Wang Wei (701-761)

Living in Leisure at the Wang River:

A Gift for Scholar Pei Di

A chilly mountain,

walking about the verdant green:

Autumn waters,

the sun, a trickling stream.

Leaning on my cane,

the wooden gate outside,

Facing the wind,

and listening to cicadas at dusk.

On the ferry pier,

a remnant sun is setting

And from the village,

a solitary smoke is rising.

Remembering our time here,

you were drunk, like the mad man of Chu,

And I was singing wildly,

like the poet Tao of Jin.

Wáng Wéi

Wǎng chuān xián jū

zèng péi xiù cái dí

Hán shān zhuǎn cāng cuì,

Qiū shuǐ rì chán yuán.

Yǐ zhàng chái mén wài,

Lín fēng tīng mù chán.

Dù tóu yú luò rì,

Xū lǐ shàng gū yān.

Fù zhí jiē yú zuì,

Kuáng gē wǔ liǔ qián.

King/ruler Maintain/preserve = Wang Wei (701-761)

Wang/exterior-rim-of-wheel River/creek/stream stay-idle/unoccupied/leisure reside/house/live/dwell give-as-a-present/bestow/confer/bestow-an-honorary-title-after-death Pei/look-of-flowing-gown Refined/luxriant/flowering/elegant/graceful Talent/ability Di/enlighten/advance/progress

[Wang River/Creek=Wangchuan, a river in Shaanxi. Wang Wei settled down here in his latter years.],

[Pei Refined Talent Di= Pei Di, a person’s name, refined talent, “Xiu Cai” is a person who has passed the country level imperial exam, a scholar, a fine talent, or a skillful writer.]

Cold/wintry/chilly/tremble mountain/hill/peak walk-about/circle-about/convey/forward/turn/shift/move dark-blue/deep-green green-jade/verdant

Autumn/fall water/river sun/day flow/trickle-of-water/sound-of-flowing-water rushing-of-water/flow

[Autumn water = limpid autumn waters]

Lean-on/rely-on/depend-on/lean-heavily walking-stick/a-staff/rod/cane firewood/fuel door/gate/entrance outside

[door outside = outside the door]

To-face/overlook/draw-near/approach wind/air/atmoshphere listen/hear evening/sunset/dusk cicada

Ferry/cross/ferry-over beginning-or-end/head/side/top  remaining/residue/after/remainder falling/setting sun

Ruins/wasteland/grave/high-mound inside/village climb/get-onto/go-up/on-top/above lonesome/lonely/solitary/orphan smoke/mist/vapor

[Ruins/grave inside= village]

Go-and-return/return/repeat worth/value/happen-to/be-on-duty Jie/receive/continue Yu/cart/palanquin intoxicated/drunk

[Jie Yu= a famous “crazy man” in Chu Kingdom; for detailed notes, please refer to poem #53. Here refers it to Pei Di.]

Mad/insane/wild/violent sing/song/lyrics Five Willow-tree before/in-front/ahead

[Five Willow= Mr. “Five Willow” is the title of the famous secluded poet, Tao Yuanming in Jin Dynasty. Here refers to the poet himself.]