In mountains void the temple shines;
In autumn breeze the sun declines.
In dreary yard fruits hang and fall,
Dragons and snakes dance on the wall.
Through mossy cliffs float mist and cloud,
The foaming river’s rolling loud.
Yu went high and low, far and nigh,
To conquer the flood under the sky.
禹庙空山里，秋风落日斜。
荒庭垂橘柚，古屋画龙蛇。
云气生虚壁，江声走白沙。
早知乘四载，疏凿控三巴。
The first couplet of the poem specifies the place and time of year of the visit and introduces the allusion to Dayu’s water control; the jaw couplet describes the interior of Dayu’s temple from afar to near; the neck couplet describes the surroundings and atmosphere of Dayu’s temple, with clouds steaming inside the temple and the sound of the river below, a majestic scene that alludes to the merits of Dayu’s water control; the last couplet remembers Dayu’s great achievements in water control because of his temple.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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