[updated September 2022]
Recall Past Events With My Brother Ziyou at Mianchi
和 子 曲 渑 池 怀 旧
人 生 到 外 知 何 似？
应 似 飞 鸿 踏 雪 泥。
泥 上 偶 然 留 指 爪
鸿 飞 那 复 计 东 西。
老 僧 已 死 成 新 塔
坏 壁 无 由 见 旧 题。
往 日 崎 岖 还 记 否？
路 长 人 闲 蹇 驴 嘶。
He Zi You Mian Chi Huai Jiu
Ren sheng dao wai zhi he si?
Ying si fei hong ta xue ni
Ni shang ou ran liu zhi zhao
Hong fei na fu ji dong xi.
Lao seng yi si cheng xin ta
Huai bi wu you jian jiu ti
Wang ri qi qu huan ji fou?
Lu chang ren xian jian lu si.
Recall Past Events With My Brother Ziyou at Mianchi
What is known and compared to human conditions everywhere?
Answer: Chinese geese who fly and leave footprints in the snow and mud
By chance these prints remain upon the mud
When the geese fly away, they do not return to count those that are left.
Go to visit the old Buddhist monk, who has already died, now
under a new pagoda
Looking for the old wall where we wrote poetry together,
wall and writings are gone
Do you still remember how rugged and rough the trip was last time?
On the long road, we had to stop here with our one lame donkey.
Notes:
Mianchi: Ancient city name, located in present day Henan Province.