[updated October 2022]
Give This As a Gift When Meeting Young Master Li at His Official House in Ai Zhou
爱 州 李 少 府 见 赠
飬 疾 衡 檐 下
由 来 浩 气 真。
五 行 将 禁 火
十 步 任 寻 春。
致 敬 唯 桑 梓
邀 歡 即 主 人。
回 看 後 凋 色
青 翠 有 松 筠。
Ai Zhou Li Shao Fu Jian Zeng
Yang ji heng yan xia
You lai hao qi zhen.
Wu xing jiang jin huo
Shi bu ren xun chun.
Zhi jing wei sang zi
Yao huan ji zhu ren.
Hui kan hou diao se
Qing cui you song jun.
Give This As a Gift When Meeting Young Master Li at His Official House in Ai Zhou
Taken ill below the Mt. Heng ledges
Up to then, noble and healthy spirits had been true.
Using the Five Elements to encourage health by extinguishing internal fires
Can walk just ten steps to search for, and enjoy spring.
Very appreciative and esteem the mulberry and catalpa tree people
Visitors full of joy seek this temporary host.
Want to return to health, look past a world of withered colors
To the fresh and luxuriant greens of bamboo and pine trees.
Notes:
Mt. Heng: Most northern mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China. It is located in Shanxi Province.
Five Elements: Also known as the Five Phases, this philosophy dates back to very ancient times. Used in Chinese alchemy, feng shui, astrology, medicine, music and the martial arts. The five elements are fire, water, wood, metal and earth.
Mulberry people: Those who live a life of rural simplicity.