English Rendering
The stream flows bridge-bound, never turning back,
A boat still drifts—pushed by a short pole's track.
If friendship were like this mountain ferry,
It would sail through gales or waves—never weary.
Ferry at Triple Stream
- Poetry of Yang Wanli
《三江小渡》
Original Text (中文原文)
溪水将桥不复回，小舟犹倚短篙开。
交情得似山溪渡，不管风波去又来。
Analysis & Context
Composed between the second year of the Longxing era and the second year of the Qiandao era (1164–1166) of the Southern Song Dynasty. At this time, Yang Wanli had resigned from office due to his father’s illness and returned to Jishui. Shortly after, his father passed away, and he observed a three-year mourning period in accordance with ritual customs, finding himself in a low point of life. His official career, just begun, faced severe setbacks, casting shadows over his future; compounded by the pain of losing his father, his state of mind was inevitably sorrowful. Against this backdrop, Yang composed this poem in his hometown, blending parting sorrow with steadfast devotion to enduring friendship.
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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