這以歌行體形式的《桂英頌》是應一位很喜歡穆桂英的朋友(穆粉)要求下寫的, 內容大部取自戲曲或民間傳說. 全詩分四卷, 分別為《大破天門陣》 《戰洪州》 《受誣平反》《西征》,全長一千四百四十字:

一般來說, 歌行體應以平仄間押的, 小土豆才疏, 這裡只用平韻:

《桂英頌》

(卷一)


聖主初登極, 雄圖志晏清.殘唐悲板蕩, 五代更凋零
武人持柄斗, 每把社稷傾.杯酒兵權釋, 河山見太平.

百載匆匆過, 天下漸欣欣.重文輕武備, 不復問燕雲.
歌衫穿舞影, 綺帳沐香薰.不夜汴京市, 醉人是翠裙.

鼙鼓驚迷夢, 愴惶覓將才.百官皆俯首, 無計可消災
天門妖陣險, 何異是泉台.諾諾群臣輩, 寧把國門開.

天子愁眉蹙, 怒憂不可平.養兵稱百萬, 難得一干城.
階前賢相奏, 復聽巾幗名.欲破天門陣, 唯用穆桂英.

時年方十六, 膽識逾公卿.軍略皆嫺熟, 蛾眉志摘星.
聖主聞言喜, 旨傳到御亭.果真樑棟士, 斧鉞授娉婷.

跨我桃花馬, 鞍橫八尺槍.鳳盔青鬢掩, 金甲裹紅裳.
熠熠星眸耀, 揚眉笑縱韁.自當誅北寇, 盡顯女兒強.

汰弱留精銳, 用兵焉在多.三千成虎旅, 強渡大遼河.
勵軍憑慷慨, 誰忍陷銅駝.死戰不旋踵, 只期奏敳歌.

蕃將譏兵寡, 復恃陣形凶.叫囂如虎豹, 鐵衛置三重.
穆帥淡然對, 五行早在胸.兵勢如流水, 凜寒殺意濃.

率眾生門入, 銀槍化雨花.縱橫誰敢擋, 蹄鐵踏黃沙.
斬將騫旗勇, 殺敵數如麻.休門崩勢現, 慘淡黯胡笳.  

兵敗如山倒, 胡酋北遁逃.豈懼追窮寇, 屠龍有寶刀.
斬首逾萬級, 繳獲疊山高.威名寒敵膽, 大宋女英豪.



(卷二)


歸作楊家婦, 夫君蜜愛憐. 未幾懷熊夢, 喜氣更增添.
猶記當年事, 古寨訂百年. 舉案齊眉願, 平淡勝神仙.

鶼鰈情雖重, 男兒志四方. 洪州隨父帥, 忍淚送夫郎
莫恃英雄勇, 需防暗箭傷. 錦袍親手繡, 免受雪和霜.

愛侶分千里, 魚雁表情衷. 強忍相思淚, 淚卻暗凝瞳.
恨欠雙飛翼, 無計越山崇. 情深千萬縷, 盡在不言中.

遼師傾巢出, 北塞起狼煙. 請援單騎返, 軍情若火燃.
誰人堪重任, 方可得萬全. 楊門臥虎地, 掛帥有嬋娟.

嬌妻掌帥印, 夫婿作先鋒, 傲骨何堪辱, 不平氣結胸.
輕浮遭敗績, 軍法不能容. 死罪縱能免, 刑杖儆狂龍.

帳前唯將令, 帳後慰檀郎. 杖下如親受, 郎傷妻更傷.
好言曉大義, 同命是鴛鴦. 前嫌冰釋去, 並轡赴疆場.

佈陣形鶴翼, 猛士類雄鷹. 一鼓能作氣, 大纛向陽升.
槍下亡魂眾, 蒼龍繫縛繩. 洪州圍立解, 三軍盡服膺.

金鑾齊步上, 拜倒丹墀前. 聖主龍顏悅, 封侯號渾天.
戰功推將士, 朝野更稱賢. 富貴不羈戀, 解甲願歸田.

卸下肩頭責, 與夫返故園. 不聞鼙鼓怒, 只聞花鳥喧.
香閨私密語, 何止萬千言. 執手願偕老, 含飴共逗孫.



(卷三)

功高偏震主, 毀謗有讒臣. 太祖曾遺訓, 需防掌帥人.
未酬卻敵者, 枷鎖反加身. 謀反應誅戮, 不辨偽和真.

昨日三軍帥, 今作死牢囚. 親痛讎者快, 天下士民愁.
隔窗觀冷月, 誰解我心憂. 生死不足論, 危殆是神州.

獄隸惡如鬼, 長鞭裂嫩皮. 剛完冰水浴, 復受火燎欺.
針刺豺狼毒, 承枷心力疲. 威武不可屈, 寒梅傲雪姿.

