<p>Well, let me try to explain the poem in Chinese and hope someone translate it into English :)
There's no modern Chinese translation available on the internet because Emperor Qianlong wrote so many poems during his lifetime and most of the poems are mediocre from an aesthetic perspective and this is one of them.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>喬柯嶰壑臨急澗澗水籦籠潄趾哀設使不經裁作笛即今誰識馬融才</p>
</blockquote>

<p>釋義如下</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>喬柯嶰壑 </p>
</blockquote>

<p>地名罷了</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>臨急澗</p>
</blockquote>

<p>依傍湍急的山澗（兩崖夾水而為澗）</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>籦籠 </p>
</blockquote>

<p>一種古書所載的竹子 可為笛</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>潄</p>
</blockquote>

<p>也即 漱 此作 沖刷解</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>趾</p>
</blockquote>

<p>足 此可能指 根基</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>哀</p>
</blockquote>

<p>傷感 悲哀</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>澗水籦籠潄趾哀</p>
</blockquote>

<p>私以為作 澗水潄趾籦籠哀 為音韻之利易之 也即 水流沖刷著籦籠的根基令其哀傷
該句既為描景 亦是擬人籦籠 以引發頸尾兩聯抒懷之語</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>設使不經裁作笛 即今誰識馬融才</p>
</blockquote>

<p>這兩句沒有疑難字 可以直截翻譯 假使沒有（為人）裁制為笛子 縱有馬融之才方今又有誰能識得呢？
馬融為東漢人 才高八斗 聞名當世 此句用典 為竹自比馬融之才 而嗟嘆於埋沒山嶺 無以為器 故天下不知</p>

<p>乾隆雖為皇帝 卻是以士子之心為詩 大略如此</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-25T05:52:34.193Z
Remark: Never copy and paste my answer In an instant translator... I find it that they can hardly handle almost any text beyond everyday language
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-24T12:15:56.323Z
2018-06-24T12:15:56.323Z
Toosky Hierot
<p>the post card is a replication of a painting, which is in the palace museum (故宫博物院). imo, the quality is, unacceptable. here's a better image of the painting:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0ejPM.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0ejPM.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>about the text, traditionally, one read from top to bottom, right to left. so, the rightest text are:</p>

<pre>
南刻京喬
宋畫口柯
諸之山急
公跡樓澗
皆為待唐
拜之風解
牀一觀元
下變六有
　洗如此
惲其卷景
壽勾筆因
平砍墨倣
　煥靈其
　然逸意
　神李　
　明唐　
　當　　
　使　　
</pre>

<p>it was written by the painter <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yun_Shouping" rel="noreferrer">惲壽平</a>, as a "preface". the meaning of it, roughly is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>喬柯急澗</p>
</blockquote>

<p>tall and bent (喬) branch [of tree] (柯), torrential (急) stream (澗)</p>

<p>used as the subject of the painting.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>唐解元有此景因倣其意</p>
</blockquote>

<p>"解元", "六如居士" were referred to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Yin" rel="noreferrer">唐寅</a>, a painter of ming dynasty.</p>

<p>mr 唐 (唐解元) had (有) this (此) scene (景, --> similar painting of 喬柯急澗), therefore (因) [ i ] simulate (倣) his (其) ideas (意)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>京口山樓待風．觀六如卷</p>
</blockquote>

<p>in 京口 (a place name), on a tower / building (樓) in the hills (山); waiting for (待) wind (風) [--> to cool off], read (觀) mr 唐's (六如) scroll (卷)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>筆墨靈逸．李唐刻畫之跡．為之一變．洗其勾砍．煥然神明</p>
</blockquote>

<p>the strokes (筆墨) were deft (靈), with leisure (逸). the trace (跡) of (之) stubborn (刻畫) of mr 李 (<a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%8E%E5%94%90_(%E5%AE%8B%E6%9C%9D)" rel="noreferrer">李唐</a>, a painter of 宋 dynasty), changed significantly (為之一變). removed (洗) his (其) "strike out" (勾) [and] chop (砍); changed to (煥然) outstanding  &amp; bright (神明)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>當使南宋諸公皆拜牀下</p>
</blockquote>

