They say that wildgeese, flying southward,
Here turn back, this very month...
Shall my own southward journey
Ever be retraced, I wonder?
...The river is pausing at ebb-tide,
And the woods are thick with clinging mist --
But tomorrow morning, over the mountain,
Dawn will be white with the plum-trees of home.
卧病人事绝，嗟君万里行。
河桥不相送，江树远含情。
别路追孙楚，维舟吊屈平。
可惜龙泉剑，流落在丰城。
This poem was composed by Tang Dynasty poet Song Zhiwen as a heartfelt farewell to his friend Du Shenyan, who was exiled due to political persecution. Bedridden by severe illness and unable to bid farewell in person, Song expresses both compassion for his friend's plight and sorrow over their shared fate. Blending classical allusions with lyrical imagery, the verses convey profound parting emotions while reflecting on the injustice suffered by talented individuals.
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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