Tang poems

"Farewell by Southern Riverside" is a five-line poem written by Bai Juyi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty....

Wang Wei Wang Wei: Departure Send Off 送别 下 马 饮 君 酒问 君 何 所 之？ 君 言 不 得 意归 卧 南 山 陲。 但 去 莫 复 问白 云 无 尽 时。 Song Bie Xia ma yin jun jiuWen jun he suo zhi?                                                                                       Jun yan bu de yiGui wo nan shan chui Dan qu mo fu wenBai yun wu jin shi. Departure Send Off Dismount my horse, we drink wine togetherI ask you, where are you going? You reply, to a place without pride or successReturn to the edge of the Southern Mountains and live in seclusion. Just go, and don’t ask again about anythingThe white clouds there are eternal. Notes: Southern Mountains and live in seclusion: This section refers to a very famous poem, Drinking Wine No. 5 by Tao Yuanming.  This poem was my first one posted on this site. White clouds: Literally means something that is free and transitory.  Metaphorically means a state of…...

Wang Wei A Song to Send Off a Friend to His Mountain Home 送友人归山歌 山 中 人 兮 欲 归云 冥 冥 兮 雨 霏 霏.水 惊 波 兮 翠 菅 靡白 鹭 忽 兮 翻 飞. 君 不 可 兮 褰 衣！山 万 重 兮 一 云.混 天 地 兮 不 分；树 晻 暧 兮 氛 氲 猿 不 见 兮 空 闻。忽 山 西 兮 夕 阳见 东 皋 兮 远 村；眇 惆 怅 兮 思 君。 Song You Ren Gui Shan Ge Shan zhong ren xi yu guiYun ming ming xi yu fei fei.Shui jing bo xi cui jian miBai lu hu xi fan fei. Jun bu ke xi qian yi!Shan wan chong xi yi yun.Hun tian di xi bu fen;Shu an ai xi fen yun. Yuan bu jian xi kong wen.Hu shan xi xi xi yang.Xian dong gao xi yuan cun;Ping wu lu xi qian liMiao chou chang xi si jun. A Song to Send Off a Friend to His Mountain Home Mountain peasants want to return homeVery dark clouds, rain falling in a heavy downpour.Water stirred up into waves, emerald green grass bent with the windWhite egrets suddenly disappear. Wings flapping up and downYou are…...

Wang Wei Send Off Yuwen 送宇文太守赴宣城 寥 落 云 外 山迢 遥 舟 中 赏。铙 吹 发 西 江秋 空 多 清 响。 地 迥 古 城 芜月 明 寒 潮 广。时 赛 敬 亭 神复 解 罟 师 网。何 处 寄 相 思？南 风 吹 五 两。 Song Yu Wen Tai Shou Fu Xuan Cheng Liao luo yun wai shanTiao yao zhou zhong shangNao chui fa xi jiangQiu kong duo qing xiang Di jiong gu cheng wuYue ming han chao guangShi sai jing ting shenFu jie gu shi wangHe chu ji xiong si?Nan feng chui wu liang. Send Off Yuwen to His Government Post in Xuancheng Clouds outside the mountains are few and far betweenIn the boat, we admire the distant landscape.Banging cymbals from Xi JiangEcho and echo through the clear autumn air. The land around the remote and ancient city wall overgrown with weedsBrilliant moonlight on the cold damp expanse.It is the season to compete for honor at the river divinity pavilionAgain it is time to release captured aquatic animals.What are some things that can be done when one is missing home?The southern wind blows, and we drink together a pot of wine. Notes: Xuancheng: A riverside town…...

Wang Wei Send Off New Mayor Yang, Bound For Guozhou 送杨长史赴果州 褒 斜 不 容 宪之 子 去 何 之？鸟 道 一 千 里猿 啼 十 二 时。 官 桥 祭 酒 客山 水 女 郎 祠别 后 同 明 月君 应 听 子 规。 Song Yang Chang Si Fu Guo Zhou Bao xie bu rong xianZhi zi qu he zhi ?Niao dao yi qian liYuan ti shi er shi. Guan qiao ji jiu keShan shui nu lang ci.Bie hou tong ming yueJun ying ting zi gui. Send Off New Mayor Yang, Bound For Guozhou From the northern to southern ends of a large mountain range, roads so narrow, your government curtained carriage cannot passHow can you go off and travel this way?Only birds can come and go for the next five hundred milesApes wail all day and all night long. At the bridge house, we need to make ritual offerings of sacrificial wine for travelersSo little mountain water, give alms also to this woman’s ancestral temple.Even after you leave, we can see the same moonlightYou should listen for, and heed the cuckoo’s calls for you to come home in the spring. Notes: Guozhou: A town locate in Sichuan Province.…...

