hong2hua1 niu3, | the girl also brought out red flower buttons, |
| 6R | 郎好图娘结头对。 | láng hǎo tú niáng jiétóu duì. | lang2 hao3 tu2 niang2 jie2tou2 dui4. | the man hoped to pair with the girl, joining together. |
| 7L | 郎好图娘结头对， | láng hǎo tú niáng jiétóu duì, | lang2 hao3 tu2 niang2 jie2tou2 dui4, | the man hoped to pair with the girl, joining together — |
| 7R | 是娘同里花未开， | shì niáng tóng lǐ huā wèi kāi, | shi4 niang2 tong2 li3 hua1 wei4 kai1, | but the flowers in the girl's grove had not yet opened. |
| 8L | 不信奴娘问老大， | bù xìn núniáng wèn lǎodà, | bu4 xin4 nu2niang2 wen4 lao3da4, | if you don't believe this girl, ask the eldest — D |
| 8R | 都是有缘天送来。 | dōushì yǒuyuán tiān sòng lái. | dou1shi4 you3yuan2 tian1 song4 lai2. | all of this was sent down by fate from heaven. |
| 9L | 那是有缘天送来， | nà shì yǒuyuán tiān sòng lái, | na4 shi4 you3yuan2 tian1 song4 lai2, | yes, sent by fate from heaven — |
| 9R | 留心等娘结头对。 | liúxīn děng niáng jiétóu duì. | liu2xin1 deng3 niang2 jie2tou2 dui4. | keep your heart patient and wait for the girl to be paired. |
| 10L | 合似十五光明月， | hésì shíwǔ guāngmíng yuè, | he2si4 shi2wu3 guang1ming2 yue4, | just like the bright full moon on the fifteenth, |
| 10R | 夜里出来朗山贝。 | yèlǐ chūlái lǎng shān bèi. | ye4li3 chu1lai2 lang3 shan1 bei4. | coming out at night, shining over the mountain's edge. A |
| 11L | 夜里出来朗山淋， | yèlǐ chūlái lǎng shān lín, | ye4li3 chu1lai2 lang3 shan1 lin2, | coming out at night, the mountain is drenched in moonlight, |
| 11R | 小娘从细中郎心， | xiǎoniáng cóng xì zhōng láng xīn, | xiao3niang2 cong2 xi4 zhong1 lang2 xin1, | the young girl, from her tender youth, held the man in her heart. |
| 12L | 别处好花郎不想， | biéchù hǎohuā láng bù xiǎng, | bie2chu4 hao3hua1 lang2 bu4 xiang3, | elsewhere there are fine flowers, but the man wants none of them — |
| 12R | 那想娘好值千金。 | nǎ xiǎng niáng hǎo zhí qiānjīn. | na3 xiang3 niang2 hao3 zhi2 qian1jin1. | who could have known the girl was worth a thousand in gold. |
| 13L | 那想娘好值金银， | nǎ xiǎng niáng hǎo zhí jīnyín, | na3 xiang3 niang2 hao3 zhi2 jin1yin2, | who could have known the girl was worth gold and silver — |
| 13R | 夜来眠早眠无睏。 | yè lái mián zǎo mián wú kùn. | ye4 lai2 mian2 zao3 mian2 wu2 kun4. | nights lying down early, yet never finding sleep. |
| 14L | 生好信分天边月， | shēnghǎo xìnfēn tiānbiān yuè, | sheng1hao3 xin4fen1 tian1bian1 yue4, | truly trusting in the moon at heaven's edge, |
| 14R | 信分天上月无云。 | xìnfēn tiānshàng yuè wú yún. | xin4fen1 tian1shang4 yue4 wu2 yun2. | trusting that the moon above has not a cloud to hide it. |
| 15L | 无云遮月朗来光， | wú yún zhē yuè lǎng lái guāng, | wu2 yun2 zhe1 yue4 lang3 lai2 guang1, | no clouds to cover the moon — it shines clear and bright, |
| 15R | 生好小娘对清郎。 | shēnghǎo xiǎoniáng duì qīng láng. | sheng1hao3 xiao3niang2 dui4 qing1 lang2. | what a fine young girl, matched to a pure-hearted man. |
