[updated September 2022]
Send Off Exam Classmate Chao Meishu, Who Got a Palace Promotion
送 晁 美 叔 发 运 右 司 年 兄 赴 阙
我 年 二 十 无 明 俦
当 时 四 海 一 子 由。
君 来 扣 门 如 有 求
颀 然 鹤 骨 清 而 修。
醉 翁 遣 我 从 子 游
翁 如 退 之 蹈 轲 丘。
尚 欲 放 子 出 一 头
酒 醒 梦 断 四 十 秋。
病 鹤 不 病 骨 愈 虬
惟 有 我 颜 老 可 羞。
醉 翁 宾 客 散 九 州
几 人 白 发 还 乡 收。
我 如 怀 祖 拙 自 谋
正 作 尚 书 已 过 优。
君 求 会 稽 实 良 筹
往 看 万 壑 争 交 流。
Song Chao Mei Shu Fa Yun You Si Nian Xiong Fu Que
Wo nian er shi wu ming chou
Dang shi si hai yi zi you.
Jun lai kou men ru you qiu
Qi ran he gu qing er xiu.
Zui weng qian wo cong zi you
Weng ru tui zhi dao ke qiu.
Shang yu fang zi chu yi tou
Jiu xing meng duan si shi qiu.
Bing he bu bing gu yu qiu
Wei you wo yan lao ke xiu.
Zui weng bin ke san jiu zhou
Ji ren bai fa huan xiang shou.
Wo ru huai zu zhuo zi mou
Zheng zuo shang shu yi guo you.
Jun qiu kuai ji shi liang chou
Wang kan wan he zheng jiao liu.
Send Off Exam Classmate Chao Meishu, Who Got a Palace Promotion
At the age of twenty without an upfront companion
Because of the whole country’s way of thinking at the time.
Then one day you arrived at my door seeming to ask a question
But actually you appeared with a strong and cultivated disposition.
We were formally introduced by examiner Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu, like Han Yu, followed the examples of Mengzi and Kongzi.
Then right away he sent us out into the world to blossom
Like sobering up from a wine dream, forty autumns have passed.
Although you appear bony and sick, you are actually very strong like a legendary horned dragon
Only I have a face that is old and mortified.
Now Ouyang Xiu’s friends and students have scattered everywhere
Only white-haired people like us can relate to each other.
I am like Huai Zu, don not need to be atop the bureaucratic pyramid.
Being the palace historian is high enough for me.
Your idea to take a simple position in the Kuaiji Mountain area is a good plan
Going there you can see a myriad of valleys and big pools, without the distractions of big cities.
Notes:
Ouyang Xiu: (1007-1072): Famous poet and statesman during the Song Dynasty. He was the imperial examiner when Su took the examinations. They remained close throughout their careers. His biography and poems can also be found on this website.
Han Yu: (768-824) Tang Dynasty writer, poet and Neo-Confucian philosopher. His biography and poems can also be found on this website.
Mengzi (Mencius) (372-289): Ancient Chinese philosopher.
Kongzi (Confucius) (551-479): Ancient Chinese philosopher.
Mt. Kauiji: Mountain and range in Zhejiang Province. Also known as Xianglu (Incense Burner Peak).