Wang Wei Mountain House Departure 山中送别 山 中 相 送 罢日 暮 掩 柴 扉。 春 草 明 年 绿王 孙 归 不 归？ Shan Zhong Song Bie Shan zhong xiang song baRi mu yan chai fei. Chun cao ming nian luWang sun gui bu gui ? Mountain House Departure Mountain house, good-byes to one another finally endSunset, hidden rural and simple front door. Next year, spring grasses will be green againIntellectual peers, will they return?...

Wang Wei Send Off Cousin Cui Jiuxing Traveling to Shu 送崔九兴宗游蜀 送 君 从 此 去转 觉 故 人 稀。徒 御 犹 回 首田 园 方 掩 扉。 出 门 当 旅 食中 路 授 寒 衣。江 汉 风 流 地游 人 何 岁 归？ Song Cui Jiu Xing Zong You Shen Song jun cong ci quZhuan jie gu ren xi.Tu yu you hui shouTian yuan fang yan fei. Chu men dang lu shiZhong lu shou han yi.Jiang nan feng liu diYou ren he sui gui ? Send Off Cousin Cui Jiuxing Traveling to Shu Send you off from this placeFeelings change, old friends scarce.Servant leading the mule, you ride and turn around to waveCountryside retreat courtyard, hide behind closed doors. Be careful as you go out the door to travelDuring your trip the weather will change, bring winter clothes.Changjiang-Hanshui valley has outstanding sceneryWhat year will you come back? Notes: Shu:  A nation state in the far west, now the province of Sichuan. It was conquered by the Qin in 316 BC. Changjiang-Hanshui valley: The Han River (Hanshui) is the largest tributary to the Changjiang (Yangzi River). Formerly this a valley of highland  primeval forests dividing the Qin and Daba mountains in the province of Hubei....

Wang Wei Given With Respect to Minor Official Wei Zhi 奉寄韦太守陟 荒 城 自 萧 索万 里 山 河 空。天 高 秋 日 迥暸 唳 闻 归 鸿。 寒 塘 映 衰 草高 馆 落 疏 桐。临 此 岁 方 晏顾 景 咏 “悲 瓮”。故 人 不 可 见寂 寞 平 林 东。 Feng Ji Wei Tai Shou Zhi Huang cheng zi xiao suoWan li shan he kong.Tian gao qiu ri jiongLiao li wen gui hong. Han tang ying shuai caoGao guan luo shu tong.Lin ci sui fang yanGu jing yong “Bei Weng”.Gu ren bu ke jianJi mo ping lin dong. Given With Respect to Minor Official Wei Zhi Isolated city, feeling deserted and solitaryFor thousands of miles, mountains and rivers empty.Tall autumn skies, everyday far awayCan hear the cries of returning wild geese. Cold embankments reflect wilted grassTall buildings seen though barren paulownia trees.To face this time, almost at year’s endLook over the landscape and chant “Old Man of Sorrow”.Not able to see old friendsLonely and quiet eastern forest. Notes: Wei Zhi: Friend of Wang Wei, exiled for 13 years because his father and a friend of the emperor fought. “Old Man of Sorrow”: Old and famous song for…...

Wang Wei Send Off Foreign Envoy Liu, Bound For Anxi 送刘司直赴安西 绝 域 阳 关 道胡 沙 与 塞 尘。三 春 时 有 雁万 里 少 行 人。 苜 蓿 随 天 马浦 桃 逐 汉 臣。当 令 外 国 惧不 敢 觅 和 亲。 Song Liu Si Zhi Fu An Xi Jue yu yang guan daoHu sha yu sai chen.San chun shi you yanWan li shao xing ren. Mu xu sui tian maPu tao zhu han chen.Dang jin wai guo juBu gan mi he qin. Send Off Foreign Envoy Liu, Bound for Anxi Isolated region, past the big gate, all roads head westHu sand competes for dominance with the dust.Just for three spring months have wild geeseThroughout the year, few travelers arrive. Alfalfa for their heavenly horsesAnd grapes brought by a Han official to China.Nowadays foreign countries need to be fearful of usThe not-so-brave, look to bribe and marry off their daughters. Notes: An Xi: A region near Gansu province. Hu: The non-Han ethnic people in the northwest. Also known as the Mongolian nomads and the Xiongnu....

