BOOKMARK
To bookmark this poem:
Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or ⌘ + D (Mac).
Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or ⌘ + D (Mac).
Ballad of Mount Lu: Sent to Imperial Censor Lu Xuzhou
English Poetic Translation
I am by nature Chu's wild, ecstatic soul,
Who mocked Confucius in a reckless song.
With jade-green staff in hand, at dawn I leave
Behind the storied Yellow Crane's domain.
Across the Five Great Peaks I chase the realm
Of deathless saints, nor count the journey long;
My whole life through, I love the sacred hills.
There Mount Lu stands, majestic, sharp and steep,
Hard by the Southern Dipper's starry light;
Ninefold its velvet screens of mist unroll,
Its shadow cast upon the gleaming lake
In dark, translucent green.
Before the Golden Gate two summits rise in grace,
And Heaven's silver stream hangs upside-down
Across the triple bridge of stone.
The Incense Burner peak and cataract
Stare from afar across the winding cliffs
And stacked, cloud-shrouded heights.
Kingfisher green and crimson sunset clouds
Reflect the morning sun;
No bird can reach the vast, forbidding sky of Wu.
From this high peak I view the universe:
The mighty river rushes to the sea
And never turns again.
Ten thousand miles of yellow clouds are stirred
By autumn gales, while nine-branched white waves rush
Like avalanches down a mountain snow.
I sing this ballad born of Mount Lu's grace,
For all my soaring inspiration wakes
From these eternal crags.
I gaze into the Stone Mirror to cleanse my soul,
Where moss now swallows ancient footsteps left
By Master Xie of old.
Long since I took the cinnabar to purge
The dust of mortal cares;
With triple-tuned and quiet zither heart,
My mystic path is almost won.
Far off, amid the multi-colored clouds,
I see immortals holding lotus flowers
Who journey toward the Jade Capital.
I pledged to meet them in the boundless void,
And hope to join Lu Ao in realms of pure light.
Who mocked Confucius in a reckless song.
With jade-green staff in hand, at dawn I leave
Behind the storied Yellow Crane's domain.
Across the Five Great Peaks I chase the realm
Of deathless saints, nor count the journey long;
My whole life through, I love the sacred hills.
There Mount Lu stands, majestic, sharp and steep,
Hard by the Southern Dipper's starry light;
Ninefold its velvet screens of mist unroll,
Its shadow cast upon the gleaming lake
In dark, translucent green.
Before the Golden Gate two summits rise in grace,
And Heaven's silver stream hangs upside-down
Across the triple bridge of stone.
The Incense Burner peak and cataract
Stare from afar across the winding cliffs
And stacked, cloud-shrouded heights.
Kingfisher green and crimson sunset clouds
Reflect the morning sun;
No bird can reach the vast, forbidding sky of Wu.
From this high peak I view the universe:
The mighty river rushes to the sea
And never turns again.
Ten thousand miles of yellow clouds are stirred
By autumn gales, while nine-branched white waves rush
Like avalanches down a mountain snow.
I sing this ballad born of Mount Lu's grace,
For all my soaring inspiration wakes
From these eternal crags.
I gaze into the Stone Mirror to cleanse my soul,
Where moss now swallows ancient footsteps left
By Master Xie of old.
Long since I took the cinnabar to purge
The dust of mortal cares;
With triple-tuned and quiet zither heart,
My mystic path is almost won.
Far off, amid the multi-colored clouds,
I see immortals holding lotus flowers
Who journey toward the Jade Capital.
