Wang Wei: Given to Pei Shi Di
赠 裴 十 迪
风 景 日 夕 佳
与 君 赋 新 诗。
澹 然 望 远 空
如 意 方 支 颐。
春 风 动 百 草
兰 蕙 生 我 篱。
暧 暧 日 暖 闺
田 家 来 致 词：
“欣 欣 春 还 皋
澹 澹 水 生 陂。
桃 李 虽 未 开
荑 萼 满 其 枝。
请 君 理 还 策
敢 告 将 农 时。“
Zeng Pei Shi Di
Feng jing ri xi jia,
Yu jun fu xin shi.
Dan ran wang yuan kong,
Ru yi fang zhi yi.
Chun feng dong bai cao,
Lan hui sheng wo li.
Ai ai ri nuan gui,
Tian jia lai zhi ci:
“Xin xin chun huan gao,
Dan dan shui sheng bei.
Tao li sui wei kai,
Ti e man qi zhi.
Qing jun li huan ce,
Gan gao jiang nong shi.”
Given to Pei Shi Di
Beautiful sunset landscape
Has given you cause to compose a new poem.
In tranquility, gaze into empty space
With a ruyi in one hand, one cheek resting on the other.
Spring wind moving many different grasses
Orchids growing on my fence.
Very dim sunlight, yet warm and cozy, like a woman’s inner chambers
The words of arriving peasants attract attention:
“Exuberance of spring life in the tranquil and quiet pond
Though the peach and plum trees are not yet in bloom.
Their branches are full of buds
When you return with your walking stick.
Please tell them to take care of their health throughout the farming season.”
Notes:
Pei Di: Personal friend of Wang Wei, and fifteen years his junior. Together they wrote the poems for the Wang River Scroll.
Ruyi: A Chinese scepter, often appearing with motifs from Buddhist bodhisattvas and/or Daoist immortals. Thousands could be found inside the Imperial Palace in Xi’an at the end of the Qing Dynasty.