Bai Juyi: A Springtime Walk Around Qiantang Lake

A Springtime  Walk Around Qiantang Lake

钱 塘 湖 春 行

孤 山 寺 北 贾 亭 西
水 面 初 平 云 脚 低。
几 处 早 莺 争 暖 树
谁 家 新 燕 啄 春 泥 。

乱 花 渐 欲 迷 人 眼
浅 草 才 能 没 马 蹄。
最 爱 湖 东 行 不 足
绿 杨 阴 里 白 沙 堤。

Qian Tang Hu Chun Xing

Gu shan si bei jia ting xi
Shui mian chu ping yun jiao di.
Ji chu zao ying zheng nuan shu
Shei jia xin yan zhuo chun ni?

Luan hua jian yu mi ren yan
Qian cao cai neng mei ma ti.
Zui ai hu dong xing bu zu
Lu yang yin li bai sha di.

A Springtime Walk Around Qiantang Lake

Solitary mountain, Buddhist temple to the north
Jia pavilion on the west, water surface calm, and now the clouds
moving low and quiet.
Early morning orioles compete for the warm newly budding trees
Which new swallow family members peck the spring mud?

Over abundance of flowers desire to gradually fill the eyes of everyone
Short pasture grasses higher than the horse’s hooves.
I love the best, and can’t get enough, of the walk around the eastern side
Of Qiantang Lake
Within the green willow’s shade on the sandy causeway.

Notes:

Qiantang Lake: Currently known as Xi Hu, the famous West Lake of Huangzhou, in Zhejiang Province.

Commentary:

A lake of impressive beauty.  Created centuries ago with a long history of being painted and written about.