xvi-01 escorting a guest in nan lang
xvi-02 i escort lord chamberlain zhang as he leaves for jiang dong
xvi-03 i escort wei wan, hermit of wang wu mountain, as he returns to his mountain retreat
xvi-04 i escort the under-district judge tang zhao xian as he leaves for chang lu jin
xvi-05 i escort a friend as he leaves to visit the beauties of zhe giang
xvi-06 i escort my cousin li ning as he leaves for chu zhou to ask for a marriage to a daughter of the cui family
xvi-07 i escort cui (first in his clan) who leaves to visit plum lake near nan ging
xvi-08 i escort cui (first in his clan) as he leaves for the tian zhu monastery in you hang xian
xvi-09 i escort the hermit yang as he returns to the tian dai mountains
xvi-10 i escort the hermit wen who returns to his home at swan head in huang shan
xvi-11 i escort the old wizard zhao as he leaves for dong ping
xvi-12 i escort han zhun, pei zheng and kong chao fu as they return to the mountains
xvi-13 i escort under-district judge yang as he leaves for the imperial examinations in chang an
xvi-14 i give my uncle, district magistrate of ren cheng, a farewell dinner while it snows outside
xvi-15 in the memorial temple for emperor yao in yan zhou i bid farewell to lord wu, fifth of his clan, as he leaves for lang ya
xvi-16 at the memorial temple for emperor yao in yan zhou, i take leave of district judge dou bo hua who departs for chang an
xvi-17 in jin xiang xiani i take leave of wei, eighth of huis clan, as he leaves for chang an
xvi-18 i escort master xie, ninth of his clan, as he leaves to confront a slander
xvi-19 on an autumn night on the east tower of shan fu i say goodbye to my cousin li chen as he leaves for shen si
xvi-20 i escort my cousin li ning as he leaves for yan gu, 30 miles from shan fu xian
xvi-21 in the northern suburb of lu cheng under a gnarled old mulberry tree, i take leave of zhang zi who returns to song yang
li bai xvi-01
do not disparage the poor wine i offer here
it is the heart which is remembered by friends
i cannot stop an old friend who now leaves me
and because i am a wanderer i know the pain of leaving
our sad faces look with jealousy on lush green grasses
the long branches of the weeping willow bring spring thoughts
i beckon with my hand for you to stay as you begin to leave
but our paths divide and my heart can only cry, not hold you back
murphy lamenting the paucity of true friends throughout his life
li bai xvi-02
i escort lord chamberlain zhang as he leaves for jiang dong
you, a second zhang han, now leave for jiang dong
it is precisely the time of the first brisk autumn winds
in the distance a wild goose flies in the clear skies
far out on the sea a lone sailor slowly wends his way
the bright sun is now close to its own departure
though now to be separated we know in our hearts we will meet again soon
when you are in wu zhou and look to the moon shining on us both
i hope you will think fondly of me though we are a thousand miles apart
murphy amazed at how transitory life can be
li bai xvi-03
i escort wei wan, hermit of wang wu mountain, as he returns to his mountain retreat
introduction: wei wan, hermit of wang wu mountain, said:
“from song shan in song guo i went to wu, and looking for you for over a few thousand miles without our ever meeting. full of the pleasure of walking i went on over to tai and yue, then on through yong jia where i saw the xie gong yan rock and shi men shan mountain.” so he told me as we later met in guang ling. and since i admired his love of literature and antiquity as well as his independent life outside society, i described his travels and dedicated this poem to him.
