“Lang’e and Sangluo” – Narrative Poem of Dai Ethnic Minority in Xinping County, Yuxi 

Lang’e and Sangluo (《朗娥与桑洛》) is a long narrative poem passed down orally among the Dai (傣族) people. It represents a precious cultural legacy of the Dai community. The epic recounts a tragic love story between two devoted Dai youths, embodying the people’s longing for love and happiness, and their resistance to feudal ethics and patriarchal authority.

Comrade Ding Shaosong (丁绍松) lived and worked for many years among the Dai people in our county. Through numerous visits to elder folk singers, he faithfully recorded, carefully translated, and compiled this poem—a significant contribution to the collection and preservation of our county’s ethnic folk literature.

Current Preservation Status

The long narrative poem Lang’e and Sangluo (《朗娥与桑洛》), originating from the Dai (specifically the Flowery-Waist Dai or 花腰傣) communities of Gasa Town (嘎洒镇) and Shuitang Town (水塘镇) in Xinping Yi and Dai Autonomous County (新平彝族傣族自治县), Yuxi City (玉溪市), is a complete and lengthy tragic epic. The story touches on social structures, political systems, class relations, ethical norms, and romantic ideals of its time. Various versions of the poem are still orally transmitted among local people, and in recent years, literary enthusiasts have begun compiling and organizing some of them.

The narrative portrays the doomed love between the Flowery-Waist Dai maiden Lang’e (朗娥) and the young man Sangluo (桑洛). Through their tragic separation and eventual joint suicide in pursuit of true love, the poem reflects the defiance of feudal norms and the patriarchal system by Dai youth, as well as their yearning for romantic freedom and a joyful life. Their sacrifice leaves a hauntingly beautiful story in the hearts of the people.

The poem is rich in meaning, melancholic yet moving, with a clear storyline filled with twists and metaphors. It draws vivid parallels from daily life, using analogies and symbolic imagery to comment on both historical and contemporary society. Each poetic line carries deep significance, featuring elegant, fluent language and well-structured verses.

Performance and Musical Tradition

Lang’e and Sangluo (《朗娥与桑洛》) is traditionally performed by a group of 3 to 5 Moha (摩哈), meaning skilled folk singers. They chant the epic over the course of three days and nights, accompanied by the dingxie (定些), a four-stringed fiddle unique to the Dai people, and even by playing tree leaves as instruments.

Today, most remaining Moha capable of performing the entire poem are already advanced in age—many nearing their seventies—and very few can still recite the poem in full.

Prologue

The sun hides behind the vast foothills,
The moon retreats into the silent, deep valley,
A basket of glittering pearls scatters across the blue sky,
A string of sorrowful tales remains in the mortal world…

Legend tells of nine hundred ninety-nine stars in the eastern sky,
Among them, one sparkles like a gemstone;
Another shines as brightly as gold.
The two stars gaze into each other’s eyes,
Speaking through their tender glances,
Communing through graceful dance.

These two stars become companions,
Descending together onto the plains of Mengsa (勐洒坝子).
The star from the east lands in Jingduan Village (景端寨),
And Jingduan Village grandly welcomes the birth of Luobo Ling Lang’e (洛卜领朗娥).
The star from the west lands in Jinglong Village (景龙寨),
And Jinglong Village joyfully celebrates the birth of Luobo Zai Sangluo (洛卜宰桑洛).

The two villages gaze longingly at each other from afar,
With the Mengsa River (勐洒河) flowing in between.
The Mengsa River is the mother river,
Brilliant flowers bloom along both banks,
Hardworking Dai Sa (傣洒) people live and thrive along its shores,
Rare birds and exotic beasts wander through the forests,
Fragrant, sweet fruits ripen on the trees.

Alas, the celestial deity Ba Ying (叭英) cannot restrain the common folk—
The chiefs (Bugan, 布干) on both sides are locked in a deep-seated feud,
Frequently drawing bows and brandishing spears,
Fighting east and west in endless conflict…

II. The Golden Peacock

The golden peacock perches upon golden and silver branches,
Lang’e (朗娥) is born in the bamboo stilt house of the Bugan (布干) family.
The waxing moon grows fuller with each passing day,
And Luobo Ling (洛卜领) grows taller and more graceful every day.

