Wang Wei: Sent As an Envoy to a Strategic Border Stronghold

使至塞上

单车欲问边
属国过居延。
征蓬出汉塞
归雁入胡天。

大漠孤烟直
长河落日圆
萧关逢候骑
都护在燕然。

Shi Zhi Sai Shang

Dan che yu wen bian
Shu guo guo ju yan
Zheng peng chu han sai
Gui yan ru hu tian

Da mo gu yan zhi
Chang he luo ri yuan
Xiao guan feng hou qi
Du hu zai yan ran.

Sent As an Envoy to a Strategic Border Stronghold

Traveling in a single carriage to inspect the border
At Juyan, an area that just came under the country’s rule.
Arrive at the Han border stronghold after a long journey through wind-blown tall grasses
Returning wild geese enter the Hu skies.

Large desert, solitary sand twisters straight up into the sky
Long river, setting sun still round.
At the Xiao fortress on a strategic mountain pass, I await at the station to change horses
Told that a general of the palace guard, returning from a victory at Mt. Yanran, will take the next fresh horse.

Notes:

Juyan: An area on the Mongolian frontier

Han: A Chinese military outpost.

Hu: non-Han, nomadic people and area to the northwest

Solitary sand twister: implies that he sees no signal fires, so this area is very remote