I pledged to meet them in the boundless void,
And hope to join Lu Ao in realms of pure light.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
我本楚狂人，鳳歌笑孔丘。
手持綠玉杖，朝別黃鶴樓。
五嶽尋仙不辭遠，一生好入名山遊。
廬山秀出南鬥傍，屏風九疊雲錦張，影落明湖青黛光。
金闕前開二峯長，銀河倒掛三石樑。
香爐瀑布遙相望，迴厓沓嶂凌蒼蒼。
翠影紅霞映朝日，鳥飛不到吳天長。
登高壯觀天地間，大江茫茫去不還。
黃雲萬裏動風色，白波九道流雪山。
好爲廬山謠，興因廬山發。
閑窺石鏡清我心，謝公行處蒼苔沒。
早服還丹無世情，琴心三疊道初成。
遙見仙人綵雲裏，手把芙蓉朝玉京。
先期汗漫九垓上，願接盧敖遊太清。
手持綠玉杖，朝別黃鶴樓。
五嶽尋仙不辭遠，一生好入名山遊。
廬山秀出南鬥傍，屏風九疊雲錦張，影落明湖青黛光。
金闕前開二峯長，銀河倒掛三石樑。
香爐瀑布遙相望，迴厓沓嶂凌蒼蒼。
翠影紅霞映朝日，鳥飛不到吳天長。
登高壯觀天地間，大江茫茫去不還。
黃雲萬裏動風色，白波九道流雪山。
好爲廬山謠，興因廬山發。
閑窺石鏡清我心，謝公行處蒼苔沒。
早服還丹無世情，琴心三疊道初成。
遙見仙人綵雲裏，手把芙蓉朝玉京。
先期汗漫九垓上，願接盧敖遊太清。
Philological Direct Translation
I am originally the madman of Chu, singing phoenix songs and mocking Confucius.
Hand holding green jade staff, at dawn leaving Yellow Crane Tower.
Five Sacred Mountains seeking immortals not refusing distance, all my life loving to enter famous mountains to roam.
Mount Lu rises in beauty beside the Southern Dipper, Ninefold Screen folds clouds brocade spread,
Shadows fall upon clear lake green-black radiance.
Golden Gate opens before two peaks long, Silver River hangs inverted three stone bridges.
Incenser Burner waterfall far gazing at each other, winding cliffs piled ridges surpass vast azure.
Kingfisher shadows red clouds reflect morning sun, birds flying cannot reach Wu heaven vast.
Ascending high grand view between heaven and earth, great river vast and boundless goes and returns not.
Yellow clouds ten thousand miles stir wind colors, white waves nine channels flow snow mountains.
Good at making Mount Lu ballad, inspiration because of Mount Lu arises.
Leisurely peeking at Stone Mirror clears my heart, Xie Lingyun's wandering places green moss covers.
Early ingesting returned elixir without worldly feelings, zither heart triple folded Dao initially accomplished.
Far seeing immortals inside colorful clouds, hands holding lotus flowers facing Jade Capital.
Earlier promised to wander boundless nine heavens above, wishing to join Lu Ao to roam Grand Purity.
Hand holding green jade staff, at dawn leaving Yellow Crane Tower.
Five Sacred Mountains seeking immortals not refusing distance, all my life loving to enter famous mountains to roam.
Mount Lu rises in beauty beside the Southern Dipper, Ninefold Screen folds clouds brocade spread,
Shadows fall upon clear lake green-black radiance.
Golden Gate opens before two peaks long, Silver River hangs inverted three stone bridges.
Incenser Burner waterfall far gazing at each other, winding cliffs piled ridges surpass vast azure.
Kingfisher shadows red clouds reflect morning sun, birds flying cannot reach Wu heaven vast.
Ascending high grand view between heaven and earth, great river vast and boundless goes and returns not.
Yellow clouds ten thousand miles stir wind colors, white waves nine channels flow snow mountains.
Good at making Mount Lu ballad, inspiration because of Mount Lu arises.
Leisurely peeking at Stone Mirror clears my heart, Xie Lingyun's wandering places green moss covers.
Early ingesting returned elixir without worldly feelings, zither heart triple folded Dao initially accomplished.
Far seeing immortals inside colorful clouds, hands holding lotus flowers facing Jade Capital.
Earlier promised to wander boundless nine heavens above, wishing to join Lu Ao to roam Grand Purity.