At fifteen, Lang’e is as beautiful as the Gouge bird (够格鸟)④.
Charming flower butterflies
Dare not flutter their wings before her;
Diligent little bees
Cannot match her quick hands and graceful ways.

She is like the mountain spring water
Flowing always toward the river—
Wherever she goes,
All the Luobo Zai (卜宰) gather around her.

Dense bamboo forests are trampled into wide paths,
Love songs and praise fill her little home:
“Oh, enchanting Luobo girl,
You are the moon in the sky,
You are the dazzling peacock,
You are the morning glow of dawn,
You are the flower in full bloom.
Even the shadow you cast
Could be sipped like sweet rice wine.”

Clever and skillful Lang’e
Spins threads long and fine,
Weaves cloth both beautiful and strong.
She weaves a garden where bees come to gather nectar,
She weaves a forest where birds come to sing.

The floral fabric she weaves—
When sewn into a tongpa (筒帕)⑤, it can hold water,
Rolled into a bilin (苾灵)⑥, it can be played to sing songs.

III. The Golden Deer

Freshly sprouted bamboo shoots are trampled by wild boars,
Tender flower buds are battered by heavy storms.
Sangluo, born into the Bugan family,
Brought no happiness to the Luobo Zai.

The wild wind howled three times,
The torrential rain poured for three days,
The bamboo stilt house swayed thrice,
His mother groaned in pain for three nights.
Poor Sangluo—
He lost his mother at the age of nine.

A footless venomous snake
Can move faster than a bird with wings.
On the third day after his mother’s death,
Mosuan○22 barged into their home.

“Respected Bugan,
Among the ninety-nine village chiefs,
You are always the one seated first;
When the people of ninety-nine villages sacrifice to the Dragon,
You are the one who eats the rooster’s head.
Your loss of a wife is a tragedy—
Wherever the river flows,
People weep for your sorrow.

One piece of firewood cannot start a flame,
One household alone does not make a village,
Without a bow, no arrow can be shot,
And without a wife, there is no home.

My sister Yisha is virtuous and capable of managing a household,
Let her come serve you, like ox and horse.”

Mosuan’s words moved Bugan’s heart,
And so he married Yisha into the family.

An old horse brings a foal,
Floodwaters carry silt—
Sangluo now had a stepmother,
And the stepmother brought her daughter, Yanla.

The heart of Jinzhu Biao⑧ is the cruelest,
And Yisha’s heart was no less ruthless.

The fragrant, steamed bianmi (扁米)—
Sangluo wasn’t allowed a single bite,
All was saved for Yanla.
The tangy, sour fish zha—
Sangluo didn’t get a single tail,
All was reserved for Yanla.

Yanla went to the market,
Wrapped grilled nuo⑨ in banana leaves;
Sangluo went to catch fish,
Wrapped grilled an⑩ in banana leaves.

She dwelled in the bamboo house in comfort,
Sheltered from storms by yellow bark thatch,
While Sangluo grew taller with each passing day,
Nourished by the waters of the Mengsa River.

At fifteen,
Sangluo was as valiant as a golden deer.
When a Luobo girl (卜少) secretly stole a glance at him,
She couldn’t spin a single thread for three days,
Nor weave a bolt of cloth in nine.

When fetching water, she’d take a detour past his house;
At the market, she’d use thirst as an excuse to ask for water.
Affectionately, the Luobo girl sang softly:

“Handsome Luobo youth,
You are the sun in the sky,
You are the strong and agile golden deer.
In the crickets’ chirping deep night,
In the mist-shrouded jungle,
I wish to sing you a tune sweeter than honey.”

IV. Blue Sky and White Clouds

Golden dawn arrives at Mengsa Plain,
The morning breeze blows the sound of gongs into the phoenix bamboo grove.
The Mengsa River sparkles with golden ripples,
Waterbirds rise and fall above the river.

Sanluo and Lijiang cast their nets in the water,
Three casts yield no fish,
Nine casts yield no shrimp.

