[updated September 2022]
Middle of Autumn
中 秋
凭 高 眺 远， 见 长 空
万 里 云 无 留 迹。
桂 魄 飞 来， 光 射 外
冷 浸 一 天 秋 碧。
玉 宇 琼 楼， 乘 鸾 来 去
人 在 清 凉 国。
江 山 如 画
望 中 烟 树 历 历。
我 醉 拍 手 狂 歌
举 杯 邀 月， 对 影 成 三 客。
起 舞 俳 徊 风 露 下
今 夕 不 知 何 夕。
便 欲 乘 风， 翻 然 归 去
何 用 骑 鹏 翼。
水 晶 宫 里
一 声 吹 断 横 笛。
Zhong Qiu
Pian gao tiao yuan, jian chang kong
Wan li yun wu liu ji.
Gui po fei lai, guang she wai
Leng jin yi tian qiu bi.
Yu yu qiong lou, cheng luan lai qu
Ren zai qing liang guo.
Jiang shan ru hua
Wang zhong yan shu li li.
Wo zui pai shou kuang ge
Ju bei yao yue, dui ying cheng san ke.
Qi wu pai huai feng lu xia
Jin xi bu zhi he xi
Bian yu cheng feng, fan ran gui qu
He yong qi peng yi
Shui jing gong li
Yi sheng chui duan heng di.
Middle of Autumn
Climb up to a high place, look into the distance across a long horizon
Ten thousand miles of sky without a trace of clouds
Moonlight arrives, arrows of light
Autumn sky cold and bluish-green
Lunar exquisite buildings of jade
Ride up to there and back on a luan
People there pleasantly cool and pure.
Rivers and mountains like a paintings
Gaze into the distance, distinct trees amid the mists I am drunk, clap my hands to crazy songs
Lift a cup to the moon
Facing each other, our shadows and I become three friends
Arise, dance to and fro as the wind and dew falls
This evening, do not know what day or year it is for you
Want to ride the wind
Quickly and completely depart and return
Without having to ride on a roc’s wings
Inside, this residence of immortals
Waters bright and only one sound
With me playing a bamboo flute.
Notes:
Luan: An ancient and mythological bird that for the Chinese is a version of the phoenix. As an adult it displays five-colored feathers.
Roc: A very large and legendary bird of prey recognized by many cultures worldwide. It figures predominately in the first chapter, opening scene of Zhuangzi’s Inner Chapters.
Commentary;
Su Dongpo’s poetic tribute to the immortals who live on the moon, according to ancient Chinese mythology.