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Dreaming of Tianmu Mountain: A Farewell Poem
English Poetic Translation
Far travelers speak of the legendary isle in mist,
where waves roll dark and nothing can be found;
but Yue folk whisper of Mount Tianmu,
hidden in shifting clouds and rainbow light.
it spans the firmament, brushing the vault of heaven,
outshining sacred peaks and ancient stone;
while Tiantai, forty thousand fathoms high,
seems leaning toward the southeast, overthrown.
dreaming of ancient Wu and Yue tonight,
I fly across the mirror-bright lake moon.
the silver moon shines down upon my shade,
and guides me to the flowing Shanxi stream.
where Xie's old dwelling stands beside the wood,
and green waves ripple to the gibbon's cry.
with famous clogs upon my mountain feet,
I climb the stairways of the azure sky.
halfway, the ocean sunrise meets my eyes;
a heavenly rooster crows in empty air.
through thousand-winding paths among the rocks,
dusk falls while wandering lost in flowers there.
now bears roar deep and dragons wake the springs,
the trembling forest shudders at the peaks;
cloud-shadows darken, heavy with the rain,
and curling mists obscure the water-streaks.
suddenly lightning splits the booming dark,
the towering crags and hills are torn apart;
the secret stone gates of the grotto burst,
and heaven's vast abyss reveals its heart.
sun and silver moon illume a golden hall;
with rainbows robed and driving on the wind,
the lords of clouds descend in multitudes,
while tigers play their lutes and phanix-chariots wind.
immortals stand like scattered hemp around—
then, sudden terror strikes my waking soul;
I start in darkness with a heavy sigh,
and find my empty pillow and my bed,
while all the floating mists and clouds have fled.
such are the fleeting joys of mortal breath,
and all things drift like rivers to the sea.
when shall I see you again, my friends?
I leave white deer to graze the verdant steeps,
and when I roam, I ride them wild and free.
how could I bend my brows and bow my waist
before the lords of power and state,
and trade the open sunshine of my face?
where waves roll dark and nothing can be found;
but Yue folk whisper of Mount Tianmu,
hidden in shifting clouds and rainbow light.
it spans the firmament, brushing the vault of heaven,
outshining sacred peaks and ancient stone;
while Tiantai, forty thousand fathoms high,
seems leaning toward the southeast, overthrown.
dreaming of ancient Wu and Yue tonight,
I fly across the mirror-bright lake moon.
the silver moon shines down upon my shade,
and guides me to the flowing Shanxi stream.
where Xie's old dwelling stands beside the wood,
and green waves ripple to the gibbon's cry.
with famous clogs upon my mountain feet,
I climb the stairways of the azure sky.
halfway, the ocean sunrise meets my eyes;
a heavenly rooster crows in empty air.
through thousand-winding paths among the rocks,
dusk falls while wandering lost in flowers there.
now bears roar deep and dragons wake the springs,
the trembling forest shudders at the peaks;
cloud-shadows darken, heavy with the rain,
and curling mists obscure the water-streaks.
suddenly lightning splits the booming dark,
the towering crags and hills are torn apart;
the secret stone gates of the grotto burst,
and heaven's vast abyss reveals its heart.
sun and silver moon illume a golden hall;
with rainbows robed and driving on the wind,
the lords of clouds descend in multitudes,
while tigers play their lutes and phanix-chariots wind.
immortals stand like scattered hemp around—
then, sudden terror strikes my waking soul;
I start in darkness with a heavy sigh,
and find my empty pillow and my bed,
while all the floating mists and clouds have fled.
such are the fleeting joys of mortal breath,
and all things drift like rivers to the sea.
when shall I see you again, my friends?
I leave white deer to graze the verdant steeps,
and when I roam, I ride them wild and free.
how could I bend my brows and bow my waist
before the lords of power and state,
and trade the open sunshine of my face?
