Pages: 27–28. Print quality clean. Two-column horizontal paired couplets.
Theme: Origin myth of the founding ancestress — the third princess of Emperor Gaoxin. Narrates her birth, exceptional beauty and intelligence, and descent from the immortal realm into mortal life. This is a feminine counterpart to the masculine lineage narrative of Song 2.
Key figure — 第三公主 (dì sān gōngzhǔ): The third princess. In Hakka/Yao oral tradition, the third daughter of Emperor Gaoxin is often the founding ancestress of the clan lineage. Her descent from the heavenly realm into mortality is the pivotal mythological event.
Structural note: The song is dense with natural beauty imagery — phoenix, peony, morning dew, morning glow, birds, mountain water — all mapped onto the princess's appearance and movement. This is a characteristic feature of southern Chinese feminine praise-song (颂歌 sònggē) tradition.
Dialect stack: Cantonese/Yue-influenced. No footnoted dialect substitutions on these pages, but register and imagery are consistent with the broader Yue oral tradition of the collection.
| # | Chinese | Pinyin (display) | Pinyin (database) | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1L | 高辛皇帝坐龙廷， | gāoxīn huángdì zuò lóngtíng, | gao1xin1 huang2di4 zuo4 long2ting2, | Emperor Gaoxin sat upon the dragon throne, C |
| 1R | 天下太平笑盈盈。 | tiānxià tàipíng xiào yíngyíng. | tian1xia4 tai4ping2 xiao4 ying2ying2. | all under heaven was at peace, smiles all around. |
| 2L | 禾养子儿女传后代， | hé yǎng zǐ érnǚ chuán hòudài, | he2 yang3 zi3 er2nv3 chuan2 hou4dai4, | raising sons and daughters to pass on to future generations, |
| 2R | 那奉三个女千金。 | nà fèng sān gè nǚ qiānjīn. | na4 feng4 san1 ge4 nv3 qian1jin1. | bearing three daughters each worth a thousand in gold. |
| 3L | 高辛听讲无男生， | gāoxīn tīngjiǎng wú nán shēng, | gao1xin1 ting1jiang3 wu2 nan2 sheng1, | Gaoxin heard there were no sons born, |
| 3R | 千求万求无男生。 | qiān qiú wàn qiú wú nán shēng. | qian1 qiu2 wan4 qiu2 wu2 nan2 sheng1. | a thousand prayers, ten thousand pleas — still no son was born. |
| 4L | 风凤来比日无踪， | fènghuáng lái bǐ rì wú zōng, | feng4huang2 lai2 bi3 ri4 wu2 zong1, | the phoenix came, but like the sun left no trace, A |
| 4R | 世上要女也要男。 | shìshàng yào nǚ yě yào nán. | shi4shang4 yao4 nv3 ye3 yao4 nan2. | the world needs daughters and also needs sons. |
| 5L | 勤劳男女也要男， | qínláo nánnǚ yě yào nán, | qin2lao2 nan2nv3 ye3 yao4 nan2, | hard-working men and women — still a son is needed, |
| 5R | 心头愁叹变成天。 | xīntóu chóutàn biàn chéng tiān. | xin1tou2 chou2tan4 bian4 cheng2 tian1. | the heart filled with grief and sighs that turned to heaven. |
| 6L | 坐在怀中像朝露， | zuò zài huáizhōng xiàng zhāolù, | zuo4 zai4 huai2zhong1 xiang4 zhao1lu4, | cradled in the arms like morning dew, |
| 6R | 脸面红红像朝霞。 | liǎnmiàn hónghóng xiàng zhāoxiá. | lian3mian4 hong2hong2 xiang4 zhao1xia2. | face rosy red like the morning glow. |
| 7L | 皇后公主笑王生， | huánghòu gōngzhǔ xiào wáng shēng, | huang2hou4 gong1zhu3 xiao4 wang2 sheng1, | the empress and princess smiled at the king's birth, |
| 7R | 脸面红红白日光华。 | liǎnmiàn hónghóng báirì guānghuá. | lian3mian4 hong2hong2 bai2ri4 guang1hua2. | face rosy red in the brilliant daylight. |
| 8L | 你是欢笑王生正， | nǐ shì huānxiào wáng shēng zhèng, | ni3 shi4 huan1xiao4 wang2 sheng1 zheng4, | you are the joyful right-born son of the king, |
| 8R | 第三公主生调正凡。 | dì sān gōngzhǔ shēng tiáo zhèng fán. | di4 san1 gong1zhu3 sheng1 tiao2 zheng4 fan2. | the third princess born into proper, ordinary life. |
| 9L | 皇后亦欢笑正王， | huánghòu yì huānxiào zhèng wáng, | huang2hou4 yi4 huan1xiao4 zheng4 wang2, | the empress also rejoiced and laughed with the rightful king, |
| 9R | 故娘嫩嫩稍稍甚。 | gù niáng nènnèn shāoshāo shèn. | gu4 niang2 nen4nen4 shao1shao1 shen4. | the young girl tender and delicate beyond all compare. |
| 10L | 孩儿出世生丹才， | hái'ér chūshì shēng dāncái, | hai2er2 chu1shi4 sheng1 dan1cai2, | the child came into the world born with singular talent, |
| 10R | 脚步移时场鸟飞。 | jiǎobù yí shí chǎng niǎo fēi. | jiao3bu4 yi2 shi2 chang3 niao3 fei1. | as her steps moved, birds took flight from the grounds. |
