Li Bai wrote this mystical poem in the year following the one where the emperor granted him amnesty from his exile. He had faced setbacks in his life and felt stepped on in his later years, being 60-years-old at the time he wrote this. This feeling led him to follow Daoism (Taoism) and seek divine advice.
This poem makes extensive allusions to Daoist belief, which are explained in the notes after the poem. Because of the length of the poem and extensive allusions, I added slightly more explanatory words to the translation than I would normally do to make it intelligible without constantly jumping to the notes.
The poem reading starts at 1:55. It is not the best reading, but the only one I could find and is cute to hear the kids reciting the poem.
Translation
By Li Bai (701-762) | 李白 |
Lu Mountain Ballad: to Lu Xuzhou, Imperial Censor | 廬山謠 寄盧侍御虛舟 |
I am the Madman of Chu | 我本 楚狂人 |
My Song of Phoenix mocks the great Confucius | 鳳歌 笑孔丘 |
My hand is holding the mystical Staff of Jade | 手持 綠玉杖 |
And I fly at morning, leaving the Tower of Yellow Cranes | 朝別 黃鶴樓 |
Over the Five Famous Mountains I seek our deities stopping not, despite the distance | 五嶽 尋仙 不辭遠 |
All my life I’ve wanted to join those famous mountain wanderers ~~ | 一生 好入 名山遊 |
The Mountain Lu it flows out near the Little Dipper | 廬山 秀出 南斗傍 |
A screen of layers folded in nine: the clouds a cloth of fine brocade | 屏風 九疊 雲錦張 |
A shadow falling brightly on a lake that shines in green and black | 影落 明湖 青黛光 |
A Tower of Gold that opens in front: the double peaks so long | 金闕 前開 二峰長 |
A silver river that hangs from top to bottom: a rocky bridge that folds in three | 銀河 倒挂 三石梁 |
A burner of incense, the waterfall: seeing each other at distance | 香爐 瀑布 遙相望 |
The curving cliffs of peaks connecting again and again, soaring through dark blue sky | 迴崖 沓障 淩蒼蒼 |
Jade-like shadows and rosy clouds reflecting the morning sun | 翠影 紅霞 映朝日 |
Birds that fly but cannot reach the end of sky | 鳥飛 不到 吳天長 |
Climbing high a splendid view of heaven and earth between | 登高 壯觀 天地間 |
The Yellow River vast and boundless going till it’s yellow no more | 大江 茫茫 去不黃 |
Dark clouds and thousands of miles colors and wind are moving | 黃雲 萬里 動風色 |
White waves: the nine tributes flowing from mountain snow ~~ | 白波 九道 流雪山 |
It’s pleasing to do a ballad of Lu | 好為 廬山謠 |
I am writing because the Mountain is sending | 興因 廬山發 |
Idly viewing the mirror of stone, my heart becoming pure | 閑窺 石鏡 清我心 |
Seeing the places Xie recorded, that famous poet: they flow in moss of green | 謝公 行處 蒼苔沒 |
First I take my Daoist pills of mercury, soon to return as cinnabar: those worldly feelings flee | 早服 還丹 無世情 |
Strumming the heart like I would a lute: it folds in three beginning the Daoist path | 琴心 三疊 道初成 |
Faraway I see Celestial Beings in reddish clouds | 遙見 仙人 彩雲裡 |
My hand holds out hibiscus as I offer to the Mount of Jade | 手把 芙蓉 朝玉京 |
Before me Celestial Hanman high in sky above | 先期 汗漫 九垓上 |
I wish to join traveling to farthest reaches | 願接 盧敖 遊太清 |
Notes:
1. 1st / 2nd verses: a saying from Analects of Confucius, a Chu scholar met the King of Chu Kindom, when he saw the anarchy, he pretended he was insane and rejected the imperial position. Thus, he got the title, Chu Kuang. He also advised Confucius to stay away from official positions, to avoid misfortune. As the ancient saying goes: If you’re accompany the Emperor, you’re with the tiger.
2. Song of Phoenix is a poem in the Daoist skeptical philosophy book, Zhuangzi.
3. The green jade staff is held by Daoist (Taoist) immortals.
4. Yellow Crane Tower= it’s in Wuhan,Hubei Province, the deities and sages ride golden cranes to fly in the sky and go there.
5. “Brightly on a lake” = Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, the biggest fresh water lake in China.
6. Gold Watchtower = Jinque, it’s a rock’s name; two peaks = Xianglu Peak and Shuangjian Peak of Lu Mountain.
7. Honorable Xie, Xie Lingyun, a famous poet in Jin Dynasty, his scenic poems are top-rated
8. In Taoism alchemy, the pills were in mercury at first. After a long time, the pills would return to cinnabar. So it’s also called “return pill/pellet.”
9. Strumming the heart in three folds, literally “Lute heart three fold” = it’s a term in Taoism practice, means making the heart soothing and serene.
