Wang Wei: Zhongnan Mountain Retreat
终南别业
中 岁 颇 好 道
晚 家 南 山 陲。
兴 来 每 独 往
胜 事 空 自 知。
行 到 水 穷 处
坐 看 云 起 时。
偶 然 值 林 叟
谈 笑 无 还 期。
Zhongnan Bie Ye
Zhong sui po hao dao
Wan jia nan shan chui.
Xing lai mei du wang
Sheng shi kong zi zhi.
Xing dao shui qiong chu
Zuo kan yun qi shi.
Ou ran zhi lin sou
Tan xiao wu huan qi.
Zhongnan Mountain Retreat
In middle age partial to the Dao Buddhist doctrine
Late in life build a house bordering the Southern Mountains
Passion and joys always seem to arrive when alone
Only measure of success is knowledge of self.
Walk to the river’s source
From time to time sit and watch the clouds arise
By chance I met the forest caretaker, a wise old man
We talk and laugh, don’t return for quite some time.
Notes:
Zhongnan Mountains: near the southern suburbs of the capital city Chang’an
River’s source: reference to the poem Peach Blossom Water Source by Tao Yuanming
