;
A mother saw I, pulling her threads,Mending the clothes of her
departing son.Her rapid actions exacerbated By his imminent
departure, While desiring nothing stronger Than for him to come
home Safe and soon! My friends, if you ask me, Whether this feeble,
inch long grass Can repay the immense kindness Of sunshine in
Spring, I would be at a loss for an answer!
Mang Jiao
*********************************
I particularly loves the aromatic plants by the water. Above an
oriole sings full- throated into the wood. Spring waters swollen
with rain, It becomes swift towards the evening. By a wild dock
where no one sets foot on, A moored boat re-oriented itself with
the current.
Wei Yinwu
*************************************He was also called Wai So
Chow as he had been the Governor of So Chow. He died at the age of
90 at a time when the average life-span in China was 45. Top of
Form
Ah, there she was,In cloud-fancied dresses.Framed by lovely
tresses,A flower- fancied look!Heavy dew balconyHer flesh ivoryBy
Spring breeze was caressed!Had we not met inThis Jade- Clustered
Mountain,I would have imaginedOur date under the moon,Where nymph
and I were joinedAt a sacred fountain!
Li Bai
***********************************
At this height we can see The citadels of the ancient Qin Under
clouds driven by swift wind, The meeting place of the 5 rivers.
Like brothers traversing in Our Respective destiny of officialdom,
We must go each on our own way. As long as we can endear our hearts
With this friendship started long ago in China, You may be off to
The farthest reach of the empire, We shall still be like neighbors
Living next door to each other! Why then, my kind friend, Do we
shed such tears In this moment of farewell? We really look like Two
babies crying, dont we?
***************************************
Her pending visit wasJust an empty promise!Gone was she,Forever
gone was she, in truth!At dawn, the crescent moonHanged atop the
roof.In my dreamI saw her off for a long trip,Loud did I cry,
without avail,Cried I aloud but she vanished.I wrote her a letter
in haste,It was written in such great hasteThat the ink was still
quite runny.The candlelight IlluminatedHalf that cage of the
kingfisher's.The musk fragrance gently diffusedThe
hibiscus-embroidered net!
May I tell you where my love's gone?If Master Lau's Fung
Mountain's far,The one in the folklore,-- my friend,Wherever she
went was farther,Ah, so infinitely farther!
Li Sheng Yin
**************************************
; ;
A bright moonHas just come out of TianshanO how it floats
betweenThe vastness of heaven and sea!A fierce wind must have
traveledThousands of milesTo blow over the Yumen Pass!Here's Biden
Road,Where the Han EmperorHad managed to escape from a
siege.There's Tsinghai Bay,Where the Hu armiesAre still covetously
eyeing our lands.Right from the very beginningThese places are
battlegroundsFrom where no one was seenComing out alive!The
garrison men are keeping watchOver the frontier with sad
faces,Twisted from missing their homes.Meanwhile, I can imagineThat
back home,Their spouses are alsoHeaving sighs non-stopFrom the
lookouts of towers!Li Bai
***********************************
;
In Springtime the orchid leaves are so luxuriant,During the
Fall, Osmanthus flowers so pure and bright!Seeing such boom and
feeling their thriving,One recognizes a lovely festival!How is it
possible for anyone to understand a forest-dweller,Who catches on
their fragrance and becomes contented with gladness,As if in
saying, the plants and trees all have self-natures of their own,Why
would they need a beautiful woman to pluck them at all?
Zheng Jiu Lin
***************************************
I go to an old temple at daybreak.The dawning sun shines upon
the high forest.A bamboo path leads me to a quiet place!There, the
monks' quarters are deep in the flowers and wood.Even the birds are
delighted by the mountain views.As I see my own reflection on the
lake, all desires vanish.At that very moment everything become
still.Nothings heard beyond the sound of bells and chimes
Chang Jian
**************************************
Very much do I admire Master Mang!His poems in China are so
renowned!In youth, he did smash his dream of power.When aged, to
pines and flowers he retired!Oft he viewed the moon
intoxicatedAttached to flowers, attached was he well!To serve his
sovereign? Oh, what the hell !Can you really emulate mountain
tall?No, sir! but to steal some fragrance, that's all !
Li Bai
***************************************
Alone on a boat ,A boat with tilted mast...On the shore you can
feelA breeze caresses the grass!Stars hang downOn the wild plain
wide.Waves of this great riverPush the lone moon high!Have my poems
brought me fame?Owing to Ill healthI must quit this game!This
instability,This turmoil in life!May I tell you what it's like?A
gull, it's like a gullAfloat, wavering and surf Between the good
EarthAnd Heaven bright!
Tu Fu
***************************************
From all things worldlyAm I now withdrawn fully!Getting old,
it's quietude I favor.To the world, neither have IAny good
solutions to offer!Only I know what suits me best:Coming home to
old forest nest!Pine wind blows aloof my clothing.Mountain moon
shines on me harp playing.You ask how must ones life wisdom
keep?Hear thee, hear thee, the fishermen's songsThat travel into
the riverside deep?