10. Mount Jade = Jade Jing Mountain, Daoism believes the Celestial Beings live there.
11. Hanman, one celestial’s name.
12. “Lu’ao / in traveling to the sky.” Lu’ao, a person in Qin dynasty, who sought an elixir for the Emperor. Taiqing, the sky’s highest region. Taoism believes there are three fairylands in the sky, where three deities live respectively. Taiqing is the highest, thus the purest.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
李白 | 李白 | Li bái |
廬山謠 寄盧侍御虛舟 | 庐山谣 寄卢侍御虚舟 | Lú shān yáo jì lú shì yù xū zhōu |
我本楚狂人， | 我本楚狂人， | Wǒ běn chǔ kuáng rén, |
鳳歌笑孔丘。 | 凤歌笑孔丘。 | Fèng gē xiào kǒng qiū. |
手持綠玉杖， | 手持绿玉杖， | Shǒu chí lǜ yù zhàng, |
朝別黃鶴樓； | 朝别黄鹤楼; | Zhāo bié huáng hè lóu; |
五嶽尋仙不辭遠， | 五岳寻仙不辞远， | Wǔ yuè xún xian bù cí yuǎn, |
一生好入名山遊。 | 一生好入名山游。 | Yì shēng hǎo rù míng shān yóu. |
廬山秀出南斗傍， | 庐山秀出南斗傍， | Lú shān xiù chū nán dǒu bàng, |
屏風九疊雲錦張； | 屏风九叠云锦张; | Píng fēng jiǔ dié yún jǐn zhāng; |
影落明湖青黛光， | 影落明湖青黛光， | Yǐng luò míng hú qīng dài guāng, |
金闕前開二峰長。 | 金阙前开二峰长。 | Jīn quē qián kāi èr fēng zhǎng. |
銀河倒挂三石梁， | 银河倒挂三石梁， | Yín hé dào guà sān shí liáng, |
香爐瀑布遙相望。 | 香炉瀑布遥相望。 | Xiāng lú pù bù yáo xiāng wàng. |
迴崖沓障淩蒼蒼， | 回崖沓障凌苍苍， | Huí yá tà zhàng líng cāng cāng, |
翠影紅霞映朝日， | 翠影红霞映朝日， | Cuì yǐng hóng xiá yìng zhāo rì, |
鳥飛不到吳天長。 | 鸟飞不到吴天长。 | Niǎo fēi bú dào wú tiān cháng. |
登高壯觀天地間， | 登高壮观天地间， | Dēng gāo zhuàng guān tiān dì jiān, |
大江茫茫去不黃。 | 大江茫茫去不黄。 | Dà jiāng máng máng qù bù huáng. |
黃雲萬里動風色， | 黄云万里动风色， | Huáng yún wàn lǐ dòng fēng sè, |
白波九道流雪山。 | 白波九道流雪山。 | Bái bō jiǔ dào liú xuě shān. |
好為廬山謠， | 好为庐山谣， | Hào wéi lú shān yáo, |
興因廬山發。 | 兴因庐山发。 | Xìng yīn lú shān fā. |
閑窺石鏡清我心， | 闲窥石镜清我心， | Xián kuī shí jìng qīng wǒ xīn, |
謝公行處蒼苔沒。 | 谢公行处苍苔没。 | Xiè gōng xíng chǔ cāng tái mò. |
早服還丹無世情， | 早服还丹无世情， | Zǎo fú huán dān wú shì qíng, |
琴心三疊道初成； | 琴心三叠道初成; | Qín xīn sān dié dào chū chéng; |
遙見仙人彩雲裡， | 遥见仙人彩云里， | Yáo jiàn xiān rén cǎi yún lǐ, |
手把芙蓉朝玉京。 | 手把芙蓉朝玉京。 | Shǒu bà fú róng cháo yù jīng. |
先期汗漫九垓上， | 先期汗漫九垓上， | Xiān qí hàn màn jiǔ gāi shàng, |
願接盧敖遊太清。 | 愿接卢敖游太清。 | Yuàn jiē lú áo yóu tài qīng. |
Literal Translation
李白 | Plum White= Li Bai(701-762) | |
廬山謠 寄盧侍御虛舟 | Hut Mountain ballad send/to Lu attend imperial vain boat [Hut Mountain=Lu Mountain, in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province], [send=ji, a poem dedicated to], [attend imperial=Shiyu, censor, imperial official position], [Lu attend imperial vain/false boat= Lu Xuzhou, the Censor] | |
我本楚狂人， | I originally/root/source Chu insane person [Chu insane person= Chu Kingdom’s crazy-man.] | |
鳳歌笑孔丘。 | Phoenix Song laugh/snicker/mock Hole Hill [Phoenix Song= the lyrics is from the book, Zhuangzi], [Hole Hill= Confucius] | |
手持綠玉杖， | Hand hold green jade wand/staff/cane [green jade wand/staff= the wand used by the deities] | |
朝別黃鶴樓； | Morning farewell/parting Yellow Crane Tower [Yellow Crane Tower= it’s in Wuhan,Hubei Province, the deities and sages ride golden cranes to fly in the sky and go there.] | |
五嶽尋仙不辭遠， | Five mountains seek Daoist-deity not decline/resign distant/remote/profound [Five mountains=China have 5 famous mountains, called Wu Yue; here refers to every renowned mountain.] | |
一生好入名山遊。 | One/all life like/good enter/join famous mountain travel/wander [One life= all Li’s life] | |
廬山秀出南斗傍， | Lu Mountain beautiful/flowering/luxuriant/graceful come-out/go-out South Dou/Chinese-measure near/close [South Dou= the South Dipper, in ancient Chinese astronomy, cities/fields were linked to stars’ position. Lu Mountain is near Xunyang, and Xunyang was linked to the South Dipper.] | |
屏風九疊雲錦張； | Folding-screen wind nine fold-in-layers/stack cloud good-fabrics/brocade/tapestry/embroidery piece(of cloth) [Folding-screen wind=ancient Chinese screen] | |
