The Old Dust

The living is a passing traveler; The dead, a man come home. One brief journey betwixt heaven and earth, Then, alas! we are the same old dust of ten thousand ages. The rabbit in the moon pounds the medicine in vain; Fu sang, the tree of immortality, has crumbled to !indling wood. "an dies, his white bones are dumb without a word #hen the green pines feel the coming of the spring. $oo!ing bac!, % sigh; $oo!ing before, % sigh again. #hat is there to pri&e in the life's vaporous glory(
Translated by:Shigeyoshi Obata

A Mountain Revelry

To wash and rinse our souls of their age old sorrows, #e drained a hundred jugs of wine. ) splendid night it was . . . . %n the clear moonlight we were loath to go to bed, *ut at last drun!enness overtoo! us; )nd we laid ourselves down on the empty mountain, The earth for pillow, and the great heaven for coverlet.

Translated by+ ,higeyoshi Obata

Alone and Drinking Under the Moon

)mongst the flowers % am alone with my pot of wine drin!ing by myself; then lifting my cup % as!ed the moon to drin! with me, its reflection

and mine in the wine cup, just the three of us; then % sigh for the moon cannot drin!, and my shadow goes emptily along with me never saying a word; with no other friends here, % can but use these two for company; in the time of happiness, % too must be happy with all around me; % sit and sing and it is as if the moon accompanies me; then if % dance, it is my shadow that dances along with me; while still not drun!, % am glad to ma!e the moon and my shadow into friends, but then when % have drun! too much, we all part; yet these are friends % can always count on these who have no emotion whatsoever; % hope that one day we three will meet again, deep in the "il!y #ay.

Translated by+ -ewi )llen

Alone Looking At The Mountain

)ll the birds have flown up and gone; ) lonely cloud floats leisurely by. #e never tire of loo!ing at each other Only the mountain and %. Green Mountain

.ou as! me why % live on /reen "ountain ( % smile in silence and the 0uiet mind.

1each petals blow on mountain streams To earths and s!ies beyond 2uman!ind.

Translated by+ ). ,. 3line's

Green Mountain

.ou as! me why % dwell in the green mountain; % smile and ma!e no reply for my heart is free of care. )s the peach blossom flows down stream and is gone into the un!nown, % have a world apart that is not among men.

Bathed And Washed

4*athed in fragrance, do not brush your hat; #ashed in perfume, do not sha!e your coat+ 43nowing the world fears what is too pure, The wisest man pri&es and stores light!4 *y *luewater an old angler sat+ .ou and % together, $et us go home

Clearing At Dawn

The fields are chill, the sparse rain has stopped; The colours of ,pring teem on every side. #ith leaping fish the blue pond is full; #ith singing thrushes the green boughs droop. The flowers of the field have dabbled their powdered chee!s; The mountain grasses are bent level at the waist.

*y the bamboo stream the last fragment of cloud *lown by the wind slowly scatters away.

Translated by+ )rthur #aley

Down From The Mountain

)s down "ount 5merald at eve % came, The mountain moon went all the way with me. *ac!ward % loo!ed, to see the heights aflame #ith a pale light that glimmered eerily. ) little lad undid the rustic latch )s hand in hand your cottage we did gain, #here green limp tendrils at our cloa!s did catch, )nd dim bamboos o'erhung a shadowy lane. /aily % cried, 42ere may we rest our fill!4 Then choicest wines we 0uaffed; and cheerily 4The #ind among the 1ines4 we sang, until ) few faint stars hung in the /alaxy. "erry were you, my friend+ and drun! was %, *lissfully letting all the world go by.

Down the Mountain (Reaching the Hermitage) )t evening % ma!e it down the mountain. 3eeping company with the moon. $oo!ing bac! % see the paths %6ve ta!en *lue now, blue beneath the s!yline. .ou greet me, show the hidden trac!, #here children pull bac! hawthorn curtains, -eveal green bamboo, the secret path, 7ines that touch the traveller6s clothes. % love finding space to rest, 8lear wine to enjoy with you. #ind in the pines till voices stop, ,ongs till the Ocean of 2eaven pales. % get drun! and you are happy, *oth of us pleased to forget the world. 7ersion by+ ). ,. 3line's version