Wang Wei
***********************************
In my middle ageI was into Buddhism and a fan.As my age
advances,I live by the edge of Zhong Nan Shan.It pleases me
whenever I deem,Alone I would venture out.Alone can I feel the joy
supreme!I would sit and watch the rise of cloudsAs I come to the
end of the stream.Sometime I would see my forest chum.Oh, we would
just laugh and chat,And so completely would I forget -Forget about
getting home!
Wang Wei
*********************************
Parallel to the wall by the north
The green mountains line.
To the east of town
A clear river winds.
It's here that we must say good bye!
And like the rootless punta,
You'll journey ten thousand miles!
While the setting sun is our sadness,
Floating clouds would sail your mind!
We come apart at the waves of hands,
Bitterly the horse that leaves its herd whines!
Li Bai
Morning rain clarifies the dust In City of Wei.It repaints the
hostel willowsRefreshes its green, this gentle day!More wine,
man?West of Pass Yang, Never are we to meet,Never again, Oh, dear
friend!
Wang Wei
******************************
The old master had departedOn the back of his yellow
crane!What's left here,Empty Tower Yellow Crane!Yellow crane had
since returned no more.For thousands of years,White clouds set
their sailsB'twixt heaven's vast empty shores!On any fine day on
the stream,Far-away trees of Han YangAre visible in the sun's
beam.Aromatic plants everywhere,So luxuriant on Parrot Island
there!Whose hometown now will the sun set on?Verily I wonder who?An
answer not forthcoming,Misty waves on the riverCan surely, surely
sadden you!
Cui Hao
Grass has grown in such exuberance...Profuse is the rain near
Memorial Day!Mirrored in the dam are the willows,This wheat-
seedlings- wind really makes them sway!But look! With homes they
can ne'er go back to,This throng of abject miserable!Oh, cuckoo,
please, Please leave me too!Weep thou with such ebullient
sorrow!
ANONYMOUS
;
Master Jun with Lu Yee harp in his armsDescended Mount Emei.Down
the west slope descended he!With one stroke he made such soundAs
wondrous magic came to be!His music can blow your mind, like a
windThat combed through ten thousand pines!The languishing stream
thus createdWashed away all desires in my heart.Desires utterly
detached,And desires became unrelated!Then came the Finale, Unto
which frost-chimes gained entry.Lost in this music most divine,
found IOn the emerald mountain, last beam die!Thereupon I
wondered,How many layers now,Are formed of the dimming autumn
clouds ?
Li Bai
While a visitor in Liang Chuan,We partied together,And bothgot
drunk.
This stream has flowedFor ten years,- oh well,Ever since
floating clouds -Bade each other farewell!
United again today,Albeit with no changes -In our old joyous
ways!
Looking at our own hair,So much whiter and rarer,We all are!
Why this return for the north, gentle friend?Leaving me behind,
as alone as one can?
Here on River Huai,So blankly staring am I!Ah, here on Huai
River,Stare I into autumn hills forever!
WEI YINWU
Ascending, on an autumn dayThis ancient tower of desertion,Is
truly a sure wayTo rouse your homesickemotions!Here a remote
templeWith few visitors stands.There, a deep river
dividesCloud-capped mountains.The setting sun is attachedTo the
citadel ruins still,While cold temple chimesThe empty forest
fill!South Dynasty's sad tales are no more,Yet the great YangtzeIs
still roaring along the shores!Liu Changqing
***********************************
, 7/4/16, 11:30 AM - Ben Lau :A bright moon is born of the
sea.From here till land's end,This beauteous moment share we!Lovers
must hate lying awake,Missing each other through the night!Loving
the full moon,She blows out the light.She puts on the gown,As she
feels the heavy dew around.Gifting this moon to himWith both hands
she can't.She hopes to step into dreams,Wherein they can meet
again!Zhang Jiu Ling
*******************************
From the west wing, thou cicada,I hear thee sing!And this
prisoner'sHome-sickness is aroused!Can I be so unmoved by thee,Thou
glimpse of jet-black cloud?Crying out thy heart,High up in the
air,Plaintively whispering to me,One of greying hair!"So hard to
fly!-"When heavy dew presses on wings!""As wind turns noisy,"My
voices just drowned out!"-- you sing.Since no one can believeThou
possess nobility,Would they understand though,My admiration for
thee ?
LUO BIN WANG
Superb calligraphic master, also a great poet...
Long had I been burdenedBy my officialdom!Thus I'm so gladWith
this south-bound demotion!Whenever I'm free,Socialize would IWith
nearby peasantry!A forest dweller occasionallyMyself I turn out to
be!At dawn I plough,And I turn over the dewy grass.At dusk I create
such noise,As my moving boatWith the brook stones crash!Not a
single soulDo I see coming or going.So full-throated praise IThe
blue of the southern skySolo in my singing!
Liu Zong Yuen
**********************************
Behold the abundant grass on earth!Yearly it completesIts cycle
of death and birth!Wild fire fails to burn it out,When Spring
breeze blows,Again it sprouts!As far as the ancient road leads,It
keeps up its invasion.For dotty citadel ruins,It provides gleeful
connections!Now that we say farewell again,The lush grass fully
displaysSuch departure emotion!
