The poem was written on a boat trip along
the Yangtze river, when Li Bai was 26-years-old. He bid farewell to the family and
went on a long trip, ready to explore the world.
the Yangtze river, when Li Bai was 26-years-old. He bid farewell to the family and
went on a long trip, ready to explore the world.
Translation
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Li Bai (701-762)
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李白
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On the Ferry, a Farewell to
Jingmen |
渡荊門送別
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The ferry is distant,
far from Jingmen,
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渡遠
荊門外
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Having come to pass
the Kingdom of Chu.
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來從
楚國遊
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Following mountain peaks
and limitless plains
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山隨
平野盡
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We enter the Yangzi’s
deluge, vast and raw.
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江入
大荒流
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The moon is sinking,
flying through the sky, a
mirror |
月下
飛天鏡
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Giving birth to clouds
that form a vision of
towers in the sea. |
雲生
結海樓
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And yet, I long for
the native waters
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仍憐
故鄉水
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Thousands of miles away
from my farewell boat.
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萬里
送行舟
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Original Chinese
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Traditional
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Simplified
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Pronunciation
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李白
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李白
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Lǐ Bái
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渡荊門送別
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渡荆门送别
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Dù jīng mén sòng bié
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渡遠荊門外，
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渡远荆门外，
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Dù yuǎn jīng mén wài,
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來從楚國遊。
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来从楚国游。
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Lái cóng chu guó yóu.
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山隨平野盡，
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山随平野尽，
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Shān suí píng yě jǐn,
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江入大荒流。
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江入大荒流。
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Jiāng rù dà huāng liú.
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月下飛天鏡，
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月下飞天镜，
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Yuè xià fēi tiān jìng,
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雲生結海樓。
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云生结海楼。
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Yún shēng jié hǎi lóu.
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仍憐故鄉水，
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仍怜故乡水，
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Réng lián gù xiāng shuǐ,
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萬里送行舟。
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万里送行舟。
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Wàn lǐ sòng xíng zhōu.
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Literal Notes
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李白
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Plum White=Li Bai(701-762)
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渡荊門送別
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Cross/to-ferry/pass-through/ferry-over
Jing/thorn/brambles Men/gate/entrance see-off/send-off depart/separate
[Jing Men=a city in Hubei.
It was the border between Chu Kingdom and Shu Kingdom in Sichuan.]
[see-off depart= farewell]
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渡遠荊門外，
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To-ferry/ferry-over/cross
far/distant/remote Jing/thorn/bramble Men/gate/entrance/door outside/external/foreign/in-addition |
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來從楚國遊。
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Come/arrive/come-round/ever-since/next
from/via/passing-through/follow/join/by/through Chu/clear Kingdom/country/nation/state travel/trip/walk/tour/roam |
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山隨平野盡，
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Mountain/hill/gable/peak
follow/comply-with/varying-according-to/allow plain/flat/level/equal/calm/peaceful field/open-space/rude/limit/boundary/feral/open-country/wilderness use-up/end/finish/exhaust/to-the-utmost/to-the-limit/deplete |
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江入大荒流。
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River/large-river
enter/go-into/join big/vast/huge/major/great/wide/deep/great desolate/uncultivated/wasteland/desert flow/disseminate/circulate/spread/move/drift/stream-of-water |
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月下飛天鏡，
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Moon under/downwards/below/lower/later/decline
/to-go-down fly/go-quickly sky/heaven/day mirror/lens |
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雲生結海樓。
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Cloud to-be-born/grow/give-birth-to/life
to-tie/bind/knot/sturdy sea/ocean storied-building/tower
[sea/ocean storied-building/tower=idiom,
mirage] |
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仍憐故鄉水，
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Still/yet/remain/as-ever/again/keep-doing-something/continuing
to-pity/sympathize old/ancient town/village water
[old town=hometown,
homeland, native place] |
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萬里送行舟。
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Thousands-of/10,000/innumerable
miles see-off/send-off walk/go/ to-travel/visit boat |