Hard s The !ourney

/old vessels of fine wines, thousands a gallon, 9ade dishes of rare meats, costing more thousands, % lay my chopstic!s down, no more can ban0uet, % draw my sword and stare wildly about me+ %ce bars my way to cross the .ellow -iver, ,nows from dar! s!ies to climb the T'ai hang mountains! )t peace % drop a hoo! into a broo!let, )t once %'m in a boat but sailing sunward... :2ard is the journey, 2ard is the journey,

,o many turnings, )nd now where am %(; ,o when a bree&e brea!s waves, bringing fair weather, % set a cloud for sails, cross the blue oceans! THE HARD ROAD

1ure wine costs, for the golden cup, ten thousand coppers a flagon, )nd a jade plate of dainty food calls for a million coins. % fling aside my food stic!s and cup, % cannot eat nor drin!.... % pull out my dagger, % peer four ways in vain. % would cross the .ellow -iver, but ice cho!es the ferry; % would climb the Taihang "ountains, but the s!y is blind with snow.... % would sit and poise a fishing pole, la&y by a broo! *ut % suddenly dream of riding a boat, sailing for the sun.... 9ourneying is hard, 9ourneying is hard. There are many turnings #hich am % to follow(.... % will mount a long wind some day and brea! the heavy waves )nd set my cloudy sail straight and bridge the deep, deep sea.

version by+ #itter *ynner's

His Dream "# $kyland

< The seafarers tell of the 5astern %sle of *liss, %t is lost in a wilderness of misty sea waves. *ut the ,!y land of the south, the .ueh landers say, "ay be seen through crac!s of the glimmering cloud. This land of the s!y stretches across the leagues of heaven; %t rises above the Five "ountains and towers over the ,carlet 8astle, #hile, as if staggering before it, the Tien tai 1ea! Of forty eight thousand feet leans toward the southeast. ,o, longing to dream of the southlands of #u and .ueh, % flew across the "irror $a!e one night under the moon. The moon in the la!e followed my flight, Followed me to the town of .en chi.

2ere still stands the mansion of 1rince 2sieh. % saw the green waters curl and heard the mon!eys' shrill cries. % climbed, putting on the clogs of the prince, ,!yward on a ladder of clouds, )nd half way up from the s!y wall % saw the morning sun, )nd heard the heaven's coc! crowing in the mid air. =ow among a thousand precipices my way wound round and round; Flowers cho!ed the path; % leaned against a roc!; % swooned. -oaring bears and howling dragons roused me> Oh, the clamorous waters of the rapids! % trembled in the deep forest, and shuddered at the overhanging crags, one heaped upon another. 8louds on clouds gathered above, threatening rain; The waters gushed below, brea!ing into mist. ) peal of blasting thunder! The mountains crumbled. The stone gate of the hollow heaven Opened wide, revealing ) vasty realm of a&ure without bottom, ,un and moon shining together on gold and silver palaces. 8lad in rainbow and riding on the wind, The ladies of the air descended li!e flower, fla!es; The faery lords trooping in, they were thic! as hemp stal!s in the fields. 1hoenix birds circled their cars, and panthers played upon harps. *ewilderment filled me, and terror sei&ed on my heart. % lifted myself in ama&ement, and alas! % wo!e and found my bed and pillow> /one was the radiant world of gossamer. ,o with all pleasures of life. )ll things pass with the east flowing water. % leave you and go>when shall % return( $et the white roe feed at will among the green crags, $et me ride and visit the lovely mountains! 2ow can % stoop obse0uiously and serve the mighty ones! %t stifles my soul.

Translated by+ ,higeyoshi Obata

Leaving White %ing City

#hite 3ing 8ity % left at dawn in the morning glow of the clouds; The thousand miles to 8hiang ling we sailed in a single day. On either shore the gibbons' chatter sounded without pause #hile my light boat s!immed past ten thousand sombre crags.

Looking For A Monk And &ot Finding Him

% too! a small path leading up a hill valley, finding there a temple, its gate covered with moss, and in front of the door but trac!s of birds; in the room of the old mon! no one was living, and % staring through the window saw but a hair duster hanging on the wall, itself covered with dust; emptily % sighed thin!ing to go, but then turning bac! several times, seeing how the mist on the hills was flying, and then a light rain fell as if it were flowers falling from the s!y, ma!ing a music of its own; away in the distance came the cry of a mon!ey, and for me the cares of the world slipped away, and % was filled with the beauty around me.

Translated by+ -ewi )llen

"n %usu Terra'e

The old gardens of 3usu Terrace are a wilderness, yet the willows that remain still put out new branches; lasses gathering water chestnuts sing so loudly and with such clarity, that the feeling of spring returns to us; but where once stood the palace of the 3ing of #u, now

only the moon over the west river once shone on the lovely ladies there.