Wang Wei Send Off Quartermaster Zhang, Bound For the Western Rivers 送张判官赴河西 单 车 曾 出 塞报 国 敢 邀 勋。见 逐 张 征 虏今 思 霍 冠 军。 沙 平 连 白 雪蓬 卷 入 黄 云。慷 慨 倚 长 剑高 歌 一 送 君。 Song Zhang Pan Guan Fu He Xi Dan che ceng chu saiBao guo gan yao xun.Jian zhu zhang zheng luJin si huo guan jun. Sha ping lian bai xuePeng juan ru huang yun.Kang kai yi chang jianGao ge yi song jun. Send Off Quartermaster Zhang, Bound for the Western Rivers You can travel in your carriage without escort, to a strategic border strongholdDedicated to the service of your country, you do not need meritorious recognition.Now I follow Zhang, like the famous Zheng LuToday I remember Huo Guanjun, a renowned warrior. Sand made level, joins with white snowTumbleweeds roll and enter the yellow dust storm clouds.Fervent, indignant and with a long swordSing loudly and alone to send you off. Notes: Zheng Lu: The judge in the nether world who keeps an account of the living’s merits and wrongdoings. He also decides how long each living person should live....

Wang Wei Send Off Qiu Wei to Tangzhou 送丘为往塘州 宛 洛 有 风 尘君 行 多 苦 辛。四 愁 连 汉 水百 口 寄 随 人。 槐 色 阴 清 昼杨 花 惹 暮 春。朝 端 肯 相 送天 子 绣 衣 臣。 Song Qiu Wei Wang Tang Zhou Wan luo you feng chenJun xing duo ki xin.Si chou lian han shuiBai kou ji sui ren. Huai se yin qing zhouYang hua re mu chun.Chao duan ken xiang songTian zi xiu yi chen. Send Off Qiu Wei to Tangzhou Luoyang city in Henan has wind and dustYou often travel when it is difficult and bitter.Sing the Sichou until you get to the Han RiverSui people depend upon big families. Chinese scholar tree colors subdued in the early morning lightPoplar flowers come in late spring.High court officials frequently send each other offThe emperor has given to you the embroidered clothes of a court official. Notes: Sichou: A famous poem, a missing-you ballad. Sui people: One of the many small ethnic groups in China. They are mostly located in the province of Guizhou. Embroidered clothes: These type of clothes were given to government officials not only for protection, but also as the identification and…...

Wang Wei Send Off Imperial Magistrate Tai, Bound For  Shang Luo 送李太守赴上落 商 山 包 楚 邓积 翠 蔼 沉 沉。驿 路 飞 泉 洒关 门 落 照 深。 野 花 开 古 戊行 客 响 空 林。板 屋 春 多 雨山 城 昼 欲 阴。 丹 泉 通 虢 略白 羽 抵 荆 岑。若 见 西 山 爽应 知 黄 绮 心。 Song Li Tai Shou Fu Shang Luo Shang shan bao chu dengJi cui ai chen chen.Yi lu fei quan saGuan men luo zhao shen. Ye hua kai gu wuXing ke xiang kong ling.Ban wu chun duo yuShan cheng zhou yu yin. Dan quan tong guo lueBai yu di jing cen.Ruo jian xi shan shuangYing zhi huang qi xin. Send Off Imperial Magistrate Tai, Bound for Shang Luo Shang Mountain surrounded by Chu and DengLush emerald green grass accumulates heavy and deep.Post station road, airborne spray near a springheadLong history for the city gate guard tower. Wild flowers bloomTraveling visitors hear their echoes in the empty forest.A lot of rain falls in spring on the wood board housesMountain city wall, the daylight is like shade. Danquan River leads to Guo LueBaiyu goes to Jingcen.If you can see clear…...

Wang Wei Early Morning Court Audience 早朝 柳 暗 百 花 明春 深 五 风 城。城 乌 睥 睨 晓宫 井 辘 轳 声。 方 朔 金 门 侍班 姬 玉 辇 迎。仍 闻 遣 方 士东 海 访 蓬 瀛。 Zao Chao Liu an bai hua mingChun shen wu feng cheng.Cheng wu pi ni xiaoGong jing lu lu sheng. Fang shuo jin men shiBan ji yu nian ying.Reng wen qian fang shiDong hai fang peng ying. Early Morning Court Audience Willow trees hidden, one hundred flowers brightLate spring in Wu Feng city.City wall crows consider everyone and everything beneath their notice, look sideways with suspicion and contemptPalace well, the sounds of a bucket pulley. Fang Shuo ready to serve at the gold doorTroupe of singing girls meet the jade imperial carriage.Still can hear the alchemists being dispatchedTo the East China Sea, they gather Pengying immortality plants. Notes: Wu Feng: Ancient capital city of Chang’an, and present day city of Xi’an. Fang shuo: During the Han dynasty, a palace fortune teller or diviner. Pengying:  Another name for the mythological island Penglai....

