At Fifteen I Joined the Army on Expedition

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At Fifteen I Joined the Army on Expedition anonymous

This Han dynasty anti-war ballad was collected by Guo Maoqian into an eleventh century anthology of yuefu. Stylistically, it is more likely to have originated in the Eastern Han (CE 25-220). Translated from "Shiwu cong jun zheng" (十五從軍征) by Jack Yuan (2006).

At fifteen I joined the army on expedition,

Only at eighty did I finally return.

On the way I met a villager:

"Who is left in my home?"

"See there in the distance is your home,

Among the pine, cypress, and graves piled high."

Rabbits enter through the dog hole,

Pheasants fly from the rafters.

In the parlour grows wild grain,

Upon the well grows wild vegetables.

I grind the grain for a meal,

I pick the vegetables for the broth.

Meal and broth are ready in an instant,

But I know not whom to serve.

As I step out and look east,

Falling tears soak my clothes.