Aware of Beginnings
感 兴
去 国 还 家 一 岁 阴
风 山 锦 水 更 登 临。
别 来 蛮 触 几 百 战
险 尽 山 川 多 少 心？
何 似 闲 人 无 藉 在
不 妨 冷 眼 看 升 沉。
荷 花 正 闹 莲 蓬 嫩
月 下 松 醪 且 满 斟。
Gan Xing
Qu guo huan jia yi sui yin
Feng shan jin shui geng deng lin.
Bie lai man chu ji bai zhan
Xian jin shan chuan duo shao xin?
He si xian ren wu jie zai
Bu fang leng yan kan sheng chen.
He hua zheng nao lian peng nen
Yue xia song lao qie man zhen.
Aware of Beginnings
Traveled outside my country, here for one year with a shady house
Many times have climbed up to visit the windy, bright and beautiful mountains and rivers.
Palace like two snails, overwhelmed by internal fighting over trivial affairs
How many of these hearts-minds put our mountains and rivers into danger?
Who like me can sit on a mat in idleness?
Just inside safety as the snails rise and fall.
Like a lotus both above the water among the noise and din, but also delicate and intricate down below.
Under the pine trees and full moon, for now shared with some mellow wine.
Notes:
Yang Wanli was living in an area around Junzhou. He has noticed that the cultivated lands of the countryside lie untended and in disrepair.
Like two snails: This metaphor comes from the writings of Zhuangzi.