Translated by+ -ewi )llen

To His Two Children

%n the land of #u the mulberry leaves are green, )nd thrice the sil!worms have gone to sleep. %n 5ast $uh where my family stay, % wonder who is sowing those fields of ours. % cannot be bac! in time for the spring doings, .et % can help nothing, traveling on the river. The south wind blowing wafts my homesic! spirit )nd carries it up to the front of our familiar tavern. There % see a peach tree on the east side of the house #ith thic! leaves and branches waving in the blue mist. %t is the tree % planted before my parting three years ago. The peach tree has grown now as tall as the tavern roof, #hile % have wandered about without returning. 1ing yang, my pretty daughter, % see you stand *y the peach tree and pluc! a flowering branch. .ou pluc! the flowers, but % am not there 2ow your tears flow li!e a stream of water! "y little son, 1o chin, grown up to your sister's shoulders, .ou come out with her under the peach tree, *ut who is there to pat you on the bac!( #hen % thin! of these things, my senses fail, )nd a sharp pain cuts my heart every day. =ow % tear off a piece of white sil! to write this letter, )nd send it to you with my love a long way up the river.

Translated by+ ,higeyoshi Obata A FAREWELL TO SECRETARY SH Y ! AT THE "#ET#AO $#LLA #! " A!%HO

,ince yesterday had to throw me and bolt, Today has hurt my heart even more. The autumn wild geese have a long wind for escort )s % face them from this villa, drin!ing my wine. The bones of great writers are your brushes, in the ,chool of 2eaven, )nd % am a $esser ?ie growing up by your side. #e both are exalted to distant thought,

)spiring to the s!y and the bright moon. *ut since water still flows, though we cut it with our swords, )nd sorrows return, though we drown them with wine, ,ince the world can in no way answer our craving, % will loosen my hair tomorrow and ta!e to a fishing boat

sat drinking
% sat drin!ing and did not notice the dus!, Till falling petals filled the folds of my dress. @run!en % rose and wal!ed to the moonlit stream; The birds were gone, and men also few.

Translated by+ )rthur #aley

Li (o (oems

Li Po Poems II
Climbing West of Lotus Flower ea! )mongst the grandeur of 2ua ,han % climb to the Flower 1ea!, and fancy % see fairies and immortals carrying lotus in their sacred white hands, robes flowing they fly filling the s!y with colour as they rise to the palace of heaven, inviting me to go to the cloud stage and see #ei ,hu ching, guardian angel of 2ua ,han; so dreamily % go with them riding to the s!y on the bac! of wild geese which call as they fly, but when we loo! below at $oyang, not so clear because of the mist, everywhere could be seen looting armies, which too! $oyang, creating chaos and madness with blood flowing everywhere; li!e animals of prey rebel army men made into officials with caps and robes to match.

The !ewel $tairs) *rievan'e

Li Po
The jewelled steps are already 0uite white with dew, %t is so late that the dew soa!s my gau&e stoc!ings, )nd % let down the crystal curtain )nd watch the moon through the clear autumn. :tr. 5&ra 1ound, who adds the following =OT5+ 9ewel stairs, therefore a palace. /rievance, therefore there is something to complain of. /au&e stoc!ings, therefore a court lady, not a servant who complains. 8lear autumn, therefore he has no excuse on account of the weather. )lso she has come early, for the dew has not merely whitened the stairs, but has soa!ed her stoc!ings. The poem is especially pri&ed because she utters no direct reproach.;
THE RIVER-MERCHANT'S WI E While !y hair "as still #$t straight a#ross !y %orehead I &layed abo$t the %ront gate' &$lling %lo"ers( )o$ #a!e by on ba!boo stilts' &laying horse' )o$ "al*ed abo$t !y seat' &laying "ith bl$e &l$!s( And "e "ent on li+ing in the +illage o% Cho*an: T"o s!all &eo&le' "itho$t disli*e or s$s&i#ion( At %orteen I !arried My ,ord yo$( I ne+er la$ghed' being bash%$l( ,o"ering !y head' I loo*ed at the "all( Called to' a tho$sand ti!es' I ne+er loo*ed ba#*( At %i%teen I sto&&ed s#o"ling' I desired !y d$st to be !ingled "ith yo$rs ore+er and %ore+er and %ore+er( Why sho$ld I #li!b the loo* o$tAt si.teen yo$ de&arted' )o$ "ent into %ar /$-to-en' by the ri+er o% s"irling eddies' And yo$ ha+e been gone %i+e !onths( The !on*eys !a*e sorro"%$l noise o+erhead( )o$ dragged yo$r %eet "hen yo$ "ent o$t( 0y the gate no"' the !oss is gro"n' the di%%erent !osses' Too dee& to #lear the! a"ay1 The lea+es %all early this a$t$!n' in "ind( The &aired b$tter%lies are already yello" "ith A$g$st O+er the grass in the West garden2 They h$rt !e( I gro" older( I% yo$ are #o!ing do"n thro$gh the narro"s o% the ri+er /iang' 3lease let !e *no" be%orehand' And I "ill #o!e o$t to !eet yo$ As %ar as Cho-%$-Sa( 4Note: This is 3o$nd's translation o% a &oe! by the 5th #ent$ry &oet ,i T'ai-3o --- s$#h a %ree translation as to be a +ery di%%erent &oe!(6 0l$e !o$ntains to the north o% the "alls'

