A Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, Li Bai (also known as Li Po, Li Pai, Li T’ai-po, and Li T’ai-pai) was probably born in central Asia and grew up in Sichuan Province.
秋登宣城谢朓北楼[1]
李白
江城[2]如画里，
山晚望晴空。
两水[3]夹明镜[4]，
双桥[5]落彩虹。
人烟[6]寒[7]橘柚[8]，
秋色老梧桐。
谁念北楼上，
临风[9]怀谢公[10]？
注释：
[1] 这是一首见景生情诗：第一联写城和山，第二联写水和桥，第三联写果与树，第四联触景抒怀，想起筑楼的太守谢朓，不免兴起沧桑之感了。谢朓北楼，也称“谢公楼”或“北楼”，是南北朝时期著名诗人谢朓任宣城刺史时所建。
[2] 江城：宣城，有江从城旁流过。
[3] 两水：指流经宣城附近的宛溪和句溪。
[4] 明镜：指溪水明亮如镜。
[5] 双桥：指宛溪上的两座桥。
[6] 人烟：指村庄。
[7] 寒：萧索寒冷。
[8] 橘柚：南方的两种水果。
[9] 临风：迎着秋风。
[10] 谢公：指谢脁。
Ascending the North Tower One Autumn Day
Li Bai
Picturesque river-town’s steeped in twilight
In view of mountains beneath a lucid sky.
Two rivers mingling form a mirror bright,
Two bridges like rainbows fallen from on high.
The cottage smoke has chilled the orange flower;
The autumn hue has olderied the plane trees.
Who ever dreamed I’d come up northern tower
To miss the poet in the western breeze?
This is a poem inspired by the scenery: the first couplet describes the city and the mountain, the second couplet describes the water and the bridge, the third couplet describes the fruit and the tree, and the fourth couplet expresses the feelings of the governor Xie Tiao who built the tower, which inevitably arouses a sense of vicissitudes. Xie Tiao North Tower, also known as “Xie Gong Tower” or “North Tower”, was built by Xie Tiao, a famous poet in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, when he was the governor of Xuancheng.
