汉末大乱，连年烽火，蔡文姬在逃难中被匈奴所掳，流落塞外，后来与左贤王结成夫妻，生了两个儿女。在塞外她度过了十二个春秋，但她无时无刻不在思念故乡。曹操平定了中原，与匈奴修好，派使节用
重金赎回文姬，于是她写下了著名长诗《胡笳十八拍》，叙述了自己一生不幸的遭遇。

《胡笳十八拍·第十六拍》 蔡琰

十六拍兮思茫茫，我与儿兮各一方。
日东月西兮徒相望，不得相随兮空断肠。
对萱草兮徒想忧忘，弹鸣琴兮情何伤。
今别子兮归故乡，旧怨平兮新怨长。
泣血仰头兮诉苍苍，生我兮独罹此殃。

Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute Song 16 Cai Yan

In my fifteenth song the tempo of the melody quickens,
The spirit which rises in my breast, who understands its song?
I lived in a yurt with the nomads, their customs so different and strange,
I longed to return to my home, and Heaven granted my wish,
My return to China should be enough to gladden my heart.
But my heart is full of memories that feed my ever-deepening sorrow,
The sun and moon are impartial, yet they fail to shine on me.
The thoughts of children and mother separated are hard to bear;
Though the same sky is our canopy, we are like distant constellations,
Not knowing if one or another lives or dies, or where we might find each other.

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