[updated September 2022]
Imitate the Ancients: Nine Poems: No. 4
拟 古： 九 首
(4)
迢 迢 百 尺 楼
分 明 望 四 荒。
暮 作 归 云 宅
朝 为 飞 鸟 堂。
山 河 满 目 中
平 原 独 茫 茫。
古 时 功 名 士
慷 慨 争 此 场；
一 旦 百 岁 后
相 与 还 北 邙。
松 柏 为 人 伐
高 坟 互 低 昂。
颓 基 无 遗 主
游 魂 在 何 方？
荣 华 诚 足 贵
亦 复 可 怜 伤！
Ni Gu: Jiu Shou
(4)
Tiao tiao bai chi lou
Fen ming wang si huang.
Mu zuo gui yun zhai
Zhao wei fei niao tang.
Shan he man mu zhong
Ping yuan du mang mang.
Gu shi gong ming shi
Kang kai zheng ci chang.
Yi dan bai sui hou
Xiang yu huan bei mang.
Song bai wei ren fa
Gao fen hu di ang.
Tui ju wu yi zhu
You hun zai he fang ?
Rong hua cheng zu gui
Yi fu ke lian shang !
Imitate the Ancients: Nine Poems: No. 4
Faraway, a one hundred foot tower
From here, look into the distance, wastelands on all four sides.
Sunset colors rise, clouds return again
At dawn, flying birds have a convention.
Scenery filled with mountain and river views
Flat plains boundless and vast.
Ancient times, scholars came here to vie for official honor
This place for their fervent arguments.
But before one hundred years death will arrive
Everyone, one by one goes back to be buried under Mt. Beimang
After many years the memorial pine and cedar trees have been cut down
Tall graves and low ones behold each other.
Grave markers lost and their foundations crumble and collapse
In which direction and place did their souls go?
A life of glory and splendor may be precious
But could in the end, arouse pity and grief.
Notes:
Mt. Beimang: Located northeast of the capital city Luoyang, it provided wonderful vistas of the city. It also served as the ideal graveyard for the well-to-do and for poetic images in classical poetry.