Meng Haoran: Young Brother Xi Ran’s Bamboo Pavilion

Young Brother Xi Ran’s Bamboo Pavilion

洗 然 第 竹 亭

吾 与 二 三 子
平 生 结 交 深。
俱 怀 鸿 鹄 志
共 有 鹡 鸰 心。

逸 气 假 毫 翰
清 风 在 竹 林。
远 是 九 中 趣
琴 上 偶 然 音。

Xi Ran Di Zhu Ting

Wu you er san zi
Ping sheng jie jiao shen.
Ju huai hong hu zhi
Gong you ji ling xin.

Yi qi jia hao han
Qing feng zai zhu lin.
Yuan shi jiu zhong qu
Qin shang ou ran yin.

Young Brother Xi Ran’s Bamboo Pavilion

I associate with two or three young scholars
Throughout our lives we have had a deep friendship.
All of us yearn for the ideals of a hong hu
Altogether the heart-mind of a jiling.

With the will and spirit of those who use a fine-hair writing brush
Like the pure, clear wind through a bamboo forest.
Our wine drinking is to increase awareness only
Our music, the random and spontaneous sounds around us.

Notes:

Hong hu: Literally a swan, figuratively a person with noble ideals and lofty aspirations.

Jiling: Literally a warbler; figuratively it means to live together like brothers in a family.

Commentary:

One of my favorite poems of Meng Haoran.  He hits the nail on the head with this one, especially the last two lines…wow!