<p>[which] should (當) make (使) painters (諸公) of the southern song dynasty (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">南宋</a>), all (皆)  bow (拜) under (下) [his] stand (牀, a variant of 床, which should be interpret as 安放器物的架子, not bed).</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>惲壽平</p>
</blockquote>

<p>the painter's full name</p>

<p>then, the text on the left, was a poem written by the emperor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlong_Emperor" rel="noreferrer">乾隆</a> :(</p>

<p>it was recorded in 御製詩三集　卷九十四, page 82:</p>

<p><a href="https://archive.org/stream/06078952.cn#page/n81/mode/1up" rel="noreferrer">https://archive.org/stream/06078952.cn#page/n81/mode/1up</a></p>

<pre>
即設澗喬
今使水柯
誰不籦嶰
識經籠壑
馬裁潄臨
融作趾急
才笛哀澗
</pre>

<p>well, poem should be interpret by oneself :)</p>

<p>have fun :)</p>

<p>anyone want to decipher the seals?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:29:42.187Z
That's really a great info. Any English translation of the poem available online? @水巷孑蠻
Clicker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:32:30.580Z
i don't thinks there're. one need to understand what the quotations are, decipher the meanings, implications correctly, before making translation. btw, would you try your orc app, with my supplied image?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:46:34.000Z
Since this is some classical text, Google couldn't handle it. I tried. Got some weird translation!
Clicker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:50:16.583Z
oops, not translation, i wonder if google can recognise individual characters, including variants :)
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:54:26.557Z
Nope. Here is the result: https://imgur.com/SJAYDZq
Clicker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T19:22:34.540Z
[Here's](https://www.lucydraw.com/data/upload/d/file/guohua/guohuahuaniao/2016-02-16/3b99dc8749750188f3cb7fb883be5a2e.jpg) an even better image. I think the seals might be 兲 (天世), 尗子, 壽平, 幾暇怡情, 得佳趣. Actually I'm pretty sure the first guess (天世) is incorrect...
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T19:44:01.157Z
great, the two seals below "惲壽平" are "叔子" & "壽平". one might compare these with sotheby's record: http://www.sothebys.com/zh/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.2885.html/2017/fine-classical-chinese-paintings-hk0719
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T19:46:01.147Z
Yep, I used the original character 尗 for 叔 on that seal. I can't find anything on 天世 though.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T19:48:25.417Z
the top 乾隆's seal is "幾暇怡情": https://www.google.com/search?q=%E5%B9%BE%E6%9A%87%E6%80%A1%E6%83%85&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjW_oO3xurbAhUba94KHeIPAlQQ_AUICigB&biw=1109&bih=602
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T19:51:20.443Z
the lower 乾隆's seal is "得佳趣"
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T20:16:30.697Z
the far left seal is 元濟恭藏, this page had it: http://diglweb.zjlib.cn:8081/zjtsg/zgjcj/cypicgl.jsp?channelid=91700&searchword=%C3%FB%C8%CB%B1%E0%BA%C5=394
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:23:02.143Z
2018-06-23T18:23:02.143Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>I'm a <a href="https://postcrossing.com" rel="noreferrer">postcrosser</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltiology" rel="noreferrer">deltiologist</a>. A few days ago, I received a postcard from China. There was some Chinese text along with the artwork on the front side of the card:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EGnwx.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EGnwx.jpg" alt="front view of postcard"></a></p>

<p>I tried the Google Instant Translate and this was the result I received:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Zz6d4.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Zz6d4.png" alt="result of google translate"></a></p>

<p>So I asked the sender, whether he could translate it for me. And he told me that he is able to read it but don't know the meaning since it is written in <strong>Classical Chinese</strong>! </p>

