哭晁卿衡[1]
日本晁卿辞帝都，
征帆一片绕蓬壶[2]。
明月[3]不归沉碧海[4]，
白云愁色满苍梧[5]。
此诗是公元754年，李白听闻晁衡（日本人阿倍仲麻吕）归国时遇暴风失事的消息后所作。诗人以友人的身份，听闻晁卿如同明月沉大海一去不返，顿觉连苍梧山都被愁云笼罩。此诗虽因误传噩耗而作，但悲痛之情是真实而且深挚的，表现了两人超越国界的深厚友谊。
注释：
[1]晁卿衡：即晁衡，日本人，原名阿倍仲麻吕（又作安倍仲麻吕）。公元717年（日本灵龟二年，唐开元五年），来中国求学，后改名为晁衡。
[2]蓬壶：指蓬莱、方壶，都是神话传说中东方大海上的仙山。此处喻为晁衡在东海中航行。
[3]明月：形容品德高洁才华出众之士。
[4]沉碧海：此处指溺死海中。
[5]苍梧：九嶷山，此指传说中东北海中的郁州山（郁洲山）。
Elegy on Abe Nakamaro[1]
My Japanese friend Abe left the imperial shore,
His single sail turned round for the three Fairy Isles.
The moon has sunk in the sea to return no more,
The land’s o’erspread with gloomy clouds for miles and miles.
Notes：
[1]Abe Nakamaro came to China(referred to as the imperial shore in this poem)in 717 at the age of 20 and did not return to Japan(referred to as the three Fairy Isles)till the winter of 753.It was rumoured that he(referred to as the moon)was drowned in the sea and Li Bai wrote this poem.
This poem was written by Li Bai in 754 AD after he heard the news that Chao Heng (Japanese Abe no Nakamaro) had been killed in a storm while returning to Japan. As a friend, the poet heard that Chao Heng had disappeared like a bright moon in the sea, and he felt that even Cangwu Mountain was shrouded in clouds of sorrow. Although this poem was written due to a false report of the bad news, the grief was real and deep, showing the deep friendship between the two men that transcended national boundaries.
