Gazing at Zhongnan’s Snow Zu Yong (699-746?) As snow on Zhongnan Mountain floats in bloomsTo form beyond the peak in cloudy netsThe forest clears in brightly colored hues—But in the town, the cold and darkness sets. Chinese 終南望餘雪祖詠 終南陰嶺秀積雪浮雲端林表明霽色城中增暮寒 Pronunciation Zhōng Nán Wàng Yú XuěZǔ Yǒng Zhōng nán yīn lǐng …
Read MoreFresh Wood (for Luo Xue)
Fresh Wood (for Luo Xue) Wen Tianxiang (1236-1283) A sigh, sigh sound from woods up high to low;We close the gate and cover up with fur—Spring feelings flow along the mountain gorge;At dawn I rise to touch and look at her. Chinese 贈羅雪崖樵青文天祥 蕭蕭山下人閉門衣裘單春心動溪谷曉起捫松看 Pronunciation Zèng Luó Xuě Yá …
Read MoreFarewell to Meng Haoran
My dear old friend who’s parting WestBeneath the Yellow Towers;While falling on the Yangzhou landsAre mists and springtime flowers. Your orphan boat’s a distant shade,That sails where blue skies go;I look upon the water tides—Until the end they flow. By Li Bai, tr. from the Chinese by …
Read MoreFarewell to a Dear Friend
Within the mountain midst, a farewell scene:I shut my door, the sun begins to set.In spring next year the grass will turn to green,But if you’ll come back here, I know not yet. Chinese 送別 山中相送罷，日暮掩柴扉。春草明年綠，王孫歸不歸。 Pronunciation Sòng Bié Shān zhōng xiāng sòng bà，Rì mù yǎn chái fēi。Chūn cǎo nián nián …
Read MoreDeer Woods
Inside the empty hills I see no men,The human words I hear are merely echoes.Returning deep within the woods again,The light reflects atop, where green moss grows. Chinese 鹿柴 空山不見人，但聞人語響。返景入深林，復照青苔上。 Pronunciation Lù Chái Kōng shān bù jiàn rén，Dàn wén rén yǔ xiǎng。Fǎn jǐng rù shēn lín，Fù zhào qīng tái shàng。 Literal …
Read MoreEarth
If you want to milk the Earth as a cow, Then nourish the soil with seed and plow; For when it’s set with deep grown roots, Like a plentiful tree, it will yield many fruits. Inspired by a Sanskrit poem by Bhartri-Hari, as translated in …
Read MoreGazing at Heaven’s Gate
The River Chu has split the hills in twoTo send the jade-brushed water east and back,Around the two opposing hills anewAs a lonely boat sits still in a sunlit crack. Original Chinese poem by Li Bai
Read MoreA Song While I Study
Happiness is yet to come— From low I grasp the light To embrace the empty sky, But no moon or stars tonight. Translation of an anonymous Chinese poem
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