Translation
Qian Qi (710-782) | 錢起 |
Study Room in the Valley’s Mouth: To Imperial Advisor Yang | 谷口書齋 寄楊補闕 |
A water spring and ravine, they hold my thatched-roof cottage, | 泉壑 帶茅茨 |
While rosy clouds give birth to a screen of climbing figs. | 雲霞 生薜帷 |
Bamboo holds dear the fresh rain that came | 竹憐 新雨後 |
And the mountain loves the twilight setting sun. | 山愛 夕陽時 |
A leisurely heron perches every morning | 閒鷺 棲常早 |
And autumn flowers drop, ever slowly. | 秋花 落更遲 |
Our household servant sweeps the moss from the path | 家僮 掃蘿徑 |
So I can be with my old friend. | 昨與 故人期 |
Commentary
Qian Qi wrote this poem for the purpose of inviting friends, depicting the beautiful scenery around his house. An interesting aspect of the poem is the personification of nature: the surrounding scenery holds the poet’s cottage, red clouds give birth to climbing figs, bamboo holds dear the fresh rain, and the mountain loves the setting sun. It also shows a great contrast of colors and images.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
錢起 | 钱起 | Qián Qǐ |
谷口書齋寄楊補闕 | 谷口书斋寄杨补阙 | Gǔ kǒu shū zhāi jì yáng bǔ què |
泉壑帶茅茨， | 泉壑带茅茨， | Quán hè dài máo cí， |
雲霞生薜帷。 | 云霞生薜帷。 | Yún xiá shēng bì wéi。 |
竹憐新雨後， | 竹怜新雨后， | Zhú lián xīn yǔ hòu， |
山愛夕陽時。 | 山爱夕阳时。 | Shān ài xī yáng shí。 |
閒鷺棲常早， | 闲鹭栖常早， | Xián lù qī cháng zǎo， |
秋花落更遲。 | 秋花落更迟。 | Qiū huā luò gēng chí。 |
家僮掃蘿徑， | 家僮扫萝径， | Jiā tóng sǎo luó jìng， |
昨與故人期。 | 昨与故人期。 | Zuó yǔ gù rén qī。 |
Literal Notes
錢起 | Money Rise [Qian Qi (710-782)] |
谷口書齋寄楊補闕 | Valley/ravine/gorge Mouth/entrance book study to Yang/willow Mend Watch-tower [Valley Mouth = an ancient place name; it is now located in the northwest of Jingyang county, Shanxi province], [book study = a room used for reading and writing], [Mend Watch-tower = Imperial Advisor, an ancient official title. Its main duties are giving the emperor suggestions and recommending talented people. Yang’s full name and life story are unknown.] |
泉壑帶茅茨， | Spring bed-of-torrent/narrow-ravine carry/take-along/area/zone reeds/rushes to-thatch(a roof) [Spring bed-of-torrent = landscape], [carry = the landscape surrounds the view, the study room, as if touching or carrying it.] |
雲霞生薜帷。 | Clouds rosy-clouds life/living/give-birth evergreen-shrubs tent/curtain/screen [evergreen-shrubs tent = a curtain/tent/screen woven with climbing figs. As the climbing fig has fragrant smell, it is often viewed as a symbol of noble character (and of a hermit) since the Songs of Chu. The red-colored clouds contrast with the green shrubs and curtains, providing a multi-colored scenery.] |
竹憐新雨後， | Bamboo love/pity/sympathize new/fresh rain behind/after [This line means the bamboo is lovelier after the rain.] |
山愛夕陽時。 | Mountain/hill love/fond-of evening/night/dusk light/sun time/season [Evening light = sunset. This line means the mountain scenery is lovelier at sunset.] |
閒鷺棲常早， | Leisure/idle/peaceful/tranquil heron perch frequently/regularly early/morning |
秋花落更遲。 | Autumn/fall flowers/blossoms fall/drop more/still-further late/tardy/slow |
家僮掃蘿徑， | House boy-servant sweep/clear-away type-of-creeping-plant/turnip narrow-path [sweep type-of-creeping-plant narrow-path = In ancient China, cleaning a path was a move to show welcome.], [type-of-creeping-plant = usnea, a pale-green or gray, moss-like fungus and algae. In classic Chinese literature, climbing figs and usnea were symbols of hermits due to the Songs of Chu.] |
昨與故人期。 | Former-times with old man/friend appointment [The last two lines mean the servant cleaned the path covered with usnea, for the author has made an appointment with an old friend.] |
Year:
2012
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