<ul>
<li>Could someone tell me the meaning of what's written there?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T13:25:46.113Z
Note, the Google OCR of the picture is not accurate, and its translation is even less so. In general, text detection works badly on cursive or handwritten characters.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T13:29:01.380Z
Yes, I know. And that's why I came here for help. @droooze
Clicker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T14:01:15.993Z
@神秘德里克 Personal?
Clicker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-23T18:36:57.033Z
isn't it a shame, that a "chinese" in "china" can't understand classical chinese texts?
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-24T12:30:39.757Z
@水巷孑蠻 aha Classical Chinese is compulsory only in middle school... Though, many never make an effort to study it all along.
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-24T18:03:42.143Z
hopeless, the traditional culture :(
水巷孑蠻
<translation><classical-chinese>
Need help with Classical Chinese
# Need help with Classical Chinese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-23)

I'm a [postcrosser](https://postcrossing.com) and [deltiologist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deltiology). A few days ago, I received a postcard from China. There was some Chinese text along with the artwork on the front side of the card:

[![front view of postcard](https://i.sstatic.net/EGnwx.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/EGnwx.jpg)

I tried the Google Instant Translate and this was the result I received:

[![result of google translate](https://i.sstatic.net/Zz6d4.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/Zz6d4.png)

So I asked the sender, whether he could translate it for me. And he told me that he is able to read it but don't know the meaning since it is written in **Classical Chinese**!

* Could someone tell me the meaning of what's written there?

**Tags:** translation, classical-chinese
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Note, the Google OCR of the picture is not accurate, and its translation is even less so. In general, text detection works badly on cursive or handwritten characters.  
> **username_0**: Yes, I know. And that's why I came here for help. @droooze  
> **username_0**: @神秘德里克 Personal?  
> **username_2**: isn't it a shame, that a "chinese" in "china" can't understand classical chinese texts?  
> **username_3**: @水巷孑蠻 aha Classical Chinese is compulsory only in middle school... Though, many never make an effort to study it all along.  
> **username_2**: hopeless, the traditional culture :(  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-23. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

the post card is a replication of a painting, which is in the palace museum (故宫博物院). imo, the quality is, unacceptable. here's a better image of the painting:

about the text, traditionally, one read from top to bottom, right to left. so, the rightest text are:

南刻京喬
宋畫口柯
諸之山急
公跡樓澗
皆為待唐
拜之風解
牀一觀元
下變六有
　洗如此
惲其卷景
壽勾筆因
平砍墨倣
　煥靈其
　然逸意
　神李　
　明唐　
　當　　
　使　　

it was written by the painter 惲壽平, as a "preface". the meaning of it, roughly is:

喬柯急澗

tall and bent (喬) branch [of tree] (柯), torrential (急) stream (澗)
used as the subject of the painting.

唐解元有此景因倣其意

"解元", "六如居士" were referred to 唐寅, a painter of ming dynasty.
mr 唐 (唐解元) had (有) this (此) scene (景, --> similar painting of 喬柯急澗), therefore (因) [ i ] simulate (倣) his (其) ideas (意)

京口山樓待風．觀六如卷

in 京口 (a place name), on a tower / building (樓) in the hills (山); waiting for (待) wind (風) [--> to cool off], read (觀) mr 唐's (六如) scroll (卷)

筆墨靈逸．李唐刻畫之跡．為之一變．洗其勾砍．煥然神明

the strokes (筆墨) were deft (靈), with leisure (逸). the trace (跡) of (之) stubborn (刻畫) of mr 李 (李唐, a painter of 宋 dynasty), changed significantly (為之一變). removed (洗) his (其) "strike out" (勾) [and] chop (砍); changed to (煥然) outstanding  & bright (神明)

當使南宋諸公皆拜牀下

[which] should (當) make (使) painters (諸公) of the southern song dynasty (南宋), all (皆)  bow (拜) under (下) [his] stand (牀, a variant of 床, which should be interpret as 安放器物的架子, not bed).