Two parrots sing by the riverbank:
“Sanluo, Sanluo,
Hundred flowers go searching for spring,
Colorful clouds go chasing the blue sky.
There are hidden reefs downstream,
Upstream lies Lang’e.”

To find flowers, follow their scent,
To collect honey, follow the bees’ hum.
Lijiang drifts toward the dangerous shoals,
Sanluo heads upstream in search of Lang’e.

Is it that all earthly flowers bloom at once?
Or have celestial flowers come down to earth?
It turns out Lang’e is grooming herself by the rocks,
Her hair bun is as glossy as black gemstones,
Her floral comb as fresh as red tea,
Her earrings sparkle like stars,
Her figure is like a newly budded willow veiled in mist.

Sanluo’s heart surges like joyous waves,
His voice of praise flows like a cascading spring:
“The enchanting moon is far above in the sky,
Yet people can see it clearly.
The beautiful jade maiden lives on earth,
How could I ever overlook her?
Congratulations to my lucky day,
To behold the pure and flawless Bushao,
Like a ray of dawn breaking through clouds,
Illuminating the mountains and waters.
Please open your lips,
And tell me your sweet name,
Or I shall carry lifelong sorrow.”

Lang’e’s bright eyes shine with intelligence,
Her beautiful face blooms like mountain flowers,
Her voice flows like spring water through a ravine:
“Handsome brother,
Thank you for your praise,
Your charming song has stirred my heart.
No wonder the sky is so bright,
A jade qilin has flown from afar,
Radiating brilliance.
The footprints you left behind,
Shine with clarity too.
Hearing your praise,
My cheeks burn as if scorched by fire,
My heart flutters like a startled fawn.
If you don’t mind my request,
I wish to carry your image home,
And call to it in my dreams.”

“Oh beautiful and wise Bushao,
Just as the rainbow belongs with the blue sky,
The phoenix can be kept in a golden cage.
But alas, I cannot weave a golden cage,
Jinglong Village cannot raise a phoenix.
If I could only receive one feather,
I would press it to my burning heart.
If it chose to perch in my bamboo house,
I would give it my heart and share my joy.”

Pluck the strings of the love harp,
And it chimes with sweet, clear notes;
Speak to Bushao’s heart,
And it feels like drinking three bowls of honey.

“A colorful cloud must have brilliant hues,
To serve as the robe of the sun;
A betel nut tree must stand tall and straight,
To grow on a high cliff.
If a golden cage would feed a little Nongbi bird,
The bird would sing the songs of its heart with joy.
If a jade basin would plant a humble foxtail grass,
Even the foxtail would bloom with fragrance to please its keeper.”

Colorful clouds pair with the blue sky,
The golden deer nestles with the phoenix.
Lang’e and Sanluo,
Stroll along the fragrant path.
The flowers nod at them,
The butterflies dance for them.

Both feel their tongues too clumsy,
Unable to fully express the weight of love.
Love blossoms like twin lotus flowers blooming side by side,
Once in love, one longs
Like thirsty land waiting for sweet rain from the sky,
Like a drenched earth awaiting the warm sun.

Quick, build a hut with green bamboo leaves,
Quick, lay a bed with wide banana leaves,
Quick, pull out the shining red thread—
For two lovers are ready to tie the knot.

V. Rain, Dew, and Blossoms

Leaving behind the tender bamboo grove,
Feels like a sharp knife twisting the heart;
Parting from the one I love,
Is as painful as scraping against rough tree bark.

Sunlight returns to the treetop of the great green tree,
The mist and dew have already dispersed.
Lang’e returns to Jingduan Village,
But her heart, full of longing,
Cannot be calmed or cleared.

She boils a duck egg, but eats only half,
Embroidering a pillow, but rests on only one side.

“Sanluo, oh Sanluo,
If you want a phoenix feather,
Go pick one beneath the parasol tree.
If you want twin lotus blossoms,
Go gather them from the river’s heart.
If you seek true love,
Why haven’t you come yet?”

For Chinese version please go to:
http://www.ynich.cn/view-ml-11111-1113.html