| 11L | 山凤水笑牡丹开， | shān fèng shuǐ xiào mǔdān kāi, | shan1 feng4 shui3 xiao4 mu3dan1 kai1, | the mountain phoenix and laughing water — the peonies bloom, |
| 11R | 也像牡丹比芳芳。 | yě xiàng mǔdān bǐ fāngfāng. | ye3 xiang4 mu3dan1 bi3 fang1fang1. | also like peonies fragrant and blooming in comparison. |
| 12L | 世上无人这样美， | shìshàng wú rén zhèyàng měi, | shi4shang4 wu2 ren2 zhe4yang4 mei3, | no one in the world was as beautiful as this, |
| 12R | 自从公主出生来， | zìcóng gōngzhǔ chūshēng lái, | zi4cong2 gong1zhu3 chu1sheng1 lai2, | from the time the princess came into the world, |
| 13L | 自从公主出生来， | zìcóng gōngzhǔ chūshēng lái, | zi4cong2 gong1zhu3 chu1sheng1 lai2, | from the time the princess came into the world, |
| 13R | 地上也有百花堆。 | dìshàng yě yǒu bǎihuā duī. | di4shang4 ye3 you3 bai3hua1 dui1. | on the ground too a hundred flowers piled in bloom. |
| 14L | 地上也有百花开， | dìshàng yě yǒu bǎihuā kāi, | di4shang4 ye3 you3 bai3hua1 kai1, | on the ground too a hundred flowers opening, |
| 14R | 封金山城石好墓。 | fēng jīnshān chéng shí hǎo mù. | feng1 jin1shan1 cheng2 shi2 hao3 mu4. | sealing the Golden Mountain city with fine stone tombs. A |
| 15L | 第三公主真聪明， | dì sān gōngzhǔ zhēn cōngmíng, | di4 san1 gong1zhu3 zhen1 cong1ming2, | the third princess was truly intelligent, |
| 15R | 高辛令帝善祥羊。 | gāoxīn lìng dì shàn xiángyáng. | gao1xin1 ling4 di4 shan4 xiang2yang2. | Gaoxin the emperor was auspicious and benevolent as a sheep. A |
| 16L | 第三公主真聪明， | dì sān gōngzhǔ zhēn cōngmíng, | di4 san1 gong1zhu3 zhen1 cong1ming2, | the third princess was truly intelligent, |
| 16R | 水会弹琴风会吹。 | shuǐ huì tánqín fēng huì chuī. | shui3 hui4 tan2qin2 feng1 hui4 chui1. | the water knew how to play the zither, the wind how to blow. |
| 17L | 自从出生公主花， | zìcóng chūshēng gōngzhǔ huā, | zi4cong2 chu1sheng1 gong1zhu3 hua1, | from the time the princess-flower was born, |
| 17R | 金银珠宝随身来。 | jīnyín zhūbǎo suíshēn lái. | jin1yin2 zhu1bao3 sui2shen1 lai2. | gold, silver, and jewels came with her wherever she went. |
| 18L | 近山也知鸟鸣音， | jìn shān yě zhī niǎo míng yīn, | jin4 shan1 ye3 zhi1 niao3 ming2 yin1, | near the mountain she knew the birds' calls, |
| 18R | 传流后代教子孙。 | chuánliú hòudài jiào zǐsūn. | chuan2liu2 hou4dai4 jiao4 zi3sun1. | passing down to future generations to teach the descendants. |
| 19L | 公主亦跌跌离落凡， | gōngzhǔ yì diēdiē lí luò fán, | gong1zhu3 yi4 die1die1 li2 luo4 fan2, | the princess tumbled and fell, descending from the immortal realm, |
| 19R | 她你亲爱余大江山。 | tā nǐ qīn'ài yú dà jiāngshān. | ta1 ni3 qin1ai4 yu2 da4 jiang1shan1. | she whom you love, cherished across this great land. |
| 20L | 露落凡间一枝花， | lù luò fánjiān yī zhī huā, | lu4 luo4 fan2jian1 yi1 zhi1 hua1, | dew-dropped into the mortal world, a single flower, |
| 20R | 天上也有彩云带。 | tiānshàng yě yǒu cǎiyún dài. | tian1shang4 ye3 you3 cai3yun2 dai4. | in the heavens above there are also colored cloud ribbons. |
| Line | Term | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| 4L | 风凤来比日无踪 (fènghuáng lái bǐ rì wú zōng) | "the phoenix came, but like the sun left no trace" — may be a set poetic phrase with a specific idiomatic meaning. Verify whether 比日无踪 is a known regional expression. |
| 14R | 封金山城石好墓 (fēng jīnshān chéng shí hǎo mù) | Unclear referent: is 金山城 (Golden Mountain City) a place name or a descriptive image? The appearance of 墓 (tomb) here is tonally unexpected in a praise-song. Flag for clarification. |
| 15R | 高辛令帝善祥羊 (gāoxīn lìng dì shàn xiángyáng) | "auspicious and benevolent as a sheep" — 祥羊 is unusual. May be a zodiac/auspicious animal reference, or a phonetic borrowing. Verify with native speaker. |
Cultural anchor glossary:
高辛 (gāoxīn) — Emperor Gaoxin (Emperor Ku): legendary ancestor, father of the third princess who is the founding ancestress.
第三公主 (dì sān gōngzhǔ) — the third princess: in Hakka/Yao tradition, the founding female ancestor of the clan lineage.
落凡 (luò fán) — "descending into the mortal world": the standard phrase for an immortal being entering human life.
牡丹 (mǔdān) — peony: the emblematic flower of feminine beauty in Chinese poetry.
丹才 (dāncái) — singular/outstanding talent: a classical term for exceptional natural ability.