[updated September 2022]
Three Years Working in Hangzhou: Two Poems
三 年 为 剌 史： 二 首
(1)
三 年 为 剌 史
无 政 在 人 口。
唯 向 郡 城 中
题 诗 十 余 首。
惭 非 甘 棠 咏
岂 有 思 人 不？
(2)
三 年 为 剌 史
饮 冰 复 食 蘖。
唯 向 天 竺 山
取 得 两 片 石。
此 抵 有 千 金
无 乃 伤 清 白？
San Nian Wei La Shi: Er Shou
(1)
San nian wei la shi
Wu zheng zai ren kou.
Wei xiang jun cheng zhong
Ti shi shi yu shou.
Can fei gan tang yong
Qi you si ren bu?
(2)
San nian wei la shi
Yin bing fu shi nie.
Wei xiang tian zhu shan
Qu de liang pian shi.
Ci di you qian jin
Wu nai shang qing bai?
Three Years Working in Hangzhou: Two Poems
(1)
Three years working as a government official
Without many successes for the population.
Only good thing was to live within this city and region
Wrote ten poems about, and upon, the city walls and buildings.
Feel shame I did not achieve a gantang tree
Does not one have to consider the aspects of human weakness?
(2)
Three years working as a government official
Drank cold water and ate simple food.
Only traveled to Mt. Tianzhu
Only got two slices of rock from the slopes.
This memento better than one thousand pieces of gold
Therefore am I pure and clean enough to not have inflicted any harm?
Notes:
Gantang tree: Literally means a tree that bears fruit similar to the pear. But metaphorically it refers to the story of a high-level Zhou Dynasty minister who as a normal duty, had to inspect the rural areas of the empire. After doing so, he rested under the gantang trees. Because of this man’s reputation, gantang is now a metaphor for good, moral, and just governance.
Mt. Tianzhu: Located in Anhui Province with a total of 45 peaks. Famous along with Huangshan (Yellow Mountains) and Juihuashan (Mt. Jiuhua) which are also inside Anhui.