Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils – Book Three

The third book revolves around the adventures of Xiao Feng. Each verse in the poem refers to a key scene or summarises the events in each chapter.

Breaching the Formation 《破阵子》

  • Chapter 21 – The distant vague as a dream
  • Chapter 22 – Both eyes gleaming like the stars
  • Chapter 23 – Empty promise of cows and sheep at the frontier outpost
  • Chapter 24 – Past alliance in the Illuminated side of the lady’s black hair
  • Chapter 25 – A journey through the mist walking on snow
  • Chapter 26 – Slaughtering bear and catching tiger with bear hands
  • Chapter 27 – Clearing enemies with a halberd in a fierce battle
  • Chapter 28 – Surviving in the wilderness forging a cast iron head
  • Chapter 29 – The despicable matchmaking with a freezing palm
  • Chapter 30 – Spraying water to restrain the gathered heroes

Poem

This poem uses the 《破阵子》 tone pattern, as indicated by the book’s title.

Tone pattern:

中 stands for middle tone. 平 stands for level tone. 仄 stands for oblique tone. (韵) indicates a rhyme.

中仄中平中仄,
中平中仄平平(韵)。
中仄中平平仄仄,
中仄平平中仄平(韵)。
中平中仄平(韵),
中仄中平中仄。
中平中仄平平(韵),
中仄中平平仄仄。
中仄平平中仄平(韵),
中平中仄平(韵)。

Original text:

千里茫茫若梦,
双眸粲粲如星。
塞上牛羊空许约,
烛畔鬓云有旧盟。
莽苍踏雪行,
赤手屠熊搏虎。
金戈荡寇鏖兵,
草木残生颅铸铁。
虫豸凝寒掌作冰,
挥洒缚豪英。

Translation:

The distant vague as a dream,
Both eyes gleaming like the stars.
Empty promise of cows and sheep at the frontier outpost,
Past alliance in the illuminated side of the lady’s black hair.
A journey through the mist walking on snow.
Slaughtering bear and catching tiger with bear hands,
Clearing enemies with a halberd in a fierce battle.
Surviving in the wilderness forging a cast iron head,
The despicable matchmaking with a freezing palm.
Spraying water to restrain the gathered heroes.