English Rendering
When flies the roc he shakes the world,
In mid air his weakened wings are furled.
The wind he's raised still stirs the sea,
He hangs his left wing on sun-side tree.
Posterity mine,hear,O,hear!
Confucius dead.who'll shed a tear?
On Death Bed
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
《临终歌》
Original Text (中文原文)
大鹏飞兮振八裔，中天摧兮力不济。
馀风激兮万世，游扶桑兮挂石袂。
后人得之传此，仲尼亡兮谁为出涕？
Analysis & Context
By Li Bai
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
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.
Reading Between the Lines
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.
- The Song of a Southern Maid V
- Observing the Moon
- Su Wu
- Ancient Air: A Northern Belle
- Awaiting the Wine That Doesn’t Come
- Consoling Myself
- The Summit Temple
- <Prelude to Water Melody> Sent to Ziyou on Mid-autumn Festival
- Invitation to Wine
- Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Cold sheet
- Coming Home ( Returning Home )
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