the immortal dong fang so played in the high spirited sea of clouds
with great speed he wandered the sky and disappeared into unfamiliar areas
count wei extended the glory of his ancestors to bi wan of liao she
the story of his family proceeds in accordance with the dao
his own life is reminiscent of those of the ancient sages
as early as his thirteenth year he occupied himself with literature and history
and he knew how to wield the brush to display a richness akin to brocade
in debate he was able to defeat a sophist like tian ba
and his mind’s acuity rivaled that of lu zhong lian
he went west to the source of the pristine lo river
for he wished to escape the noise of people
because magical mushrooms grew there he settled in the wang wu mountains
from there he gazed out to the pearly gates of the dong dian mountains
then he wandered here and there among the peaks of the song mountains
all this time he was meeting many friendly daoist adepts
in the morning he reached to touch the moon elf’s hand
in the evening he slept in the home of the elves
in the valley of ghosts he found his silence
there where the dragon pond overflowed down to the river
he traveled east on the bian river for 3000 miles
he then found pleasure in the clouds of wu
and rushed like a whirlwind to the banks of the river zhe
he admired the natural beauty of hang zhou and zhe giang
at the zhang pavilion he looked out on the waters coming from qian tang
the mighty waves moved over the stones of the hai men gate
clouds of dust and water lay across the mountains in the distance
it was as if white horses pulled behind a fine white carriage
the thundering waves startled the heart and one’s face showed fear
he had heard of the glory of gui ji mountain in a far off region
so he went again on his way enjoying the ye xi river
ten thousand valleys of a thousand peaks
all reflected in their grandeur on mirror lake
the magnificent colors cannot be adequately described
this pure brilliance is most evident in the city of shao xing
there the people move as if on the edge of the moon
it almost seems as if the ships were sailing through the air
he stayed for a long period of time in these areas
going into yan xian looking for traces of wang xi zhi and xu xun
laughing he read the inscription on the tombstone of cao o
as he hummed to himself the eight words of praise of cai yong
he wandered about the tian tai and si ming mountains
and when the sun went down he went to the guo qing monastery
the colors of the five peaks changed in the moonlight
a hundred miles away he heard the rustling of the pines there
the ling xi river beckoned him so he soon crossed over it
because of the further side the flowers seemed to nod toward him
the stone bridge was stretched across the sky
with careful steps he walked the narrow edge of the half moon
filled with longing he thought of yong jia
and was not afraid of the length of the sea route
he hoisted his sails and drove around the cliffs on the shore
he looked back on the walls red as sun tinged clouds
the red wall gradually disappeared behind him
and the mountain on the lonely isle rose slowly on his front
these waters have flowed continuously since ancient times
the empty pavilions have seen thousands of years of moon shine
the gorges at jin yun xian are difficult to enter
but from there the shi men mountain is especially beautiful
the waterfall seems to come down from the great bear constellation
though the origin of this river has yet to be found
water splashing against the rocks highlights the glistening snow
the mist in the air makes the day seem colder than it is
later wei wan thinks of the walk along the o xi river
imagining the dangers that will threaten him there
the roaring river that fights over 70 rock strewn rapids
the water and the rocks in perpetual battle
the road along the river was first built by li yong
the steep rock face was given its name by xie, the earl of kang lo
the wind roars through the pines as the monkeys’ harmonize with plaintive cries
all this constant sound penetrating into the caves and gorges
the low road leading to plum blossom bridge over the shuang xi river
must be travelled before the onset of the ebb tide washes over it
still on the sides of jin hua mountain he let loose the sails
the early sky so beautiful as to call up the immortal chi song zi
the famous home of shen yo where he wrote his “eight poems”
juts out on an outcropping on the west of jin hua
it is high so one can easily see into the four quarters of heaven
up there where the clouds roll in and earth is open to heaven
in the distance one sees all the small rivers meet to become one
waters of the shuang xi flow into western zhe giang ever broader
impetuous as always he shared goals with xin an jiang
and turned north to see the rocks of yan guang
where the angel terrace rises from distant purple clouds
there opposite the cang ling range of mountains
slowly wei wan wended his way to su zhou
there he stayed on the gu su terrace for a long while
looking out on the misty mountain range “nine doubts”
he could just make out in the blurry distance the tai hu lake
as his eyes wandered far into the distance so followed his thoughts
he sighed as if listening to a long sad song
then he turned his back on the banks of the chu river
