First Year of a Reign Restarts Many Things
历 历
历 历 开 元 事
分 明 在 眼 前。
无 端 盗 贼 起
忽 已 岁 时 迁。
巫 峡 西 江 外
秦 城 北 斗 边。
为 郎 从 白 首
臥 病 数 秋 天。
Li Li
Li li kai yuan shi
Fen ming zai yan qian.
Wu duan dao zei qi
Hu yi sui shi qian.
Wu xia xi jiang wai
Qin cheng bei dou bian.
Wei lang cong bai shou
Wo bing shu qiu tian!
First Year of a Reign Restarts Many Things
Distinction and clarity initiates the main things
The clear and obvious before my eyes.
Without end, the evil thieves showed up
Already years and seasons have come and gone.
Far from the west, the Changjiang in the Wu Xia
Capital city of Chang’an located under the North Star.
This white-haired old man finally has a position as camp follower
I tell others that I am sick in bed counting the passing of calendar days.
Notes:
The evil thieves: The rebels of An Lushan.
An Lushan: (ca. 703-757 AD) Army general who lead his armies against the Tang Dynasty capitals of Luoyang and Chang’an, forcing the surrender and retreat of Emperor Xuanzong and his government into the west.
Wu Xia: One of the Three Gorges on the Changjiang (Yangzi River).