(In this 7th installment of this blog’s Huangling Bei 皇陵碑 translation, Zhu Yuanzhang forms his own militia and gains fame, which leads to an unexpected family reunion. Click here to see the previous section.  Also – click on any line number to see complete annotations of each section.)

Line 61: 倡農夫以入,伍事業是匡。I convinced the locals to join my band for the cause of rectifying the state.

Line 62: 不逾月而眾集,赤幟蔽野而盈岡。In less than a month I had gathered a multitude so that our red banners covered the countryside and spilled over the ridges.

Line 63: 率渡清流,戍守滁陽。I led my troops across the Qingliu River to defend the Chuyang Garrison.

Line 64: 思親詢舊,終日慨慷。I thought of my relatives and asked after them, all day sighing with emotion.

Line 65: 知仲姊已逝,獨存駙馬與甥雙。I knew that my second sister had already died; her only survivors were my brother-in-law and nephew.

Line 66: 駙馬引兒來我棲,外甥見舅如見娘。Then one day my brother-in-law led his son to my dwelling place.  When my nephew saw his uncle, it was as if he was looking at his mother.

Line 67: 此時孟嫂亦有知,攜兒挈女皆從傍。At this time my eldest sister-in-law also learned of my whereabouts.  Holding her son while leading her daughter, she drew near.

Line 68: 次兄已歿又數載,獨遺寡婦野持筐。My second brother had already been dead for a few years.  He left behind a widow, who wandered in the wilderness with nothing but a basket.

Line 69: 因兵南北,生計忙忙。 With soldiers north and south, surviving was a struggle.

Line 70: 一時會聚如再生,牽衣訴昔以難當。To be able to gather together was like being born again. We grabbed at each other’s clothes and remembered old times for as long as we could.

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