and mounting his horse he went to the yang zi ford
he wears a distinctive japanese fur coat
and is easily picked out of the crowd
in the fifth month he finally comes to visit me
from his conversation i know immediately he is no fool
our joy at this meeting had no bounds
every day we were together on the water or in the hills
although he had visited five provincial governors
he brought with him no more than a hundred taels of silver
my friend yang li wu rules his district with music and song
his delicate virtue penetrates to all corners of his province
although he is prefect of nan ging he loves all the people
much like jian shan brought together the jin dynasty
and if you should ever have reason to visit him
i wish it to be made known that i love you
since you set off from the wang wu mountains much time has passed
you have secured a place in the upper chambers of the immortals to return to
the green tree which rests against the eastern window of your chamber
has surely grown three to five branches more
at this time the immortals of the heavenly altar laugh at your late return
i myself am full of sorrow and regret that you will now leave
and as we have set no time of reunion i suffer
i will remember you all the rest of my life
as steadfastly as the huang he flows to the east
murphy realizing he will never be able to wander off and slough his duties
li bai xvi-04
i escort the under-district judge tang zhao xian as he leaves for chang lu jin
i came to the market place of yang zhou
to see off my friend who is leaving in a light boat
mei sheng praised the waves at guang ling to the crown prince of chu
i will use this chance to view this spectacle
as an official you earn as did mei fu the title of jewel of zhao
your exalted character surpasses that of the immortal four heroes
you intend to tie up your boat in chang lu
my eye will follow you through the furthest clouds
you will sit with your fan in the wine house in chang lu
you will roll up your sleeves for a tasty dish of crabs
perhaps in the future you will climb a high mountain
and sing a long drawn out song so loud that i might be able to hear
murphy dutiful in his adherence to ritual
li bai xvi-05
i escort a friend as he leaves to visit the beauties of zhe giang
i hear that you will be visiting the mountains of gui ji
as you share the talents of the mountain climbing xie ling yun
there are a thousand hills where springs plunge downward
in the ten thousand valleys rivers are bordered by trees
along the eastern sea stretch the qin wang mountains
xi ling lake surrounds the balcony of the king of yue
the lake is as transparent as a shining mirror
the waves as white as the snows on the mountains
you will describe this beauty with the art of mei zheng
and then as zhang han san wu you will reach for your cup
in that country you will find many stimulating scenes
and sooner or later make your way to the venerable tai shan
murphy heaping praise as a reflex
li bai xvi-06
i escort my cousin li ning as he leaves for chu zhou to ask for a marriage to a daughter of the cui family
it is not a shallow friendship that we share as our bond
but one unfortunately can forget the net where all fish are caught
on a beautiful table sits a most valuable gift
but what are you planning to do with this gift
you will certainly make a good son-in-law
and have always been a man with a strong-willed character
back here from a distance i know your cart will be pelted with fruit
as once was the beautiful pan yo, and these fruits will fill your car
murphy watching the young ones go off to do their thing
li bai xvi-07
i escort cui (first in his clan) who leaves to visit plum lake near nan ging
i say farewell to you as you travel on to plum lake
you will flourish there as you take in the blossoms
if you can find a messenger to hasten to me with flowers
see they arrive before they are wilted
if you should find yourself on the shore of xin lin pu
be sure to become drunk in the bright moonlight of nan ging
and be sure to send me letters with a wild goose
and if you don’t you will receive none from me
murphy veritably a man of letters in his prime
li bai xvi-08
i escort cui (first in his clan) as he leaves for the tian zhu monastery in you hang xian
again i hear about the fabled tian zhu monastery
and my dreams fly to east yue on the banks of the xi hu
they say that every year when the frost begins to cover the tress by the sea
a cassia seed falls from the autumnal moon to land there]
i escort you as you leave to visit that area
but you should already be there for the flowers are wilting
wait there for me as i am visiting next year
then we can go together down to touch the sea
murphy always chasing a bigger party to go to
li bai xvi-09
i escort the hermit yang as he returns to the tian dai mountains
this wanderer has often thought of the tian dai mountains
but the way there is hard and they lie far, far to the east
the water level in the zhe jiang river is very low
the sand along the pu yang river sparkles in the moon light
i have just now returned from wandering in the land of chu
and dreamed only yesterday of returning to yue with you
but now let us spend the entire night in the light of the torches
and not worry about your starting out bright and early tomorrow
