This poem tells the story of the narrator climbing the Orchid Mountain to visit his friend, Zhang, who lives there. Both Zhang and the narrator live in the country away from the big cities, hence becoming hermits or recluses.

This trip takes place near the Double Yang Festival, also known as the Double Nine Festival, which takes place on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month. According to traditional Daoist yin-yang belief, nine is a yang number, so a double nine creates too much yang and is thus a dangerous state. To protect against this danger, people climb up a mountain, drink chrysanthemum wine, and wear a plant known for its cleansing properties. Some people also pay respects to their ancestors’ graves.

A note on symbolism: the wild goose was viewed as a noble bird. In this poem, he cannot reach his friend in time before the dusk sets, so he is imagining his noble friend flying away, unable to meet him.

My Translation

Meng Haoran (689-740 AD)

孟浩然
Autumn—
climbing the Orchid Mountain
to stay with Zhang

登蘭山
寄張五


The northern mountains
lie within
the cloudy white

北山
白雲
As a recluse,
I find this pleasing;

隱者
自怡悅
Imagining us face-to-face,
I begin to climb
up high,

相望
始登
But my hope follows
the flight of the wild goose
and extinguishes.

心隨
雁飛
I worry because
the dusk begins to dim,

愁因
薄暮起
Despite the thriving
sense of early autumn.

興是
清秋發
At times I see
the villagers
returning—

時見
村人
They walk along the sand
and rest
on the ferry dock.

沙行
渡頭
On the horizon
the trees
seem like water chestnuts

天邊
若薺
And on the riverbank
there’s an island
appearing like the moon.

江畔
如月
How can we manage
to bring some wine?

何當
載酒來
Together we’ll get drunk
at the Double Yang Festival.

共醉
重陽節

Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation



孟浩然
孟浩然
Mèng Hàorán
秋登蘭山寄張五
秋登兰山寄张五
Qiū dēng lán shān jì zhāng wǔ



北山白雲裡,
北山白云里,
Běi shān // bái yún li,
隱者自怡悅;
隐者自怡悦;
Yǐn zhě // zì yí yuè;
相望始登高,
相望始登高,
Xiāng wàng // shǐ dēng gāo,
心隨雁飛滅。
心随雁飞灭。
Xīn suí // yàn fēi miè.
愁因薄暮起,
愁因薄暮起,
Chóu yīn // bó mù qǐ,
興是清秋發。
兴是清秋发。
Xìng shì // qīng qiū fā.
時見歸村人,
时见归村人,
Shí jiàn // guī cūn rén,
沙行渡頭歇。
沙行渡头歇。
Shā xíng // dù tóu xiē.
天邊樹若薺,
天边树若荠,
Tiān biān // shù ruò jì,
江畔洲如月。
江畔洲如月。
Jiāng pàn // zhōu rú yuè.
何當載酒來,
何当载酒来,
Hé dāng // zài jiǔ lái,
共醉重陽節。
共醉重阳节。
Gòng zuì // chóng yáng jié.

Literal Translation

孟浩然
Eminent Great Certainly [=Meng Haoran (689-740)]
秋登蘭山寄張五
Autumn climb orchid mountain to-lodge stretch five
[stretch = Zhang]


北山白雲裡,
Northern mountain white clouds within/lining
隱者自怡悅;
Hide –er/he-who self harmony pleased
[harmony pleased = pleasant, happy]
相望始登高,
Each-other look-at begin climb high
心隨雁飛滅。
Heart follow wild-goose fly extinguish
愁因薄暮起,
Worry-about because thin/weak dusk rise/begin
[thin/weak dusk = dusk, twilight]
興是清秋發。
Thrive/flourish is peaceful/clean autumn emit
時見歸村人,
Periodically see return village people
沙行渡頭歇。
Sand walk ferry dock rest
天邊樹若薺,
Sky edge trees seem/as-if water-chestnuts/herbs
[sky edge = horizon, ends of the earth]
江畔洲如月。
Large-river boundary island like moon
[Large-rive boundary = riverbank]
何當載酒來,
How manage carry wine come?
共醉重陽節。
Together drunk weighty light section
[weighty light section = Double Ninth or Yang Festival, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month]


Year: 
2011