入夜臥釘床, 侷促如焚心. 豈懼身首異, 只悲大別臨.
不見小兒女, 頃俄淚不禁. 與君生死隔, 難賦白頭吟.

午時西市外, 刀下不留人. 單衣白如雪, 螓首待蒙塵.
觀者皆飲泣, 親族盡悲呻. 此心昭日月, 證我雪精神.

急使傳旨來, 重枷即席開. 北賊三關陷, 邊塞若灰摧.
蛾眉重掛帥, 君主去疑猜. 功成歸闕日, 御殿共金杯.

衛國輕榮辱, 囚衣換戰衣. 不避風霜惡, 豈計是和非.
背水求一戰, 孤軍浴血時. 槍挑頑敵首, 尅日返王畿.

天子聞凱旋, 方知護國心. 貶斥進讒者, 重賞表恩深.
封侯非所願, 寧歸舊鳥林. 傲骨原錚錚, 富貴不能淫.

卸我戰時袍, 解我腰間刀. 澹泊足明志, 休提功與勞.
春雨堪吟詠, 秋日合琴操. 不求青史載, 簷下讀離騷.



  (卷四)


結褵十六年, 膝下兩嬌兒.對尊能盡孝, 羹饌自操持.
弓馬授兒輩, 傳藝向無私.勉夫建功業, 兩地苦相思.

夜半珠簾曳, 推窗未覺風.懸疑心忐忑, 獨對月朦朧.
三載征西別, 何日見歸鴻.非憂花季短, 怕見斷腸紅.

壽筵聞噩耗, 哀慟震天波.宗保經殉國, 天人隔奈何.
請纓討西賊, 偕子共執戈.楊門縱孤寡, 未懼虎狼多.

啟箱重整甲, 出鞘照青鋒.花容猶似昔, 心蝕問幾重.
鴛被從今冷, 眉愁自此濃.國仇家恨裡, 育出鐵芙蓉.

汗馬蹄的的, 旦夕赴狼山.不避風雨急, 不畏雪侵顏.
旌旗蔽日烈, 長弓俏月彎.未斬羌酋首, 矢誓不回還.

夜探狼山去, 籌謀破敵方.天險焉足畏, 致勝重擒王.
陡徑天機悟, 臨淵勇放韁.出奇終制勝, 殺將有銀槍.

素車承夫骨, 素甲表哀心.身似梨花薄, 心如刺萬針.
愛侶陰陽隔, 故夢再難尋.楊門添新寡, 潸然淚滿襟.

聖寵百千厚, 難償寸裂肝.天波樓外月, 今後共誰看.
但願狼煙靖, 不復見征鞍.風搖竹影動, 孤影倚欄杆.



(全卷終)


.

 文采斐然，掷地有声！

The Ballad of Mui Guiying




This poem in Ballad form was written at the request of a friend who is a die-hard fan of Mu Guiying.  It was originally written in Chinese and is composed of 36 stanzas of forty words each. The contents were taken from legends and opera scripts mainly and divided into four parts(rolls), describing the various stage of the heroine’s life. There is no mention of her death here or how she passed away.

(Roll One)

When the first emperor of the Song ascended the throne
Confronted was he with the task of bringing long-lasting peace.
The land was ravaged in civil war when the Tang declined
And further wrecked by the succeeding five mini-dynasties.
The generals were king-makers
Coups were frequent as a matter of course
With tactful persuasion, the emperor succeeded to regain control
The people finally could enjoy peace and prosperity.

A hundred years passed by, swift as an arrow in flight
The land once under ominous clouds finally saw daylight
By neglecting the military and showering favor the scholar-elite
Recovering territories to the Kithan was no longer in sight.
Beautiful dancing costumes were the rule of the day
The ultimate splendor in open display
In Bianjing, the capital, a city never slept
Drunk were its citizens in maiden’s charming steps.

The drums of war shook the empire by surprise
A competent general they tried to search in a frenzy drive
All those in court in heads bowed they stood
Without a clue, in silence their shame did hide.
The enemy formation was impossible to break!
To go against it was to court death quick
All of the “Yes”men standing like clowns
Preferring to surrender than getting harmed.

The Son-of-Heaven knitted his brows
In worry and anger he asked what it was about
The Empire boasted a million soldiers
Yet no general ready to show his clout.
The prime minister kowtowed and tried to explain
Once more, the Emperor heard a famous name
It Your Majesty wishes someone victory brings
There is no one else but Mu Guiying,

Aged only sixteen, and a woman at that
She has courage beyond compare
Learned in strategies and arts of war
To reach the stars this girl really dares
The Son-of-Heaven breathed relieved
She was summoned to prove her value in salt.
Beyond all expectations in flying colors she passed
The rank of field marshal conferred before the court

On that stallion white with dots, she flung herself
Across the saddle was an eight-feet lance
Her raven black hair was hidden under a helmet with phoenix wings
The red riding blouse covered with a cuirass of gold
The eyes were sparkling with spirit free
With a shout she signaled with her reins eased
“I vow to defeat the enemy who dared to invade, to show
that our women have more to offer than just a pretty face.”