Wang Wei Lin Gao Tai Send Off For Li Sheyi 临高台送黎拾遗 相 送 临 高 台川 原 杳 何 极！ 日 暮 飞 鸟 还行人去不思 Lin Gao Tai Song Li She Yi Xiang song lin gao taiChuan yuan yao he ji !                                                                                                                Ri mu fei niao huanXing en qu bu si. Lin Gao Tai Send Off For Li Sheyi Send each other off, seen from the edge of a tall terraceOverlooking the river Yuan, so far away and inaccessible! Sunset light, birds in flight returningAs you travel on foot, try not to be homesick. Notes: Lin Gao Tai: Imperial music from the Han Dynasty where the lyrics are open for improvisation. Li Sheyi: Wang Wei’s friend who visited him at his vacation Wang River house....

Wang Wei Send Off Military Official Ping Danran 送平淡然判官 不 识 阳 关 路新 从 定 远 侯。黄 云 断 春 色画 角 起 边 愁。 瀚 海 经 年 到交 河 出 塞 流。须 令 外 国 使知 饮 月 支 头。 Song Ping Dan Ran Pan Guan Bu shi yang guan luXin cong ding yuan hou.Huang yun duan chun seHua jiao qi bian chou. Han hai jing nian daoJiao he chu sai liu.Xu ling wai guo shiZhi yin yue zhi tou. Send Off Military Official Ping Danran Do not know this faraway region, and the major gate road leading to itRecently, you joined up to be a Dingyuan.Yellow dust clouds a long way from the colors of springTheir army’s marching tunes produce melancholy. Desert so vast, it takes one year to reach its edgeJiao River flows out beyond the Great Wall border.You have to make the foreign emissaries understandLet them know we have drunk from the skull of the Yuezhi leader. Notes: Dingyuan: A foreign envoy so named during from the Han Dynasty times. Yuezhi leader:  Ancient tribes living in western China and northern India from the third century BC to the first century AD among the grasslands of…...

Wang Wei Attachment Memories: Upper Duan River No. 16 寄河上段十六 与 君 相 见 即 相 亲闻 道 君 家 在 孟 津。 为 见 行 舟 试 借 问客 中 时 有 洛 阳 人。 Ji He Shang Duan Shi Liu Yu jun xiang jian ji xiang qinWen dao jun jia zai meng jin.                                                                                                   Wei jian xing zhou shi jie wenKe zhong shi you luo yang ren. Attachment Memories: Upper Duan River No. 16 From the beginning, we had good impressions of each otherHeard you tell of your home in Mengjin.                                                                    When I see the long-distance boats, will try to politely ask the ferryman Have you any people from the Luoyang area. Notes: No. 16: Perhaps one of…...

Wang Wei Send Off Shenzi Fu, Who Returns to Jiang Dong 送沈子福归江东 杨 柳 渡 头 行 客 稀罟 师 荡 桨 向 临 圻。 惟 有 相 思 似 春 色江 南 江 北 送 君 归。 Song Shen Zi Fu Gui Jiang Dong Yang liu du tou xing ke xiGu shi dang jiang xiang lin qi.                                                                                              Wei you xiang si shi chun seJiang nan jiang bei song jun gui. Send Off Shenzi Fu, Who Returns to Jiang Dong Springtime poplar and willow trees at the ferry crossing, travelers and visitors rareThose with special fishing skills pull their oars towards Lin Qi. Only have a love sickness like the spring colorsNorth of Jiangnan, this river send off for your return. Notes: Jiang Dong: Tributary to the Changjiang (Yangzi River) , and is upriver from Shanghai. Lin Qi: A city down river from Jiang Dong. Jiangnan: A region south of the Changjiang mouth in northern Zhejiang province....

