Chinese Culture Blog

望岳 杜甫 （712 — 770） 岱宗夫如何？齐鲁青未了。 造化钟神秀，阴阳割昏晓。 荡胸生曾云，决眦入归鸟。 会当凌绝顶，一览众山小。 Gazing at Mount Dai Du Fu (712 – 770) Whatever is this Elder Dai?   Qi and Lu sides | ceaseless verdant terrain. Creation tolls of wondrous works;  Yin and Yang faces | cleave dusk and dawn twain. Clouds passed ere spirit cleansed;  returning birds engulf corner ken. Ascend until at utmost peak; glance upon yon mountains meek. Note: Elder Dai here refers to Mount Tai in Tai'an city, Shandong Province.

使至塞上 王维 （701 — 761） 单车欲问边，属国过居延。 征蓬出汉塞，归雁入胡天。 大漠孤烟直，长河落日圆。 萧关逢候骑，都护在燕然。 An Official Reaches the Frontier Fortress Wang Wei (701 – 761) A carriage en route to appraise the front | The vassal kingdom extends past Juyan As tumbleweed I leave the Han fortress | Like returning geese I enter nomad skies In vast desert a lonely smoke pillar | O’er long river a round setting sun At Windswept Pass I meet scout cavalry | Their commander is yon in Yanran

江南春 杜牧 （803 — 852） 千里莺啼绿映红， 水村山郭酒旗风。 南朝四百八十寺， 多少楼台烟雨中。 Spring South of the Yangtze River Du Mu (803 – 852) Warblers chirp for miles around, greenery accentuates red blossoms; waterside village rests against mountain, and tavern flags fly. Of the four hundred eighty monasteries of the Southern Dynasties, how many structures yet stand in rain misting by? Click to Read Southern Dynasties (420 – 589) and Yangtze River

月下独酌·其一 李白 （701 — 762） 花间一壶酒，独酌无相亲。 举杯邀明月，对影成三人。 月既不解饮，影徒随我身。 暂伴月将影，行乐须及春。 我歌月徘徊，我舞影零乱。 醒时同交欢，醉后各分散。 永结无情游，相期邈云汉。 A Drinking Party for One under the Moon Li Bai (701 – 762) Amid the flowers, a jug of wine; a drinking party for one, no friends around. A raised glass inviting the bright moon; a cast shadow making us three. The moon does not understand drinking; the shadow merely follows my self. With present companions moon and shadow, I ought to make merry of spring! I sing an

山居秋暝 王维 （700 — 781） 空山新雨后，天气晚来秋。 明月松间照，清泉石上流。 竹喧归浣女，莲动下渔舟。 随意春芳歇，王孙自可留。 Autumn Dusk: A Hermit on the Mountain Wang Wei (700 – 781) Bare mountain after fresh rain; autumn arrives on evening air. Bright moon shines between pines; clear springs run over rocks. Bamboos rattle as washing women return; lotus jostle as fishing boats plunge. Let the spring flowers droop as they may; he, for one, chose here to stay. Picture from sugger88.

无题·昨夜星辰昨夜风 李商隐 （约813 — 858） 昨夜星辰昨夜风，画楼西畔桂堂东。 身无彩凤双飞翼，心有灵犀一点通。 隔座送钩春酒暖，分曹射覆蜡灯红。 嗟余听鼓应官去，走马兰台类转蓬。 Untitled (Last night’s constellations, Last night’s breeze) Li Shangyin (about 813 – 858) Last night’s constellations, last night’s breeze | on ornate building’s west slopes, to Osmanthus Hall’s east. Beside me nay beautiful phoenix for tandem flight | inside us yea spirits twine of single thread. Sitting apart for Pass the Hook with genial spring wine | choosing teams for guessing

夜宿山寺 李白 （701 — 762） 危楼高百尺， 手可摘星辰。 不敢高声语， 恐惊天上人。 Staying the Night in a Mountain Temple Li Bai (701 – 762) From building of precipitous height, a hand can pluck stars out sky. Men dare not raise their voices, lest they startle the ones on high. Click to Read the Story of Great Poet Li Bai The picture is Wangwu Mountain, taken by Wang Yu. Translator: Nathan J. Stoltzfus

登科后 孟郊 （751 — 814） 昔日龌龊不足夸， 今朝放荡思无涯。 春风得意马蹄疾， 一日看尽长安花。 Passing the Imperial Examination Meng Jiao (751 – 814) Once unrefined and not worth an utter, today I let loose and let my thoughts flutter. With Spring’s gust of pride and swift hoof of horse, I saw all Chang'an’s flowers in a single day’s course. Note: Chang'an was the capital city of Tang Empire (618 – 907). Translator: Nathan J. Stoltzfus