She retained only the strong and sent off the weak
She knew victory depended not on numbers but how to lead
A legion of three thousand marched as one
Fording the Liao River under a rising sun
She addressed the troops with motivating words
“We will not let our land fall!
We will keep on fighting; we will not turn our backs.
Our aim is either victory, or our deaths!”



The barbarian commander sneered at the puny force
He proudly looked at his formation, sitting on his horse.
Like hungry tigers, his warriors shouted their battle-cries
Three rings were thrown around him; many times the enemy size
Marshal Mui simply smiled as she took everything in
The fatal flaws of her foes exposed to her own lines thin
The key was to attack like water, mobile and fast
Destroying everything which dares stand in its path.

Through a weakness in the enemy lines, she led the attack
Her lance flying as lightning, showering deaths
The enemies fled in terror, their lines disintegrated like ants
Stampeded into pulps, their blood dying the sand.
Warrior were cut down, battle banners seized
The plain covered by heaps of enemy deceased
A link broken, the formation was no more
A barbarian horn calling retreat as the battle was lost.

The defeat soon like a deluge turned
To the north the barbarian commander fled in rout
Order for pursuit was given and the real slaughter began
She drove her sword into the leader of the gang
Over ten thousand heads were taken
The spoils of war heaped to unbelievable heights
Her name was whispered in fear by enemies in the dead of nights.


(Roll Two)

She came back in victory and was wedded into the family of The Yang
Her husband treated her like a treasure and love-songs were sung
In time, she was expecting her first child; a son was born
The clan rejoiced, a descendant making the line strong
Memories were drawn to how she and her husband met
First as enemies, until they built their love-nest.
“My wish is to grow old together” was her prayer
“A life plain and full of happiness for us to share.”

Although so much love, they must frequently part
A man’s role was to follow his heart.
As sub-commander he would have to go to Hongzhou in the north
Holding her tears back, she saw him off.
“Do not throw away your caution in battle, my love.
 Beware of traps and depend not only on luck.”
An embroidered robe she had personally prepared
To shield her husband from snow and icy mountain air.

The lovers were a thousand miles apart
Only through letter could they bare their hearts
She tried to hold back the tears
But the flow of tears would suddenly start.
How she longed to have wings of flight
To go over the mountains and stand to his right
Words ran into thousands but not one could she put down
Too many to be said as she stared without a sound.

The Kithan Army was on the march again in force
The smoke of alarm rising hundred feet tall
Her husband rode back alone for reinforcement
Speeding through the night without a single pause.
“Who could shoulder this heavy burden?”
Asked the Emperor again.
“Only the young wife of the Yang” replied the minister
“Mu Guiying is her name!”

She was appointed commander-in-chief
While her husband only the vanguard led
Furious at his humiliation
He felt a heavy weight on his chest
Out of pride, he attacked without order and lost the fight
The wife was furious at his insubordination,
To ensure discipline, as field marshal she claimed her right.
“I will spare you the death penalty, but you must pay.”
She ordered him caned as punishment for his foolish deed!

As a commander, she could only have her duty done
But behind the curtain, she faced her beloved one.
“When the crane fell,
it hurt me more than you.”
She used her friendly persuasion to win him over
“We are one and inseparable.” She assured him.
The ill-feelings were gone
Together they rode into battle, their love strong.

She ordered to attack in the formation of the crane
Her warriors were like eagles diving into doves
A roll of drums and a mighty shout
The banner of Mu upheld in front of a dazzling sun.
Those who died before the onslaught were too numerous to count
The leader was captured, with a thick rope bound
The siege of Hongzhou ended in victory for the Song
And all the warriors praised the mighty Mu Guiying.

Together husband and wife walked up the golden tiles
In front of the emperor, they knelt and paid homage.
The emperor was delighted and conferred her a marquis rank
But she shared her glory with her warriors
And won the praise of all in court and without
She wanted no rewards of silver and gold
And asked only to be allowed to return to her simple life.

No more responsibility on her shoulders
She returned with her beloved to their home.
No more sounds of war-drums
Only the singing of delightful birds
Inside their chamber they exchanged endearments
Thousands and thousands of vows of lasting love
“To grow old together
Until one day, our grandchildren cluster around our knees.”



(Roll Three)

Those who had won brilliant victories were always at risks
The words of the envious into the ears of the emperor poured.
The founder of the dynasty had warned:
“Beware of those who had the hearts of the army.”
In time, instead of rewarding her,
She was put in chains.
“Traitors will be executed!”
No attempt was made to prove the accusation true or false.

