Du Mu: Will Go to the Huzhou Pavilion With the Imprints of Tao Yuanming

 

[updated October 2022]

 

Will Go to a Huzhou Pavilion With the Imprints of Tao Yuanming

 

将 赴 湖 州 留 题 亭 菊
陶 菊 手 自 种
楚 兰 心 有 期。
遥 知 渡 江 日
正 是 撷 芳 时。
Jiang Fu Hu Zhou Liu Ti Ting Ju

Tao ju shou zi zhong
Chu lan xin you qi.
Yao zhi du jiang ri
Zheng shi xie fang shi.

 

Will Go to a Huzhou Pavilion With the Imprints of Tao Yuanming

Tao Yuanming naturally cultivated his own chrysanthemums from seed
Qu Yuan’s heart-mind the character of Chu orchids.
Today I travel down river, passing these two of rarefied knowledge.
Placed just right for me to pick their in-season fragrant flowers.

 

Notes:

Huzhou: A city south of Lake Tai in northern Zhejiang Province

Tao Yuanming: (365-427) Famous Eastern Jin Dynasty poet.  Biographical information and poems can also be found on this website.

Qu Yuan :  (c. 340-278 BC) Poet and politician famous for drowning himself in the Miluo River after the nation’s capital fell. Modern day Dragon Boat Festivals are held in his honor.