| 16L | 合似春来竹生笋， | hésì chūn lái zhú shēng sǔn, | he2si4 chun1 lai2 zhu2 sheng1 sun3, | just like bamboo shoots rising in spring, |
| 16R | 信分竹林笋生长。 | xìnfēn zhúlín sǔn shēngzhǎng. | xin4fen1 zhu2lin2 sun3 sheng1zhang3. | trusting that the shoots in the bamboo grove will grow. |
| 17L | 笋那生长枝未开， | sǔn nà shēngzhǎng zhī wèi kāi, | sun3 na4 sheng1zhang3 zhi1 wei4 kai1, | the shoots grow but the branches have not yet spread, |
| 17R | 油油嫩嫩中郎要。 | yóuyóu nènnèn zhōng láng yào. | you2you2 nen4nen4 zhong1 lang2 yao4. | tender and lush, just what the man desires. |
| 18L | 油油嫩嫩由郎栋， | yóuyóu nènnèn yóu láng dòng, | you2you2 nen4nen4 you2 lang2 dong4, | tender and lush, left for the man to choose — A |
| 18R | 要栋同年又同岁。 | yào dòng tóngnián yòu tóngsuì. | yao4 dong4 tong2nian2 you4 tong2sui4. | wanting to choose someone of the same year and age. |
| 19L | 要栋同年又同岁， | yào dòng tóngnián yòu tóngsuì, | yao4 dong4 tong2nian2 you4 tong2sui4, | wanting one of the same year and age — |
| 19R | 都是前世命带来。 | dōushì qiánshì mìng dài lái. | dou1shi4 qian2shi4 ming4 dai4 lai2. | all of this was fated from a previous life. |
| 20L | 五百年前天注定， | wǔbǎinián qián tiān zhùdìng, | wu3bai3nian2 qian2 tian1 zhu4ding4, | five hundred years ago it was fixed by heaven, |
| 20R | 今世收来结头对。 | jīnshì shōu lái jiétóu duì. | jin1shi4 shou1 lai2 jie2tou2 dui4. | in this life it is gathered in, and the pair is joined. |
| 21L | 今世收来结头对， | jīnshì shōu lái jiétóu duì, | jin1shi4 shou1 lai2 jie2tou2 dui4, | in this life the pair is joined — |
| 21R | 是郎前世命带来。 | shì láng qiánshì mìng dài lái. | shi4 lang2 qian2shi4 ming4 dai4 lai2. | it is the man's fate carried over from his former life. |
| 22L | 一来是郎八字好， | yī lái shì láng bāzì hǎo, | yi1 lai2 shi4 lang2 ba1zi4 hao3, | first, the man has a favorable birth horoscope, C |
| 22R | 今好正俗中秀才。 | jīn hǎo zhèng sú zhōng xiùcai. | jin1 hao3 zheng4 su2 zhong1 xiu4cai. | and now he is rightly a scholar among common people. C |
| 23L | 秀才亦要上科场， | xiùcai yì yào shàng kēchǎng, | xiu4cai yi4 yao4 shang4 ke1chang3, | even a scholar must sit the imperial examinations, C |
| 23R | 举子上京状元郎。 | jǔzǐ shàng jīng zhuàngyuán láng. | ju3zi3 shang4 jing1 zhuang4yuan2 lang2. | the candidate goes to the capital and becomes the top graduate. C |
| 24L | 命好正俗状元中， | mìng hǎo zhèng sú zhuàngyuán zhōng, | ming4 hao3 zheng4 su2 zhuang4yuan2 zhong1, | blessed by fate — he passes as top scholar among the people, |
| 24R | 自己村起笑忙忙。 | zìjǐ cūn qǐ xiào mángmáng. | zi4ji3 cun1 qi3 xiao4 mang2mang2. | his whole village breaks into a laughing, bustling celebration. |
| 25L | 自己村起笑音音， | zìjǐ cūn qǐ xiào yīnyīn, | zi4ji3 cun1 qi3 xiao4 yin1yin1, | his own village rings with laughter and song, |
| 25R | 是郎前世命带金。 | shì láng qiánshì mìng dài jīn. | shi4 lang2 qian2shi4 ming4 dai4 jin1. | it is the man's fate from his former life that brought him gold. |
| 26L | 皇帝赐你衙门掌， | huángdì cì nǐ yámén zhǎng, | huang2di4 ci4 ni3 ya2men2 zhang3, | the emperor grants you authority over the yamen, C |
