Meng Haoran: Traveling East Out of the Zhu Mountains, See the Han River in the Distance

Traveling East Out of Zhu Mountains,
See the Han River in the Distance

行 出 竹 东 山 望 汉 川

异 县 非 吾 土
连 山 尽 绿 簧。
平 田 出 郭 少
盘 坂 入 云 长。

万 壑 归 于 汉
千 峰 划 彼 苍。
猿 声 乱 楚 峡
人 语 带 巴 乡。

石 上 攒 椒 树
藤 间 缀 密 房。
雪 馀 春 未 暖
岚 解 昼 初 阳。

征 马 疲 登 顿
归 帆 爱 渺 茫。
坐 欣 没 溜 下
信 宿 见 维 桑。

Xing Chu Zhu Dong Shan Wang Han Chuan

Yi xian fei wu tu
Lian shan jin lu huang.
Ping tian chu guo shao
Pan ban ru yun chang.

Wan wang gui yu han
Qian feng hua bi cang.
Yuan sheng luan chu xia
Ren yu dai ba xiang.

Shi shang cuan jiao shu
Teng jian zhui mi fang.
Xue yu chun wei nuan
Lan jie zhou chu yang.

Zheng ma pi deng dun
Gui fan ai miao mang.
Zuo xin mei liu xia
Xin su jian wei sang.

Traveling East Out of the Zhu Mountains, See the Han River in the Distance

Different county, not my hometown land
Range after mountain range of green bamboo groves.
Few level fields outside the city walls
Terraced slopes extend up into the clouds.

Many rivulets return water to the Han River
Thousand sharp mountain peaks cut the sky.
In the Chu gorges, the wails of monkeys
Still hear the local spoken dialects.

Rocks above contain the jiao plants
Climbing vines adorn bee hives.
Snow still remains, although it is spring
Mountain mists separate as the sun rises.

Mountain-climbing horses need to rest
Sailboat returns with the wind into a vast, hazy river.
Happy to sit here following wind and current
Within a few nights, I will tie up next to my mulberry trees.

Notes:

Zhu mountains: Mountain range in the border region of Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.

Han River: Longest tributary to the Changjiang. The headwaters are in the province of Shaanxi, and close to Meng’s hometown.

Chu gorges: Also known as the Three Gorges on the Changjiang.

Jiao plants: Hot and spicy peppers