in my family there is a second yuan xian
who is governor of tai zhou near the red wall
as a poet mastering the craft of shi he is held in high esteem
and as an honest official who will not even use state candles for light
you should enjoy wandering the foot hills of the local mountains
and it is always joyful to go down to the sea
if we could meet to cross the fabled stone bridge in those mountains
i would take you by the hand strolling through the rising sea mists
murphy always promising but never delivering
li bai xvi-10
i escort the hermit wen who returns to his home at swan head in huang shan
huang shan soars for a full 4000 fathoms
and has a remarkable number of 32 shoulders
walls have been built surrounding the stone pillar
the names of the peaks are the golden lotus bulbs
in the past i once climbed the highest spur
and looked down from there on the pines of tian mu
i could see where the immortals had prepared the elixir of life
but they were no longer there and had left only fading traces
i have heard that wen bo xue zi will now go there alone
but before he has left i fortunately met him here
he leaves the five great mountains and now turns to huang shan
to climb the steep walls and rise higher than the 10,000 mountain stages
he wants to return to the swan’s head and rest there
and wishes to slake his thirst at the tan sha well
now when i come to you there playing my flute
you must provide us with the heavenly cloud car
now you must go quietly to the east of the ling yang mountains
and proceed into the midst of the fragrant cassia trees
there to see the 16 ess curves of the mountain torrent
where the green slopes rise to meet the sky
if i visit you in the future we will walk the sky bridge
and pick a careful way over the colorful rainbow
murphy dreaming, always dreaming his afternoons away
li bai xvi-11
i escort the old wizard zhao as he leaves for dong ping
chang sang zhun in his old age considered the human body
he saw the viscera as having five distinct parts, and were not united
the elder zhao has become interested in this mystery
and wanders still with wizards in search of an answer
he seeks to visit the unicorn gallery in the west
and bring there for me a libation for confucius
when i think of this separation and remember this old story
my eyes fill with tears and i cannot help by fall to weeping
murphy working himself up into a fever pitch before the big game
li bai xvi-12
i escort han zhun, pei zheng and kong chao fu as they return to the mountains
the hunter can use his nets for rabbits but not for dragons or tigers
wise men sing loudly in the mountains and wish not to be officials
master han is an excellent fellow and master pei is filled with truth and purity
count kong has exceptional talents, all three men return to the clouds
their sublime character surpasses even the high spruce
they will sleep together under blankets on a large stone slab
they will break the ice with their axes to sip the cold water
and all three are well equipped with mountain shoes for the hiking
but sometimes when the mood strikes them, like clouds without intention
they come down from the heights and visit the regional governor
as they prepare to leave they whistle with relief, having escaped an official position
last night in my dreams i played with the reflection of the moon on the bamboo river
this morning i stand outside the east gate of lu drinking with friends who are leaving
they return to snow covered cliffs with sure footed horses who keep them safe
my thoughts are as confused with yearning as the sprouts of lush grass
and they thrust their way into my mind no matter what reason they choose to root
murphy always the one left behind to take care of home base
li bai xvi-13
i escort under-district judge yang as he leaves for the imperial examinations in chang an
the government supplies a scale and a mirror for all
the imperial examinations seek to provide justice
for within the cadre of successful examinees there is no evil
this bright mirror illuminates the character of the people
our emperor sings the pure song of the south wind
in his stiff formal garments he plays the qin
in the present time there is a welcome peace
and many scholars congregate in the capital of chang an
grass on the mountains extends into the depths of the canyons
but only the noble fir stands on the highest pinnacle
you, oh master, possess the highest of talents
and the examiner will surely recognize your worth
bo ya’s songs do not compare to your music of the kingdom of zheng
you will find no problems having your talents recognized in chang an
when the tailor cuts the brocade and makes a mistake
he stands to waste many thousands of taels
should he not turn instead with his scissors and his measuring stick
and with his mastery carefully trim the skirt of a poor girl
i am not so confident in those who prefer the company of officials
yet i am stirred by this farewell to bear my innermost intentions
now as in a boring tale i am no rider on a white horse
yet this is no reason for a dignified man to feel sadness
when the dao prevails in the state should not one let it be
maybe i will be called in the future when my time will come
surely you are fit to become a second shan tao
and find certain success as a minister in civil service
