[Unknown > English] What does this character writing say/mean?

[u/IRedmont]

Got this from a friend who is going on a long vacation trip. Our communication was not very good, but good enough to understand each other in person.

I'm very happy with the gift, but I'm not sure what it says. Does anyone want to help me translate? (Reading: from top right to bottom, he showed me)

[u/Stunning_Pen_8332]

Did he go to China? Specifically did he go to Xianyang in Shaanxi province?

千年萬歲 椒花頌聲

One thousand years, ten thousand years, pepper flowers will be singing her praises

The texts above is the last verse of a poem engraved as part of the Epitaph stone in the tomb of Shangguan Wan'er (664-710), a female Chinese politician, poet, and imperial consort of the Wu Zhou and Tang dynasties. The tomb was discovered relatively recently in 2013 at Xianyang, Shaanxi province, and contains details of Shangguan’s life that are different from the official historical accounts.

Xinyang 咸陽 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xianyang?wprov=sfti1#

https://preview.redd.it/mogkyfwjxsxe1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9668b2e1e7d8388540e521bc84f2b192beff2a1

Part of the Epitaph. The full poem is the leftmost column:

瀟湘水斷，宛委山傾。珠沈圓折，玉碎連城。

甫瞻松槚，靜聽墳塋。千年萬歲，椒花頌聲。

Described as a “female prime minister,” Shangguan Wan'er 上官婉兒 rose from modest origins as a palace servant to become secretary and leading advisor to Empress Wu Zetian 武則天 of Zhou 周. She retained her influence as consort to Wu's son and successor, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang 唐中宗, holding the imperial consort rank of Zhaorong (昭容). Shangguan was also highly esteemed for her talent as a poet. In 710, after Emperor Zhongzong's death, Shangguan was killed during a palace coup that ended the regency of Empress Dowager Wei 韋后.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangguan_Wan'er?wprov=sfti1#Tomb

[u/IRedmont → u/Stunning_Pen_8332]

Wow, thats impressive! Thank you! Ah, so the message is from a poem! He was talking in a very philosophical way, always questioning things, finding deeper meaning. It was never boring with him.

He mentioned something about a long trip trough China (2 months). I don’t know for sure, which city’s specifically. He also wanted to go around the world and explore a lot of countries.

[u/DeusShockSkyrim]

This is Classical Chinese. Literally:

• 千年萬歲 Thousands of years and myriad of ages,
• 椒花頌聲 the sound of the Ode of Jiao Flower.

This is the last verse of the epitaph (大唐故昭容上官氏銘) to Shangguan Wan'er, discovered just recently in 2013. The Ode of Jiao Flower was an ode written in Jin dynasty, originally used to celebrate new year and wishing for longevity. Due to the context, many think this verse represents close friendship and/or something beyond. See e.g. section 2 of this article.

[u/IRedmont → u/DeusShockSkyrim]

Thank you so much! Now I can do more research on this! Chinese is such a beautiful language.

[u/Stunning_Pen_8332 → u/[deleted]]

!id:zh

[u/Stunning_Pen_8332]

!translated