Wang Wei: Leaving Wang River House

Leaving Wang River House

别 辋 川 别 业

依 迟 动 车 马
惆 怅 出 松 萝。

忍 别 青 山 去？
其 如 绿 水 何！

Bie Wang Chuan Bie Ye

Yi chi dong che ma
Chou chang chu song luo.                                                                                                     Ren bie qing shan qu ?
Qi ru lu shui he !

Leaving Wang River Vacation House

Reluctant and slow to start horse and carriage
Melancholy and regret like the climbing wisteria leaving the pine tree.

How can I endure this departure from these green mountains?
Just like the still green waters also not wanting to go!

Notes:

Wang River: Wang Wei’s Lantian cottage location was called Wang River. The famous scroll of painting and poems are called the Wang River Scroll. This vacation retreat and estate was located south of the capital city of Chang’an, within the foothills of the Qinling mountains.

Slow to start the horse and carriage: Wang would now have to go back to work for the emperor.