[updated September 2022]
For Sixteen Years Away From Hangzhou, Here For Two Years and Then Had to Leave. On Ordinary Days Feel Less Like Going Out, It Appears That I’m Carefree and Optimistic, Although More Talented and Famous, I Seek to Be Common and Out of the Limelight. March Sixth Arrives So I Say My Farewells to the Daoists From the Southern to the Northern Mountains, Then to Tianzhu Temple on Mt. Hui Jing, Received As a Gift a Stone From the Monks
予 去 航 十 六 年 而 复 来，留 二 年 而 去。平 日 自 觉 出 外 老 少，粗 似 乐 天，虽 才 名 相 远，而 安 分 寡 求，亦 庶 几 焉。三 月 六 日，来 别 南 北 山 诸 道 人，而 下 天 竺 惠 净 师 以 丑 石 赠 行， 作 三 绝 句。
(1)
当 年 衫 鬓 两 青 青
强 说 重 临 慰 别 情。
衰 发 只 今 无 可 白
故 应 相 对 话 来 生。
(2)
出 处 依 稀 似 乐 天
敢 将 衰 朽 较 前 贤。
便 从 洛 社 休 官 去
犹 有 闲 居 二 十 年。
(3)
在 郡 依 前 六 百 日
山 中 不 记 几 回 来。
还 将 天 竺 一 峰 去
欲 把 云 根 到 处 载。
Yu Qu Hang Shi Liu Nian Er Fu Lai, Liu Er Nian Er Qu. Ping Ri Zi Jue Chu Chu Lao Shao, Cu Si Le Tian, Sui Cai Ming Xiang Yuan, Er An Fen Gua Qiu Yi Shu Ji Yan. San Yue Liu Ri Lai Bie Nan Bei Shan Zhu Dao Ren Er Xia Tian Zhu Hui Jing Shi Yi Chou Shi Zeng Xing Zuo San Jue Ju.
(1)
Dang nian shan bin liang qing qing
Qiang shuo zhong lin wei bie qing.
Shuai fa zhi jin wu ke bai
Gu ying xiang dui hua lai sheng.
(2)
Chu chu yi xi si yue tian
Gan jiang shuai xiu jiao qian xian.
Bian cong luo she xiu guan qu
You you xian ju er shi nian.
(3)
Zai jun yi qian liu bai ri
Shan zhong bu ji ji hui lai.
Huan jiang tian zhu yi feng qu
Yu ba yun gen dao chu zai.
For Sixteen Years Away From Hangzhou, Here For Two Years and Then Had to Leave. On Ordinary Days Feel Less Like Going Out, It Appears That I’m Carefree and Optimistic, Although More Talented and Famous, I Seek to Be Common and Out of the Limelight. March Sixth Arrives So I Say My Farewells to the Daoists From the Southern to the Northern Mountains, Then to Tianzhu Temple on Mt. Hui Jing, Received As a Gift a Stone From the Monks
(1)
In the prime of life, shirts and hair on both temples very black
To soothe departure emotions, try hard to reassure that our future reunions will happen.
But now my vigor is waning, hair all white
Therefore I should say to others that we will meet in the next life.
(2)
According to an uncommon Bai Juyi quotation
We both have braved the challenge of decline and decay.
He went to Luoyang into retirement, I should do the same
So like him I could have twenty years of idleness and leisure.
(3)
This time I have lived here for six hundred days
Do not remember how many times I have been back into the mountains.
Next time, may try to summit the peak behind the Tianzhu Temple
Want to take home some of the rocks there that are the origins of the clouds.
Notes:
Hangzhou: Beautiful city in Zhejiang Province.
Tianzhu Temple: Buddhist temple located around West Lake in Hangzhou.
Bai Juyi: (772-846): Famous Tang Dynasty poet and statesman. See this site for more biographical information and poems.