White ri+er "inding abo$t the!2 Here "e !$st !a*e se&aration And go o$t thro$gh a tho$sand !iles o% dead grass( Mind li*e a %loating "ide #lo$d' S$nset li*e the &arting o% old a#7$aintan#es Who bo" o+er their #las&ed hands at a distan#e( O$r horses neigh to ea#h others as "e are de&arting( -,i T'ai-&o' trans( E8ra 3o$nd A0O9T T9 9 I !et T$ $ on a !o$ntainto& in A$g$st "hen the s$n "as hot( 9nder the shade o% his big stra" hat his %a#e "as sad-in the years sin#e "e last &arted' he'd gro"n "an' e.ha$sted( 3oor old T$ $' I tho$ght then' he !$st be agoni8ing o+er &oetry again( ,i 3o tr( Ha!ill A9T9MN RIVER SON: The !oon shi!!ers in green "ater( White herons %ly thro$gh the !oonlight( The yo$ng !an hears a girl gathering "ater-#hestn$ts: into the night' singing' they &addle ho!e together( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill

Chiang Chin Chiu +++ Song before Drinking

,ee the waters of the .ellow -iver leap down from 2eaven, -oll away to the deep sea and never turn again! ,ee at the mirror in the 2igh 2all )ged men bewailing white loc!s %n the morning, threads of sil!, %n the evening fla!es of snow. ,natch the joys of life as they come and use them to the full; @o not leave the silver cup idly glinting at the moon. The things that 2eaven made "an was meant to use; ) thousand guilders scattered to the wind may come bac! again. -oast mutton and sliced beef will only taste well %f you drin! with them at one sitting three hundred cups. /reat "aster Ts'Aen, @octor Tan ch'iu, 2ere is wine, do not stop drin!ing *ut listen, please, and % will sing you a song. *ells and drums and fine food, what are they to me #ho only want to get drun! and never again be sober( The ,aints and ,ages of old times are all stoc! and still, Only the might drin!ers of wine have left a name behind. #hen the prince of 8h'Aen gave a feast in the 1alace of 1'ing lo #ith twenty thousand gallons of wine he loosed mirth and play. The master of the feast must not cry that his money is all spent; $et him send to the tavern and fetch wine to !eep our tan!ards filled. 2is five flower horse and thousand guilder coat $et him call the boy to ta!e them along and pawn them for good wine, That drin!ing together we may drive away the sorrows of a thousand years.
Li o

tr. #aley
C,EARIN: AT ;AWN The %ields are #hill' the s&arse rain has sto&&ed2 The #olo$rs o% S&ring tee! on e+ery side( With lea&ing %ish the bl$e &ond is %$ll2 With singing thr$shes the green bo$ghs droo&( The %lo"ers o% the %ield ha+e dabbled their &o"dered #hee*s2 The !o$ntain grasses are bent le+el at the "aist( 0y the ba!boo strea! the last %rag!ent o% #lo$d 0lo"n by the "ind slo"ly s#atters a"ay( ,i 3o

