With a blue line of mountains north of the wall,
And east of the city a white curve of water,
Here you must leave me and drift away
Like a loosened water-plant hundreds of miles....
I shall think of you in a floating cloud;
So in the sunset think of me.
...We wave our hands to say good-bye,
And my horse is neighing again and again.
青山横北郭，白水绕东城。
此地一为别，孤蓬万里征。
浮云游子意，落日故人情。
挥手自兹去，萧萧班马鸣。
Five-character-regular-verse
Li Bai’s friend longs to travel like ‘roaming clouds’. This Chinese farewell poem uses beautiful metaphors to express the deep connection Li Bai and his friend share through their friendship.
Li Bai's life was marked by constant wandering and numerous friendships, with frequent reunions and farewells. This poem was composed during one such parting. During the Tang Dynasty when imperial examinations flourished, literati often faced career frustrations, leading many to travel extensively seeking official positions or retreat to mountain forests. Through depicting this farewell scene, the poet expresses both reluctance to part with his friend and concern for his future journey, while also revealing his own reflections on life's impermanence.
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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