Wang River Vacation House
辋 川 闲 居
一 从 归 白 社
不 复 到 青 门。
时 依 檐 前 树
远 看 愿 上 村。
青 菰 临 水 映
白 鸟 向 山 翻。
寂 寞 於 陵 子
桔 槔 方 灌 园。
Wang Chuan Xian Ju
Yi cong gui bai she
Bu fu dao qing men.
Shi yi yan qian shu
Yuan kan yuan shang cun.
Qing gu lin shui ying
Bai niao xiang shan fan.
Ji mo wu ling zi
Jie gao fang guan yuan.
Wang River Vacation House
Since returning to seclusion
Never again to go back to the blue gate.
By the covered walkway, often lean against the front yard tree
Above the village, the open country seen.
Wild green rice reflected in nearby water
White birds fly over nearby mountains.
Ah, being like a lonely Wuling person
Water wheel serves the square irrigated garden.
Notes:
Wang River: Wang Wei’s Lantian cottage location was called Wang River. The famous scroll of painting and poems are called the Wang River Scroll. This vacation retreat and estate was located south of the capital city of Chang’an, within the foothills of the Qinling mountains.
The blue gate: The imperial palace.
Wuling person: Probably a reference to the position as imperial archer.
Irrigated garden: A metaphor for a life spent in rural seclusion, tending to a simple and creative life.