[updated September 2022]
Xun Yang Tower
题 浔 阳 楼
常 爱 陶 彭 泽
文 思 何 高 玄。
又 怿 韦 江 州
诗 情 亦 清 闲。
今 朝 登 此 楼
有 以 知 其 然。
大 江 寒 见 底
匡 山 青 倚 天。
深 夜 湓 浦 月
平 旦 炉 峰 烟。
清 辉 与 灵 气
日 夕 供 文 篇。
我 无 二 人 才
孰 为 来 其 间？
因 高 偶 成 句
俯 仰 愧 江 山。
Ti Xun Yang Lou
Chang ai tao peng ze
Wen si he gao xuan.
You gui wei jiang zhou
Shi qing yi qing xian.
Jin zhao deng ci lou
You yi zhi qi ran.
Da jiang han jian di
Kuang shan qing yi tian.
Shen ye pen pu yue
Ping dan lu feng yan.
Qing hui yu ling qi
Ri xi gong wen pian.
Wo wu er ren cai
Shu wei lai qi jian?
Yin gao ou cheng ju
Fu yang kui jiang shan.
Xun Yang Tower
Often cherish Tao Yuanming’s time as the Pengze’s mayor
His writing skills and trains of thought very profound.
Also why is Wei Yingwu so fine
His poetic style and work clear and full of leisure.
Today at dawn I climb this tower
Have the reason to know of their clarity.
In cold weather can see the bottom of the Changjiang
The greens of Mt. Lu rely on heaven.
Deep into the night, a river basin holds the moonlight
Summit peaks at daybreak level in the mists.
Clear radiance increases the power of understanding
Each sunset provides for literary pieces of writing.
I am without the talents of these two
How can I arrive here in this area?
Because I am up so high, maybe this will facilitate some poetic lines
Bow one’s head with humility, look up to take in the mountains and rivers.
Notes:
Tao Yuanming: (365-427) Famous Eastern Jin Dynasty poet whose work and biographical information can also be found on this website.
Wei Yingwu: (737-?) Famous Tang Dynasty poet whose work and biographical information can also be found on this website.
Changjiang: Longest river in China and is also known as the Yangzi River.
Mt. Lu: Located in Jiangxi Province and admired for it’s steepness and beauty. Many Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist temples were built for this mountain spiritual center.