murphy always watching others rise to positions of prestige and power
li bai xvi-14
i give my uncle, district magistrate of ren cheng, a farewell dinner while it snows outside
dragons and tigers do not fear whips and sticks
phoenixes do not crow like roosters in the morning
look up to the crane flying high over the sea
can you find a way to put him in a cage
you have followed your unique inclinations
think of yourself as a migratory cloud
you have been a long time civil servant
you have stood next to the heavens
you, my uncle, have always shown an august character
you stand out in the family like ma liang with his white eyebrows
you leave the dream of your office to return to chang an
here in the home of master dou your scholar friends have gathered
the songs here sung bring down the high flying geese to listen
the songs from the land of ying bring back the spring
though now the horses neigh in eagerness
and the carriage wheels already churn up the dust
the farewell dinner is a chance to hold you back for a while longer
and though we wish to keep you and your carriage, we cannot
will we ever again find ourselves in your bamboo grove
as once yuan xian sat in the company of captain yuan ji
murphy reminded of the transitory nature of all good times
li bai xvi-15
in the memorial temple for emperor yao in yan zhou i bid farewell to lord wu, fifth of his clan, as he leaves for lang ya
venerable emperor yao died a full 3000 years ago
yet his old temple still stands among green cypress
i raise a cup of cinnamon wine here for the emperor
this act of sacrifice purifies our hearts
the setting sun bids the wanderers return home
so we leave, emptying our fragrant cups again and again
approaching the neighing horses we are all drunk
and are satisfied with farewell handshakes, who needs words
murphy always ready for fragrant libations
li bai xvi-16
at the memorial temple for emperor yao in yan zhou, i take leave of district judge dou bo hua who departs for chang an
this morning i arose from a long illness and wished to ride my brown racer
but when i tried to go to the whip to let him fly my strength failed me
wherever i wanted to race my illness rose up to slow me down
as i hesitated a great feeling of sorrow overcame me
i straightened my simple square cap and my comfortable clothes
and went south slowly to the famous memorial temple
riding through the trees through the willow branches
hanging down to touch the earth and hide the sun
i stood before a rock crevice which poured forth fresh water
which pooled into a beautiful gold sand pond
laughing with my friends i admired the beautiful scenery
under the splendor of the mountains the water is darker than indigo
in the temple from time to time a drum is sounded
the emperor yao is dead and cannot hear so why make noise
in front of the gates of the temple two stone figures kneel forever
and every day a beautiful flower of a girl dances and sings
and a constant stream of riders on silver bedecked saddles
and wagons with intricately carved wheels come and then go
the forest and rocks are shaken with their passing
the noise reminds one of the thunder in a fierce storm
the heavens are obscured by swirling mists and then seen again
white gulls fly back and forth as continuous as blowing snow
the pavilion of red clay is surrounded by a reddish balustrade
flowing green water coruscates like a dark brocade
the water has a depth of a hundred fathoms and connects to the sea
who knows, but maybe dragons writhe in its depths
have you not seen how the waters of the lu zhu pond flow into the sea
the red make-up of the concubine lu zhu long ago lost its luster
once a garden stood under the towers, there is no longer a single branch
last night the autumn wind came rushing out of heaven’s gates
the leaves fall off on the banks of the tong ting river making poets cry
now i will climb a mountain with a few friends to refresh our minds
had i lived in those past times i would have laughed to myself
and disregarded the nine tripods, symbols of imperial domination
and wondered why cao cao was so sad on the tong jiao terrace
why did he think of death surrounded by his beautiful women
leaning against the window i sing the white cloud song of friendship
when you hear these sounds, you beckon with your hands
a steady wind seems to blow the moon up from the sea
from a distance i called upon the immortal moon to have a cup of wine
during the banquet the greatest joy arrived at midnight
we lifted the cup to emperor yao so he would join with us
why does not gao yao sweep with his great broom
directly into the dark sky to brush away the clouds
when once shan jian got drunk at gao yang lake it was no big thing
how could his intoxication ever rise to the level of mine
the seven masters of the bamboo grove are long dead
who would not still praise wang xi zhi the famous author of lan ting xu
we are by the pond of the memorial temple of emperor yao
what else can we do but fill the halls with our laughter
until now we have had only sad lotus blossoms as companions
you now go to chang an and i leave for east yue
from there i plan to go to the island of the immortals
and while there search for their golden palace
later we could meet at lan tian or tai bo mountain