影落明湖青黛光， | Shadow/reflection/image falls clear/bright/brilliant lake green/youth umber-black light/shine [Shadow= Mountain’s shadow] [clear lake= Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, the biggest fresh water lake in China.] | |
金闕前開二峰長。 | Gold Deficiency/palace/palace-watch-tower front open two peaks grow/long [Gold Deficiency=Jinque, it’s a rock’s name; ] [two peaks=Xianglu Peak and Shuangjian Peak of Lu Mountain] | |
銀河倒挂三石梁， | Silver river upside-down/fall-over hang three stone roof-beam/bridge [Silver river = the Three-fold Waterfall, because there’re three cascades (or Milky Way, galaxy)] | |
香爐瀑布遙相望。 | Incense burner waterfall cloth distant/far-away each-other watch/look-at [Incense burner=incensory], [waterfall cloth= waterfall] | |
迴崖沓障淩蒼蒼， | Curve cliff/precipice many connected/range-of-peaks/again-and-again soaring/pass-over dark-blue dark-blue [dark-blue dark-blue= describe the sky’s color, vast and hazy] | |
翠影紅霞映朝日， | Bluish-green shadow/reflection red sunglow/red-clouds/rosy-clouds reflect morning sun | |
鳥飛不到吳天長。 | Birds fly not arrive/reach Wu Sky long/length [Wu Sky= Jiujiang was Wu Kingdom’s territory in the history.] [Meaning: Even birds can’t fly over/across the high and grand Lu Mountain, and its vast sky.] | |
登高壯觀天地間， | Climb high splendid/magnificent/big view/see sky earth between | |
大江茫茫去不黃。 | Big river boundless/vast boundless go not yellow/return [Big river= Yangtze River], [go not yellow= another version of this poem is “return” not “yellow”, so the River goes but never returns. Yellow River loses its yellow.] | |
黃雲萬里動風色， | Yellow/dark clouds wan(10-thousand) miles move wind color/look/shape/form/beauty | |
白波九道流雪山。 | White/pure wave nine paths flow snow mountain [nine paths=Ancient topography shows the Yangtze river in Xunyang became 9 tributary streams.] , [snow mountain= white splash] | |
好為廬山謠， | Like/good/well/proper do Lu Mountain ballad | |
興因廬山發。 | Excitement/interest/thrive/flourish because Lu Mountain create/appear/emit/sends-out/show | |
閑窺石鏡清我心， | Leisure/idle look stone mirror clear/pure my heart [stone mirror= There’s a round smooth rock in Lu Mountain.] | |
謝公行處蒼苔沒。 | Thanks Gentleman travel/walk place pale/ash-gray/green moss buried/die/inundated [Thanks Gentleman= Sir Xie, Xie Lingyun, a famous poet in Jin Dynasty, his scenic poems are top-rated.] | |
早服還丹無世情， | Early take(medication) return/still/besides pellet/pill/cinnabar/vermilion no mundane/common/worldly feelings | |
琴心三疊道初成； | Lute heart three fold Taoism/path beginning ready/completed/fixed/succeed [Lute heart three fold= it’s a term in Taoism practice, means making the heart soothing and serene.] | |
遙見仙人彩雲裡， | Faraway/distant see/appear Daoist-deity person colorful/rosy clouds inside/within | |
手把芙蓉朝玉京。 | Hand hold lotus/hibiscus lotus/cotton-rose towards Jade Jing/capital/big [lotus lotus= hibiscus], [towards= worship, pilgrimage], [Jade Jing= Jade Jing Mountain, Taoism believes the Celestial Beings are there.] | |
先期汗漫九垓上， | Earlier time Sweat Free/spreading nine sky/border above [Earlier time = in advance, ahead of time], [Sweat Free= Hanman, one celestial’s name], [nine sky= idiom, the highest level of the sky or empyreal] | |
願接盧敖遊太清。 | Wish/desire receive/join/connect Hut Ramble travel/wander/roam Too Clear | |
[Hut Ramble= Lu’ao, a person in Qin dynasty, who sought an elixir for the Emperor.] [Too Clear=Taiqing, the sky’s highest region. Taoism believes there’re 3 fairylands in the sky, where 3 deities live respectively. Taiqing is the highest, thus the purest.] | ||
The notes, character table, and literal translation were prepared with the assistance of Liane Rui of Shanghai, China.
Year:
2012
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