Wei Yingwu: Drinking Wine Among the Village Elders

 

[updated October 2022]

 

Drinking Wine Among the Village Elders

 

与 村 老 对 饮
鬓 眉 雪 色 犹 嗜 酒
言 辞 淳 朴 古 人 风。
乡 村 年 少 生 离 乱
见 话 先 朝 如 梦 中。
Yu Cun Lao Dui Yin

Bin mei xue se you shi jiu
Yan ci chun pu gu ren feng.
Xiang cun nian shao sheng li luan
Jian hua xian zhao ru meng zhong.

 

Drinking Wine Among the Village Elders

With temples and eyebrows like snowy scenery, still with a love of wine
In the style of ancient forefathers, talk with honesty and simplicity.
The rural village youth have to bear years of separations during war
Talk of the early Xuanzong, seems like being in the middle of a dream to them.

 

Notes:

Xuanzong:  The initial years in the reign of Tang Dynasty Emperor Xuanzong (r. 713-756) were considered by most historians to be the golden years of peace and prosperity.