Imitate the Ancients: Twelve Poems: No. 9
拟 古： 十 二 首
(9)
生 者 为 过 客
死 者 为 归 人。
天 地 一 逆 旅
同 悲 万 古 尘。
月 兔 空 捣 药
扶 桑 已 成 薪。
白 骨 寂 无 言
青 松 岂 知 春？
前 后 更 叹 息
浮 荣 何 足 珍？
Ni Gu: Shi Er Shou
(9)
Sheng zhe wei guo ke
Si zhe wei gui ren.
Tian di yi ni lu
Tong bei wan gu chen.
Yue tu kong dao yao
Fu sang yi cheng xin.
Bai gu ji wu yan
Qing song qi zhi chun?
Qian hou geng tan xi
Fu rong he zu zhen?
Imitate the Ancients: Twelve Poems: No. 9
Living things are like transitory visitors
Dead people go back to the soil.
Heaven and Earth is one hotel
The ten thousand things ancient and full of sorrows turn to dust.
Moon’s rabbit pounding medicine in the sky
Even the spirit trees do not produce firewood.
Solitary white bones without words
What do the green pine trees know of spring?
Sigh: shortly before and after experiences
Why do we treasure so much wealth and fame?
Commentary:
The “ten thousand things” can be found in the Dao De Jing by Laozi. These are the things that can be perceived and conceived. In Chinese mythology there is a rabbit on the moon with pestle and mortar making medicine and immortality pills.