Li Qingzhao: Billowing Clouds in the Sky (Proud Fishing Family)

Billowing Clouds in the Sky: (Proud Fishing Family)

渔 家 傲

天 接 云 涛 连 晓 雾
星 河 欲 转 千 帆 舞。
仿 佛 梦 魂 归 帝 所
闻 天 语，殷 勤 向 我 归 何 处？

我 报 路 长 嗟 日 暮
学 诗 谩 有 惊 人 句。
九 万 里 风 鹏 正 举
风 休 住，蓬 舟 吹 取 三 山 去。

Yu Jia Ao

Tian jie yun tao lian xiao wu
Xing he yu zhuan qian tan wu.
Fang fu meng hun gui di suo
Wen tian yu, yan qin xiang wo gui he chu?

Wo bao lu chang jie ri mu
Xue shi man you jing ren ju.
Jiu wan li feng peng zheng ju.
Feng xiu zhu, peng zhou chui qu san shan qu.

Billowing Clouds in the Sky: (Proud Fishing Family)

Billowing clouds in the sky connected to the early morning mists
Want to somersault up through the layers to the Milky Way and constellations.
More or less the same as a dream soul returning to a divine place
Listen to the words of heaven, as they ask me
“Where do you want to dwell next?”

Tell myself it is a long road, and too late for me to change now
My poetry learned and accomplished, the lines surprise and amaze readers.
Winds carry the roc straight up for thirty thousand miles
When it stops, I have been blown up to the three mountains of Penglai.

Notes:

Roc:  Legendary bird of prey that changes from a giant kun fish. Mentioned in the first chapter of Zhuangzi’s Inner Chapters.

Penglai:  Mythological island of the Immortals off the eastern coast of China.