in the meanwhile brush off a stone for me to sit on in the moon light
murphy at his happiest in the midst of drunken revelry
li bai xvi-17
in jin xiang xiani i take leave of wei, eighth of huis clan, as he leaves for chang an
the traveler has come from chang an and now will return
a stormy wind blows my heart to the west to catch on a tree in the capital
when will we meet again, the feeling of longing cannot be described
i watch you disappear into vapors and mists rising in the mountains
murphy always saying ciao to his friends
li bai xvi-18
i escort master xie, ninth of his clan, as he leaves to confront a slander
the people of song could not tell the difference between a gem and a pebble
the people of lu had only contempt for their eastern neighbor confucius
i have to find humor in the situation when i hear that master xie
is to travel to both these two benighted countries
gold is seldom smelted from a great heap of gossip
a white gem is never appreciated in darkness
the nut of the wu ting tree has a prickly bur
green bamboo does not produce good fruit
where can the phoenix settle down to rest
but he must make friends with the chickens
when people heard that tian zi fang had only a poor horse
his friends all found a way to come to his door
when the mistress of ping zhun yuan laughed at a cripple
everyone rose and left that house in disgust
yet when this same woman was to be beheaded
over 3000 people hurried to see the spectacle
it was only when mao sui arrived on the scene
that the two empires of chu and zhao coexisted in peace
meng chang jun emulated the clever rabbit with his exit holes
and thanked his servant feng huan for his timely advice
xin ling zhun stole the seal of the king of wei
with the permission of han dan and on the advice of hou sheng
how foolish was chun shen jun when he let li yuan cut off his head
all worthy men, these four heroes, now laughing in their graves
i wonder do they laugh at noble fools who see not true worth
go, but forget not that peach and plum trees lie along your way
such peace and beauty calms the clamor of the heart
now, who will sponsor you in the land of wu, who will give you food
murphy in full commisseration
li bai xvi-19
on an autumn night on the east tower of shan fu i say goodbye to my cousin li chen as he leaves for shen si
when you came here from chang an you asked me why i was so miserable
i feel like a monkey wearing clothes, there are no words to describe it
i am riding a cow from the farm and have returned back to east lu
cousin li chen will leave here but cousin li ning will remain
you are like the wild goose ready to fly off in the autumn to the clouds of shen si
yet only the first four or five dead leaves have fallen since you arrived
the constellation of the northern bushel now hangs over the western wall tower
the sounds of the pipa stirs all here who gather to wish you farewell
i roll up the bamboo curtain to look at the moon and am invigorated
the moon is so bright that it reminds me of the nightly snow at shan yin xian
tomorrow i will partake of wine and allow myself to grieve over your absence
i will gaze at the sun which also hovers over chang an where you now go
the imperial palaces of chang an are now in my mind sparkling in the heavens
i stayed there once when my efforts belonged to the emperor
many days have since passed and my hair is now white but my heart remains true
as once was qu yuan i am filled with sorrow on the shores of the lakes and the streams
i pace around like cui yin who was exiled to liao dong by the sea
i flit back and forth with a broken wing like windblown thistledown
i am a bird that falls from the air merely from hearing a bow string twang
my august emperor has rejected me despite of my greatest endeavors
who will ever take pity on me in the future, i am a second zhang zhi
murphy ruing his early tempestuous days
li bai xvi-20
i escort my cousin li ning as he leaves for yan gu, 30 miles from shan fu xian
we look out into the distance where snow covers the vast plain
bedecked in our hunter’s gear we proceed with hearts pounding
we swing our whips to drive the horses to the top of a rise
there we can scan the terrain for any signs of prey
a hare jumps out between the legs of a horse
but the blue falcon is loosed and soon swoops to kill
shouting we race to the spot sounding our joy
the excitement erases any hint of sadness at the death
after a while we slake our thirst for the hunting
and return to celebrate listening to the songs of qi
tomorrow morning at the cock crow the wild goose flies off to lai gou
letters should be sent back on the waves of the huang he
murphy emulating the life of the idle rich
li bai xvi-21
in the northern suburb of lu cheng under a gnarled old mulberry tree, i take leave of zhang zi who returns to song yang
i take leave of you under this sickly old mulberry tree
its few remaining leaves fluttering in the wind
i don’t know where i am going on the road to my future
but the leaves of the mulberry accept their wind driven fate
who would have thought that zhang zi would choose the life of a hermit
and be satisfied to hole up in the middle of his beloved chrysanthemums
when will he return to sit here again with me
this second li ying, and share a few cups of wine
murphy hating to drink alone when friends can be found