Wang Wei Send Off Vice-Mayor Yang, Demoted and Sent to Chenzhou 送杨少府贬郴州 明 到 衡 山 与 洞 庭若 为 秋 月 听 猿 声？愁 看 北 渚 三 湘 近恶 说 南 风 五 两 轻。 青 草 瘴 时 过 夏 口白 头 浪 里 出 湓 城。长 沙 不 久 留 才 子贾 谊 何 须 吊 屈 平！ Song Yang Shao Fu Bian Chen Zhou Ming dao heng shan yu dong tingRe wei qiu yue ting yuan sheng ?Chou kan bei zhu san xiang jinE shuo nan feng wu liang qing. Qing cao zhang shi guo xia kouBai tou lang li chu pen cheng.Chang sha bu jiu liu cai ziJia yi he xu diao qu ping ! Send Off Vice-Mayor Yang, Demoted and Sent to Chenzhou Tomorrow you will go to the region of Dongting Lake and the Heng mountainsHow can you help but hear the monkeys during the autumn moon?Melancholy when seeing the northern islet near the Sanxiang river confluenceHate to tell you, but you will be traveling into the strong southern wind. At least you will pass safely though Xiakou, where it is early spring miasma seasonAnd make your way through the white rapids…...

Wang Wei Mountain House Departure 山中送别 山 中 相 送 罢日 暮 掩 柴 扉。 春 草 明 年 绿王 孙 归 不 归。 Shan Zhong Song Bie Shan zhong xiang song baRi mu yan chai fei.                                                                                                                 Chun cao ming nian luWang sun gui bu gui ? Mountain House Departure Mountain house, good-byes to one another finally endSunset, hidden rural and simple front door. Next year, spring grasses will be green againIntellectual peers, will they return?...

Meng Haoran Parting From Wang WeiMeng Haoran 留别王侍御维 孟浩然 〔唐代〕 寂寂竟何待，朝朝空自归。欲寻芳草去，惜与故人违。当路谁相假，知音世所稀。只应守寂寞，还掩故园扉。(寂 一作：索) Quiet end what waitDay day must go returnWish seek fragrant grass goGrieve with old friend separatedOn road who mutual helpUnderstanding friend life this scarceOnly should observe solitudeAgain close native area doorQuietly, I've waited here so long,Day after day; but now I must return.Now I go to seek the fragrant grass,But I grieve to part from my old friend.Who is there who would help me on the road?Understanding friends are few in life.I should just observe my solitude,And close again the gate of my old home....

Wang Wei FarewellWang Wei 送别 王维 〔唐代〕 下马饮君酒，问君何所之？君言不得意，归卧南山陲。但去莫复问，白云无尽时。 Down horse drink gentleman alcoholAsk gentleman what place goGentleman say not achieve wishReturn lie south mountain nearStill go nothing more askWhite cloud not exhaust timeDismounting, I offer my friend a cup of wine,I ask what place he is headed to.He says he has not achieved his aims,Is retiring to the southern hills.Now go, and ask me nothing more,White clouds will drift on for all time....

Wang Wei Farewell (II)Wang Wei 送别 王维 〔唐代〕 山中相送罢，日暮掩柴扉。春草明年绿，王孙归不归？(明年 一作：年年) Hill at mutual escort stopDay dusk shut wood doorSpring grass next year greenPrince offspring return not returnWe bid each other farewell beside the hill,As day meets dusk, I close the wooden gate.Next year, in spring, there will be green grass again,But will my honoured friend return?...

Wang Wei Seeing Off Yuan the Second on a Mission to AnxiWang Wei 送元二使安西 王维 〔唐代〕 渭城朝雨浥轻尘，客舍青青柳色新。劝君更尽一杯酒，西出阳关无故人。 Weicheng morning rain moisten light dustVisitor house green green willow colour newUrge gentleman further finish one cup alcoholWest outside Yang Pass no friend personAt Weicheng morning rain has dampened light dust,By the hostel, the willows are all fresh and green.I urge my friend to drink a last cup of wine,West of Yang Pass, there will be no friends....

Wang Wei At Qishang: Send Off Zhao Xianzhou 淇上送赵仙舟 相 逢 方 一 笑相 送 还 成 泣。祖 帐 已 伤 离荒 城 复 愁 人。 天 寒 远 山 净日 暮 长 河 急。解 缆 君 已 遥望 君 犹 伫 立。 Qi Shang Song Zhao Xian Zhou Xiang feng fang yi xiaoXiang song hai cheng qi.Zu zhang yi shang liHuang cheng fu chou ren. Tian han yuan shan jingRi mu chang he ji.Jie lan jun yi yaoWang jun you zhu li. At Qishang: Send Off Zhao Xianzhou First time we met each other we shared laughterYet now we cry as I see you off.Homage to ancestors behind the curtainThereafter the wounds and pain of separation. Uncultivated lands beyond the city wallAgain people’s sorrow at parting.Sky cold, distant mountains cleanSunset on the long restless rivers.Untied mooring rope, you are now far awayGaze into the distance, I stand still for a long time....