Early Departure from Baidi City
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《早发白帝城（下江陵）》

#Carefree #Happiness

English Rendering

At dawn I left Baidi enwrapped in clouds aglow,

A thousand miles to Jiangling, takes only a day to go.

In the endless cries of monkeys from banks both left and right,

I’ve skiffed past myriads of mountains flanking me high or low.

Early Departure from Baidi City by Li Bai (Li Po) #Carefree #Happiness

Original Text (中文原文)

朝辞白帝彩云间，千里江陵一日还。

两岸猿声啼不住，轻舟已过万重山。

Analysis & Context

In 755 AD, a rebellion against the government led to the abdication of Emperor Xuanzong. Li Bai, a renowned poet at the time, sided with Prince Lin, the emperor’s 16th son, who fought for the throne. However, after Lin was defeated and executed, Li Bai was exiled to Yelang. A year later, when Emperor Xuanzong died, Li Bai was pardoned. Thus, Li Bai wrote this poem when he was sailing back home on the Yangtze River, finally released from his exile.

The tone of this poem is carefree and optimistic, depicting Li Bai’s happiness as he departs from his place of exile.

Whereas clouds are typically gray and represent a rainy or foggy day, the imagery of rosy clouds at dawn sets a glowing and beautiful atmosphere. The juxtaposition of the words “千” (thousand) and “一” (one) also reveals Li Bai’s enthusiasm: instead of focusing on on the thousands of meters it will take to reach his destination, he emphasizes the short length of time it will take for him to return. Furthermore, the apes, which signify his adversaries, call out endlessly and attempt to stop him on his path back home; however, he appears unaffected by the chaos and noise — his light boat easily passes through the two shores. The term “轻” not only signifies the lightness of his boat, but also represents his light-hearted feelings as he leaves behind the ten-thousand layers of mountains, the burdens of his past.

*li – ancient measure of length, approximately 500 meters

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.

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