惲壽平

the painter's full name
then, the text on the left, was a poem written by the emperor 乾隆 :(
it was recorded in 御製詩三集　卷九十四, page 82:
https://archive.org/stream/06078952.cn#page/n81/mode/1up

即設澗喬
今使水柯
誰不籦嶰
識經籠壑
馬裁潄臨
融作趾急
才笛哀澗

well, poem should be interpret by oneself :)
have fun :)
anyone want to decipher the seals?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That's really a great info. Any English translation of the poem available online? @水巷孑蠻  
> **username_2**: i don't thinks there're. one need to understand what the quotations are, decipher the meanings, implications correctly, before making translation. btw, would you try your orc app, with my supplied image?  
> **username_0**: Since this is some classical text, Google couldn't handle it. I tried. Got some weird translation!  
> **username_2**: oops, not translation, i wonder if google can recognise individual characters, including variants :)  
> **username_0**: Nope. Here is the result: https://imgur.com/SJAYDZq  
> **username_1**: [Here's](https://www.lucydraw.com/data/upload/d/file/guohua/guohuahuaniao/2016-02-16/3b99dc8749750188f3cb7fb883be5a2e.jpg) an even better image. I think the seals might be 兲 (天世), 尗子, 壽平, 幾暇怡情, 得佳趣. Actually I'm pretty sure the first guess (天世) is incorrect...  
> **username_2**: great, the two seals below "惲壽平" are "叔子" & "壽平". one might compare these with sotheby's record: http://www.sothebys.com/zh/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.2885.html/2017/fine-classical-chinese-paintings-hk0719  
> **username_1**: Yep, I used the original character 尗 for 叔 on that seal. I can't find anything on 天世 though.  
> **username_2**: the top 乾隆's seal is "幾暇怡情": https://www.google.com/search?q=%E5%B9%BE%E6%9A%87%E6%80%A1%E6%83%85&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjW_oO3xurbAhUba94KHeIPAlQQ_AUICigB&biw=1109&bih=602  
> **username_2**: the lower 乾隆's seal is "得佳趣"  
> **username_2**: the far left seal is 元濟恭藏, this page had it: http://diglweb.zjlib.cn:8081/zjtsg/zgjcj/cypicgl.jsp?channelid=91700&searchword=%C3%FB%C8%CB%B1%E0%BA%C5=394  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-24. Score: 2

Well, let me try to explain the poem in Chinese and hope someone translate it into English :)
There's no modern Chinese translation available on the internet because Emperor Qianlong wrote so many poems during his lifetime and most of the poems are mediocre from an aesthetic perspective and this is one of them.

> 喬柯嶰壑臨急澗澗水籦籠潄趾哀設使不經裁作笛即今誰識馬融才

釋義如下

> 喬柯嶰壑

地名罷了

> 臨急澗

依傍湍急的山澗（兩崖夾水而為澗）

> 籦籠

一種古書所載的竹子 可為笛

> 潄

也即 漱 此作 沖刷解

> 趾

足 此可能指 根基

> 哀

傷感 悲哀

> 澗水籦籠潄趾哀

私以為作 澗水潄趾籦籠哀 為音韻之利易之 也即 水流沖刷著籦籠的根基令其哀傷
該句既為描景 亦是擬人籦籠 以引發頸尾兩聯抒懷之語

> 設使不經裁作笛 即今誰識馬融才

這兩句沒有疑難字 可以直截翻譯 假使沒有（為人）裁制為笛子 縱有馬融之才方今又有誰能識得呢？
馬融為東漢人 才高八斗 聞名當世 此句用典 為竹自比馬融之才 而嗟嘆於埋沒山嶺 無以為器 故天下不知

乾隆雖為皇帝 卻是以士子之心為詩 大略如此

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Remark: Never copy and paste my answer In an instant translator... I find it that they can hardly handle almost any text beyond everyday language  

---