A commander of the army yesterday
A condemned to die today
Her enemies rejoiced; her supporters grieved
The people wailed.
In prison, she gazed at the cold moon
“Who knows the worry of my heart?
I care not if I will live or die
But the land will soon be in peril thrown.”

The jail-keepers were fierce as demons
The long whips cracked the tender skin
An icy shower was followed
By a branding rod.
Needles sticking into her body
The heavy carnage weighed her down
Yet her spirit remained unbroken
Like a plum-flow in snow, its scent became more intene.

At night, she was forced to lie on a bed with sharp pikes
Unable to move, her heart seemed to be on fire.
She was not afraid of the decapitation announced
But a final farewell was such heart-breaking
She could no longer see her little ones
And for this her tears began to flood
“I have to die soon, my love
I cannot keep our promise to grown old together.”

In the west market at noon
The executioner was ready
She was dressed in white, pure as snow.
Her head would soon fly.
The watchers wept and her family members moaned
“My loyalty is as true at the sun and the moon
They will prove my innocence.”

A messenger came galloping
And the carnage was taken off on the spot
The Kithan Army had captured three citadels
The border was crumpling like ash.
She was made field marshal again
The emperor declared his doubt dissolved.
“When you come back victorious,
I will drink in your honor and you will share my cup.”

To defend the empire, she cared not for the injustice endured
The prisoner’s garb was exchanged for a suit of armor
She rode into blinding wind and snow
Not a word was spoken to right the wrongs she suffered.
She lined up her troops in front of a river,
“No retreat!  Fight or die!”And her warrior became tigers!
The enemy commander’s head was impaled on the lance
And the victorious army returned to the capital.

The emperor heard of the great news
Now he understood she was a most loyal subject
He sent all those slandering against her into exile
And showered rewards on her for what she did.
“I wish no great honor, Your Majesty.
I prefer to return to my home.”
She was a true patriot
No wealth could ever buy her dignity.

She took off her armor and shelved her sword
Living a simple life was all she wanted
Not to bathe in the glory she had won.
In the spring rain, she would compose a poem
In fall, she would play the harp
She craved for no name mentioned in history
And wished only to be left alone so that she could read.


(Roll Four)

Sixteen years had passed after she was married
Two lovely children, a son and a daughter were born
She was filial to her elders
Even tended to their meals personally.
She taught the younger ones her martial arts
Nothing keeping anything back
She supported her husband who had become an area commander
Though she had to endure loneness when they were leagues apart.

In the middle of the night, the pearl-curtains swayed
Yet there was no wind.
She felt unease at this
Sitting up she faced a misty moon.
Three years her beloved had gone to fight in the west
She wondered when he would return to her
She was not that concerned with the passing of youth
But feared the unknown bringing despair.

During the feast of celebration for her great mother-in-law, the news came
And there was much wailing in the house.
Her husband, Zong-bao in a battle fell.
And she was to see him no more
In grief, she petitioned to lead an army west
Her young son volunteered to go along to have his father avenged
The Yan family had lost nearly all its male heirs
Yet they were not afraid of making sacrifice for the land!

She opened her chest and took out her old armor
The blade of her sword reflected her looks.
She was as beautiful as in the days of old
Yet her heart was made hollow by the cruel fate.
The blanket they had shared would never became warm
Her brows would always carry sadness
To avenge for her beloved and those who fell with him
A hibiscus with iron will was born.

She rode non-stop
Towards the Wolf-Hills day and night
Making no stop for shelter from the wind and rain
Nor was she afraid of the blinding snow.
Her banners shielded the sun
The long bows resembling the curve of the rising moon
“If I cannot have the head of the leader of the enemy,
I vow never to return!”

She made a scouting trip up the Wolf-Hills.
In order to find a way to defeat the numerous foes
The difficult terrain was never insurmountable,
To win, she must slay the leader of the pack fast.
She thought out her method on a cliff
Taking the gravest risks, she charged down the near-vertical slope
The enemy was taken by total surprise
And the leader of the Qiang army was slain.

A hearse carried the bones of her beloved
She was dressed in white to show her sorrow.
Her body was as if weightless, shaking
Her heart was pierced by a thousand pins.
The lovers forever parted by the River of Death
The old dreams would come no more
Yet another widow made for the Yang family
The front of her clothes damped thorough by her tears.

The Emperor spared no expense to comfort her
But nothing could compensate what she had lost
The moon above the mansion rose as in the past
Yet who was to share with her the pretty sight?
She only wished there would be no more wars
Never would she had to dust her saddle again
The wind blew and the bamboo outside shook
A lonely shadow leaned against the railing and sobbed.

(End of Poem)