BAI JU YI
Night of east wind:Fireworks explode.Flowering a thousand trees
in all,Stars plummet,Like a profusion of rainfall!Treasured horses
drawing wagonsOf sculpted elegance loom,Leaving the streets fully
perfumed!Phoenix flutes carry such fine tunes-That hold your heart
in swoon!Jade pots swirl,Wildly, wildly reflecting the moon!Night
then becomes a danceOf fish and glorious dragons.And the night
magic's on!Lovely dames pass me by,In their jackets of golden
threads,Gleefully chatting and laughing,...And their light-footed
treads,Behind with a perfume trail leaving!A thousand times sought
her-- I,Amidst the crowd of bodies and heads,But have I so lost
track, alas!Suddenly with a turn of my head,And behold: there
she's,-- my lass!A rather dark corner that,--There, a dark
corner'sWhere my love's at!Xin Qi Ji
Behold this poor migrant,Who once conqueredThe southern lands!A
hundred thousandsWas he put in command.After the war,He's no
longerA commander of men.Now in his old age,Cherishes he stillThe
enlightened days!He stands alone with peaceOn all three sides.Only
his sword knowsHe's not afraid to die!Ah, on the vast river
wide,With the sun setting,Where will he go?Wherefore he wanders,--
why?
LIU CHEUNG QING
Qing Ping Le Yan Shu
With small charactersWritten on red letter pad.Nothing in my
bosomIs left unsaid.With hong yan in cloudAnd fish within water,I
fear though,My feeling for theeAre ne'er delivered!Alone at sunsetI
look out from Tower West.Oh, alone do I look! --Distant hills
happen to faceThe curtain hook!Where gone are thou,Dream girl lil
?--Ne'er was I told!Flowing eastward stillAre these currents
emerald!
On Phoenix Tower,There dwelled a true Phoenix once.When Phoenix
departed,Tower was deserted!Of wondrous Phoenix--There is
none!Undeterred though,Is the great river in its run!A quiet path's
buried in fullBy growing plants and flowersFrom out the Palaces of
Wu!Jin Dynasty's many notables,--An ancient mound's formedFrom
countless state funerals.There stands three mountains,Half of whose
forms,--Are found beyond green heaven!Here flow the two streams,As
river was divided midwayBy Egret Island to this day!Floating clouds
alwaysBlock the sun brilliant.Ah, much sadden am I,Not being in
sight of Chiang An--The Capitol Magnificent!
Li Bai
Oh, what carefree art!Along a clear brook,In the deep
forest,--What cruise on horse-drawn cart!The gushing streamSenses
my feeling,And home-bound birdsDo fly with me-- it seems,In this
wondrous evening!Ancient dock by a deserted town,Autumn hills,See
how they are filled,--With dying beam at sundown!Farther away is
home,At the foot of magnificent Song,Coming home,Gladly will I
close my gate,Just too glad to be alone!
Wang Wei
Along the way can be seenAll over the moss my foot-prints.White
clouds linger by the quiet shore.Spring grass blocks a restful
door!To view the after-rainFreshness of the pinesI follow the
mountainsWhere the water-source I find.Brook flowers in this Zen
moment,Render me speechless,--They are such exuberance!Liu Chang
Qing--
Departed is the strangerWho dwelled in the tower high...Petals
from his small garden wildly fly!Crooked paddy paths,--They
randomly land upon.Waving their farewell lastTo the setting sun
beyond.Too heartbroken to sweep them away!Seeing how they wishThey
can come back some other days!Ah, wondrous hearts ofnoble
fragrance!Thou has set me in dismay.The death of Spring already
saddens,I must also shed tears for thy fate!
Li Shang Yin
Over at Mountain North,Within the white clouds deep,There dwells
a happy hermit.Blissful unto himselfThe hermit keeps!To see him
wanted I,-So scaled I the stiff cliff high.Trailing the yans in
flightAll my desires died.Yet sadness did lingerWith the light
mist's rise...While my passion was inspiredBy a clear Autumn
sky!Resting by the dock,Home-bound villagers saw I,As walking on
sandHad made them tired!Far beyond were trees,Looking like chestnut
grass.Oh, they appeared so t-i-n-y!By the shore was an
islandShaping like the moon.Shall we come here,- and bring wine?Oh,
it'd better be soon!We shall then get high,In celebration of the
Double-nine!
Meng Hao Ran
(Double -nine is a festival that falls on the ninth day of the
ninth month. To celebrate it, people all over China leave their
towns for the mountains.)
8/14/16, 2:40 PM - Ben Lau :
Prolonged rain with its dampnessHas delayed the fire for
cookingIn the vast empty forest.Being prepared are mealsFor those
laboring in the east field.Over the patterned paddyI see an egret
flying.In summer wood's deep shadesAn oriole merrily sings.Morning
at the mountain meditationHibiscus is in my contemplation.Under the
pines,I enjoy a vegetarian meal,And I pluck a sunflower with
dew.This old man of the wild is done--Worldly competition he has
with none.Why then- oh, gull from the sea!Remains thou so
suspicious of me?
WANG WEI