[updated September 2022]
On West Lake, Returning Late, Gaze Into the Distance to See the Mt. Gu Temple, Give This to You As a Gift
西 湖 晚 归 回 望 孤 山 寺 赠 渚 客
柳 湖 松 岛 连 花 寺
晚 动 归 桡 出 道 场。
庐 橘 子 低 山 雨 重
棕 榈 叶 战 水 风 凉。
烟 波 澹 荡 摇 空 碧
楼 殿 参 差 倚 夕 阳。
到 岸 请 君 回 首 望
蓬 莱 宫 在 海 中 央。
Xi Hu Wan Gui Hui Wang Gu Shan Si Zeng Zhu Ke
Liu hu song dao lian hua si
Wan dong gui yao chu dao chang.
Li ju zhi di shan yu zong
Zong lu ye zhan shui feng liang.
Yan bo yan dang yao kong bi
Lou dian cen ci yi xi yang.
Dao an qing jun hui shou wan
Peng lai gong zai hai zhong yang.
On West Lake, Returning Late, Gaze Into the Distance to See the Mt. Gu Temple, Give This to You As a Gift
Lotus Flower temple, lakeside willow trees on a pine tree island
Then beginning to go back, rowing away from this Daoist shrine.
Tangerines droop under the heavy mountain rain
Cattail leaves shiver in the cool wind and water.
Quietly rowing across this long stretch of blue waves
and mist-covered waters
Plain pavilion, finely adorned palace uneven against the setting sun.
Once onshore you turn around to look and see
Penglai Island palace at the center of the ocean.
Notes:
Gushan: Literally means Solitary Mountain. Located on an island in between the Su Di ( Su Causeway) and Bai Di (Bai Causeway) on Xi Hu (West Lake) in the city of Hangzhou.
Lotus Flower Temple: A Daoist temple near Gushan.
Penglai Island: A mythological island in the East China Sea. Home of the immortals much like Mt. Olympus for the Greeks.
Commentary:
Bai Juyi describing paradise on earth.