tr. #aley
CON ESSIONA, There "as "ine in a #$& o% gold and a girl o% %i%teen %ro! W$' her eyebro"s &ainted dar* and "ith sli&&ers o% red bro#ade( I% her #on+ersation "as &oor' ho" bea$ti%$lly she #o$ld sing1 Together "e dined and dran* $ntil she settled in !y ar!s( 0ehind her #$rtains e!broidered "ith lot$ses' ho" #o$ld I re%$se the te!&tation o% her ad+an#es,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill I ta*e !y "ine <$g o$t a!ong the %lo"ers to drin* alone' "itho$t %riends( I raise !y #$& to enti#e the !oon( That' and !y shado"' !a*es $s three( 0$t the !oon doesn't drin*' and !y shado" silently %ollo"s( I "ill tra+el "ith !oon and shado"' ha&&y to the end o% s&ring( When I sing' the !oon dan#es( When I dan#e' !y shado" dan#es' too( We share li%e's <oys "hen sober( ;r$n*' ea#h goes a se&arate "ay( Constant %riends' altho$gh "e "ander' "e'll !eet again in the Mil*y Way( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill ,ISTENIN: TO A ,9TE IN )E,,OW CRANE 3AVI,,ION

I #a!e here a "anderer thin*ing o% ho!e' re!e!bering !y %ar a"ay Ch'ang-an( And then' %ro! dee& in )ello" Crane 3a+illion' I heard a bea$ti%$l ba!boo %l$te &lay = alling 3l$! 0losso!s(= It "as late s&ring in a #ity by the ri+er( ,i T'ai-&o

tr. 2amill
MO9NTAIN ;RIN/IN: SON: To dro"n the an#ient sorro"s' "e dran* a h$ndred <$gs o% "ine there in the bea$ti%$l night( We #o$ldn't go to bed "ith the !oon so bright( The and the and %inally the "ine o+er#a!e $s "e lay do"n on the e!&ty !o$ntain-earth %or a &illo"' a blan*et !ade o% hea+en( ,i T'ai-&o

tr. 2amill
ON ;RA:ON HI,, ;r$n* on ;ragon Hill tonight' the banished i!!ortal' :reat White' t$rns a!ong yello" %lo"ers' his s!ile "ide' as his hat sails a"ay on the "ind and he dan#es a"ay in the !oonlight( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill RESENTMENT NEAR THE >A;E STAIRS ;e" "hitens the <ade stairs( This late' it soa*s her ga$8e sto#*ings( She lo"ers her #rystal blind to "at#h the brea*ing' glass-#lear !oon o% a$t$!n( ,i T'ai-&o

tr. 2amill
SE, -A0AN;ONMENT I sat srin*ing and did not noti#e the d$s*'

Till %alling &etals %illed the %olds o% !y dress( ;r$n*en I rose and "al*ed to the !oonlit strea!2 The birds "ere gone' and !en also %e"( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Waley SON: O THE OR:E

The %orge-%ire sets a glo" in the hea+ens' the ha!!er th$nders' sho"ering the s!o*e "ith s&ar*s( A r$ddy s!ithy' the "hite %a#e o% the !oon' and the ha!!er' ringing do"n #old dar* #anyons( ,i T'ai-&o

tr. 2amill

IN THE MO9NTAINS ON A S9MMER ;A) :ently I stir a "hite %eather %an' With o&en shirt sitting in a green "ood( I ta*e o%% !y #a& and hang it on a <$tting stone2 A "ind %ro! the &ine-tree tri#*les on !y bare head( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Waley

TO TAN-CH'I9 My %riend is lodging high in the Eastern Range' ;early lo+ing the bea$ty o% +alleys and hills( At green S&ring he lies in the e!&ty "oods' And is still aslee& "hen the s$n shines on igh( A &ine-tree "ind d$sts his slee+es and #oat2 A &eebly strea! #leans his heart and ears( I en+y yo$' "ho %ar %ro! stri%e and tal* Are high-&ro&&ed on a &illo" o% bl$e #lo$d( ,i 3o tr( Waley TO T9 9 ROM SHANT9N:

)o$ as* ho" I s&end !y ti!e --I nestle against a treetr$n* and listen to a$t$!n "inds in the &ines all night and day( Shant$ng "ine #an't get !e dr$n*( The lo#al &oets bore !e( My tho$ghts re!ain "ith yo$' li*e the Wen Ri+er' endlessly %lo"ing(

,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill WATER A,, AT ,9-SHAN S$nlight strea!s on the ri+er stones( ro! high abo+e' the ri+er steadily &l$nges --three tho$sand %eet o% s&ar*ling "ater --the Mil*y Way &o$ring do"n %ro! hea+en( ,i T'ai-&o tr( Ha!ill