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
海客談瀛洲，煙濤微茫信難求。
越人語天姥，雲霓明滅或可覩。
天姥連天向天橫，勢拔五嶽掩赤城。
天台四萬八千丈，對此欲倒東南傾。
我欲因之夢吳越，一夜飛度鏡湖月。
湖月照我影，送我至剡溪。
謝公宿處今尚在，淥水蕩漾清猨啼。
腳著謝公屐，身登青雲梯。
半壁見海日，空中聞天雞。
千巖萬轉路不定，迷花倚石忽已暝。
熊咆龍吟殷巖泉，慄深林兮驚層巔。
雲青青兮欲雨，水澹澹兮生煙。
列缺霹靂，丘巒崩摧。
洞天石扇，訇然中開。
青冥浩蕩不見底，日月照耀金銀臺。
霓爲衣兮風爲馬，雲之君兮紛紛而來下。
虎鼓瑟兮鸞迴車，仙之人兮列如麻。
忽魂悸以魄動，怳驚起而長嗟。
惟覺時之枕蓆，失向來之煙霞。
世間行樂亦如此，古來萬事東流水。
別君去時何時還，且放白鹿青崖間，須行即騎訪名山。
安能摧眉折腰事權貴？使我不得開心顏。
越人語天姥，雲霓明滅或可覩。
天姥連天向天橫，勢拔五嶽掩赤城。
天台四萬八千丈，對此欲倒東南傾。
我欲因之夢吳越，一夜飛度鏡湖月。
湖月照我影，送我至剡溪。
謝公宿處今尚在，淥水蕩漾清猨啼。
腳著謝公屐，身登青雲梯。
半壁見海日，空中聞天雞。
千巖萬轉路不定，迷花倚石忽已暝。
熊咆龍吟殷巖泉，慄深林兮驚層巔。
雲青青兮欲雨，水澹澹兮生煙。
列缺霹靂，丘巒崩摧。
洞天石扇，訇然中開。
青冥浩蕩不見底，日月照耀金銀臺。
霓爲衣兮風爲馬，雲之君兮紛紛而來下。
虎鼓瑟兮鸞迴車，仙之人兮列如麻。
忽魂悸以魄動，怳驚起而長嗟。
惟覺時之枕蓆，失向來之煙霞。
世間行樂亦如此，古來萬事東流水。
別君去時何時還，且放白鹿青崖間，須行即騎訪名山。
安能摧眉折腰事權貴？使我不得開心顏。
Philological Direct Translation
Overseas travelers speak of Yingzhou, misty billows vague indeed hard to seek.
People of Yue talk of Tianmu, through clouds and rainbows alternately gleaming or perhaps seen.
Tianmu reaches the sky, across the heavens lies, its force pulls the Five Sacred Peaks, eclipses Chicheng.
Tiantai is forty-eight thousand zhang high, facing this it seems about to fall, tilting to the southeast.
I wish because of this to dream of Wu and Yue, in one night flying across the mirror lake moon.
The lake moon illuminates my shadow, escorting me to Shanxi.
Xie Gong's resting place today still exists, green waters ripple, clear gibbons howl.
Feet wearing Xie Gong's clogs, body climbing the azure cloud ladder.
Halfway up the cliff I see the sea sun, high in the empty air I hear the heavenly cock.
Thousands of cliffs and ten thousand turns, the road is unsettled, bewildered by flowers, leaning against rocks, suddenly it is dusk.
Bears roar, dragons chant, shaking cliff springs, deep forests shiver, shocking layered peaks.
Clouds are dark green, about to rain, waters ripple, generating mist.
Split gaps bring lightning and thunder, hills and peaks collapse and shatter.
Grotto heaven stone doors, with a booming sound open in the middle.
Limpid and vast, no bottom seen, sun and moon shine upon gold and silver terraces.
Rainbows as garments, wind as horses, lords of the clouds in throngs come descending.
Tigers play zithers, simurghs wheel their chariots, people of the immortals are arrayed like hemp.
Suddenly the soul palpitates and the spirit moves, dazed, I wake up with a long sigh.
Only aware of the pillow and mat at the moment of waking, lost are the mist and rosy clouds just experienced.
Pleasure-seeking in the world is also like this, since ancient times all things flow east like water.
Parting from you, when shall I return? For now let the white deer graze among green cliffs, when I wish to travel I will mount them and visit famous mountains.
How can I lower my brows and bend my waist to serve the powerful and noble, making me unable to show a joyful face?
People of Yue talk of Tianmu, through clouds and rainbows alternately gleaming or perhaps seen.
Tianmu reaches the sky, across the heavens lies, its force pulls the Five Sacred Peaks, eclipses Chicheng.
Tiantai is forty-eight thousand zhang high, facing this it seems about to fall, tilting to the southeast.
I wish because of this to dream of Wu and Yue, in one night flying across the mirror lake moon.
The lake moon illuminates my shadow, escorting me to Shanxi.
Xie Gong's resting place today still exists, green waters ripple, clear gibbons howl.
Feet wearing Xie Gong's clogs, body climbing the azure cloud ladder.
Halfway up the cliff I see the sea sun, high in the empty air I hear the heavenly cock.
Thousands of cliffs and ten thousand turns, the road is unsettled, bewildered by flowers, leaning against rocks, suddenly it is dusk.
Bears roar, dragons chant, shaking cliff springs, deep forests shiver, shocking layered peaks.
Clouds are dark green, about to rain, waters ripple, generating mist.
Split gaps bring lightning and thunder, hills and peaks collapse and shatter.
Grotto heaven stone doors, with a booming sound open in the middle.
Limpid and vast, no bottom seen, sun and moon shine upon gold and silver terraces.
Rainbows as garments, wind as horses, lords of the clouds in throngs come descending.
Tigers play zithers, simurghs wheel their chariots, people of the immortals are arrayed like hemp.
Suddenly the soul palpitates and the spirit moves, dazed, I wake up with a long sigh.
Only aware of the pillow and mat at the moment of waking, lost are the mist and rosy clouds just experienced.
Pleasure-seeking in the world is also like this, since ancient times all things flow east like water.
Parting from you, when shall I return? For now let the white deer graze among green cliffs, when I wish to travel I will mount them and visit famous mountains.
How can I lower my brows and bend my waist to serve the powerful and noble, making me unable to show a joyful face?