| 26R | 赐你衙门拜大臣。 | cì nǐ yámén bài dàchén. | ci4 ni3 ya2men2 bai4 da4chen2. | grants you the honor to pay respects to the senior ministers. |
| 27L | 赐你衙门转回乡， | cì nǐ yámén zhuǎn huíxiāng, | ci4 ni3 ya2men2 zhuan3 hui2xiang1, | granted leave from the yamen to return to your home village, |
| 27R | 回转家堂祭爷娘①。 | huízhuǎn jiātáng jì yéniáng①. | hui2zhuan3 jia1tang2 ji4 ye2niang2①. | returning to the family hall to offer sacrifice to your parents①. P |
| 28L | 赐你回转去拜祖， | cì nǐ huízhuǎn qù bàizǔ, | ci4 ni3 hui2zhuan3 qu4 bai4zu3, | granted to return and pay respects to your ancestors, |
| 28R | 春秋二祭要点香。 | chūnqiū èrjì yào diǎnxiāng. | chun1qiu1 er4ji4 yao4 dian3xiang1. | at the Spring-Autumn Two Sacrifices, incense must be lit. C |
| 29L | 春秋二祭要点香， | chūnqiū èrjì yào diǎnxiāng, | chun1qiu1 er4ji4 yao4 dian3xiang1, | at the Spring-Autumn Two Sacrifices, incense must be lit, |
| 29R | 八月十五开祠堂。 | bāyuè shíwǔ kāi cítáng. | ba1yue4 shi2wu3 kai1 ci2tang2. | on the fifteenth of the eighth month, the ancestral hall is opened. C |
| 30 | 二祭亦是八月长， | èrjì yì shì bāyuè zhǎng, | er4ji4 yi4 shi4 ba1yue4 zhang3, | the second sacrifice is also in the long eighth month, |
| 31 | 小郎造数字来真， | xiǎo láng zào shùzì lái zhēn, | xiao3 lang2 zao4 shu4zi4 lai2 zhen1, | the young man crafts his written characters truly, |
| 32 | 亦有百字写上木， | yì yǒu bǎizì xiě shàng mù, | yi4 you3 bai3zi4 xie3 shang4 mu4, | there are also a hundred characters written on wood, |
| 33 | 春秋二祭有亦亲， | chūnqiū èrjì yǒu yì qīn, | chun1qiu1 er4ji4 you3 yi4 qin1, | the Spring-Autumn Two Sacrifices also carry kinship, |
| 34 | 闲笔誊来纸上写。 | xián bǐ téng lái zhǐ shàng xiě. | xian2 bi3 teng2 lai2 zhi3 shang4 xie3. | copying carefully with a free brush onto paper. |
| Line | Term | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| 10R | 朗山贝 (lǎng shān bèi) | 贝 may be a rhyme-end filler syllable or dialect word for "side/edge." Not standard in this compound. Verify with native speaker. |
| 18L | 栋 (dòng) as "choose" | Standard meaning: ridgepole/pillar. Used here as "to choose/select" — a dialect lexical extension. Confirm in local Yue/Hakka variety. |
| 8L | 奴娘 (núniáng) | Cantonese/Yue humble female first-person reference. Not standard Mandarin. Confirm pronunciation and usage register in local dialect. |
Cultural anchor glossary:
八字 (bāzì) — birth horoscope: the "eight characters" of birth year/month/day/hour used in Chinese fate calculation.
科场 (kēchǎng) — imperial examination hall (abolished 1905).
状元 (zhuàngyuán) — the top-ranked graduate of the national imperial examinations.
衙门 (yámén) — the local government office.
祠堂 (cítáng) — clan ancestral hall for ancestor worship.
春秋二祭 (chūnqiū èrjì) — the biannual spring and autumn ancestor veneration ceremonies.
爷娘 (yéniáng) — Yue dialect phonetic borrowing: father and mother (父母).