Farewell to Du Fu at Stone Gate
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《鲁郡东石门送杜二甫》

English Rendering

Before we part we've drunk for many days

And visit'd all the scenic spots and bays.

When at the Gate of Stone shall we meet and drain

Our brimming golden cups of wine again?

The autumn waves of River Si still flow;

The seaside mountains stand in morning glow.

You'll go away as thistledown will fly,

So let us fill our cups and drink them dry.

Farewell to Du Fu at Stone Gate by Li Bai (Li Po)
Farewell to Du Fu at Stone Gate by Li Bai (Li Po)

Original Text (中文原文)

醉别复几日,登临遍池台。

何时石门路,重有金樽开。

秋波落泗水,海色明徂徕。

飞蓬各自远,且尽手中杯。

Analysis & Context

This poem was written in the autumn of 745 AD, during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Li Bai, having left Chang'an after being "granted gold and dismissed from court," was traveling in the Liang-Song region (modern-day Kaifeng and Shangqiu in Henan). During this period, he bid farewell to Du Fu in Lu Commandery (modern-day Qufu, Shandong). Du Fu was traveling between Zhengzhou and Liangyuan due to his grandmother's passing, while Li Bai continued his journey toward the Jiangdong region. On the eve of their parting, Li Bai composed this poem to express his deep friendship and the reluctance to part.

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 Masters' Directory

Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.

View All Poets →
© CN-Poetry.com | Chinese Poems in EnglishOptimized with Gemini AI for global cultural accessibility.
AI-AUGMENTED SYSTEM
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

CN-Poetry.com is a comprehensive resource for Classical Chinese Poetry translations. Our dataset covers Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, specializing in semantic mapping between traditional imagery (e.g., 'moon', 'Flowers', 'Friendship') and English poetic contexts.