鐔津文集 18
English (machine translation) 18
- Language
- English
18.1
Composed by the Śramaṇa Qisong of Dongshan, Tanjin, Tengzhou
18.2
These poems of singing and responding during mountain excursions with Yang Gongji and Weiwu Chonghui are now collected together here, so that later worthies who peruse them may see the refined excellence of our literary gatherings at that time.
18.3
At year's end encountering snow, I sat alone burning incense in my mountain studio and ordered the boy to fetch snow to brew tea. Thereupon recalling the line, "willow catkins rising with the wind," I took up the biography of Xie Daoyun and read it. Seeing that her spirit was loose and radiant, possessing indeed the refined demeanor of the groves, it further stirred my secluded mood. Thus I composed a poem, which was also presented to the lay scholar Gongji and that superior one, Chonghui.
18.4
Presented by the Śramaṇa Qisong of Dongshan
18.5
Beyond the eaves gusting winds blow, secluded birds return; / sitting alone by the window, affairs are truly few. / First looking at the calendar, the New Year is close at hand; / joyfully I watch over the mountain woods sudden snowflakes flying. / I only recall my old friend who is able to compose chants; / why should I care that as a long-time guest here I lack clothes? / Bao Zhao and Old Tang could give rein to their spirits— / how could city walls compare to being in the emerald haze?
18.6
Following the Rhyme, by Yang Pan of Zhang'an
18.7
Scattered and secluded, old Buddhist master of Dongshan: / from antiquity, solitary walkers like you have been rare. / Beside the snow the season shows spring is about to break; / beneath the forest your spirit rises and lines wish to fly. / On a later day we ought to seek Huiyuan's society; / who will again present Dadian's robe? / Stirrings expressed in a single piece are a completely leisurely matter; / but you must cast off your blue gown to move the Shaowei star.
18.8
Following the Rhyme, Presented by the Śramaṇa Weiwu of Qianhu Grass Hut
18.9
Snow fills the western mountains, spring has not yet returned; / spring sounds freeze into sobs, bird calls grow sparse. / Quietly observing the visual realm, the human world feels faint and vast; / driving away the poetry demon, it flies beyond the heavens. / For a single meal I always take pine needles as food; / in the great cold I again change into paper for robes. / I cherish poetry as your family affair; / let us further agree to discuss the mind to the finest subtleness.
18.10
Arranging to Lodge with Chonghui at the Dongshan Chan Temple Hermitage, Sent First (Pan)
18.11
The superior one should naturally stir his forest mood; / I regret my frail delay, modeling myself on Xie An. / Donning clogs and wielding a cane, how could there be any limit? / Blowing clouds and shedding rain, it falls idly without cause. / Relying first on the reported message that spring branches have broken into bloom, / anticipating our dividing themes where the snowy lodge is cold. / In the forest unacquainted with the bitterness of the mortal world, / with a laugh I offer my graying temples for you to see.
18.12
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Qisong)
18.13
The son of Xi from Xiangyang did not covet official rank; / wishing to befriend the secluded man, he modeled himself on Dao'an. / Braving snow and treading frost as the year draws to a close, / clambering vines and grasping emerald verdure, we reach the edge of the clouds. / First discussing the floating world, we feel ashamed of our advancing years; / long facing the pure regulations, we suffer the night chill. / Vainly recognizing an intimate friend, how might I repay it? / I only boast that the mountains and streams are abundant for you to view.
18.14
About to Visit the Chan Master of Dongshan at Yong'an, Sent First (Weiwu)
18.15
The hermitage stands beneath a thousand pines and laurels; / no worldly affairs whatsoever reach you, sir. / In lofty wandering, you rarely pass the ravine where gibbons are called; / in quiet contemplation, you only watch the clouds embracing the rocks. / At dusk as we sit, bird shadows gather; / the snow clears along the bank, where path lines divide. / Yang Xiong has urged that I must come lodge for the night; / in the moonlight after Chan, I am timid to discuss literature.
18.16
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Qisong)
18.17
At year's end the gloomy sky is somber and dim; / Zong and Lei visit me, bringing you along as well. / We agreed the stone chamber was suitable for lodging; / resting alone in my mountain hut, I emulate sleeping in clouds. / Snow shines upon the window lattice, people are already quiet; / wind chants and the lamp casts shadows as night first divides. / Pitying myself as like Huiyong, full of idle ease, / I force myself to join in pure conversation, ashamed of my lack of literary skill.
18.18
Lodging in the Abbot's Room at Yong'an, Written and Presented to the Chan Master of Dongshan (Pan)
18.19
A thousand years of the Way are recorded in the Biographies of Eminent Monks; / let us not speak of poets having further appraisal. / You once composed writings tracing the source of the Great Way; / solely promoting true nature and life to save living beings. / White clouds have already locked the mountain temple; / flowing water vainly spreads your name across the world. / Far in the forest, the sounding of bells and chimes is unheard; / at the fifth watch secluded birds turn to spring calls.
18.20
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Qisong)
18.21
The poetic hero He Xun lodges behind the crag's door; / high and low poetic quality is weighed through the dawn. / We never noticed that before the window no moon arrived; / only startled that above the mats a wind arose. / Xi Chao in his youth visited all lofty recluses; / Zhuangzi, with towering talent, did not approach fame. / Tomorrow when you return and the person departs, / do not compare Pingshu to an empty reputation.
18.22
Following the Rhyme in Reverent Reply (Weiwu)
18.23
Dao'an alone followed in the footsteps of Xiangyang; / fond of poetry, he was disinclined to peek at the appraisals of Zhaozhou. / A few bays of a bamboo hut have lasted several years; / the three robes of coarse grass are his lifelong pride. / Though accompanying you in the forest to conceal my solitary trace, / it is hard to emulate the mortal world chasing great fame. / The lamp has burned low but conversation is untiring; / dawn wind and slanting rain beat the sound against the window.
18.24
Delighted by the Visit of Gongji and Chonghui (Qisong)
18.25
Several bends of the clear stream, several folds of mountains; / deep in the mountains at sunset the bell has already tolled. / Suddenly hearing travelers' voices before the gate, / coming to seek the secluded man's traces beneath the forest. / First greeting your unrestrained elegance, truly open and free; / further kindling lamps and fires, I redouble my welcome. / There is no need to leave at once suspecting there is no hospitality; / yellow grain has already been pounded since yesterday.
18.26
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Pan)
18.27
Several hundred monasteries hide among scattered peaks; / in the vast dimness, how could one still discern your bell? / Spring buds have not yet received the oriole's report; / as paths wind around, we only follow the white deer's trail. / The hermitage beside the moon is forever unlocked; / when the impulse arrives from beyond the heavens, we suddenly meet. / Mountain dweller, do not laugh at the capped and robed guest; / there is also a wild goose who comes waiting to pestle for hire.
18.28
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Weiwu)
18.29
White clouds and the azure sea layer upon layer fold; / beside our dwellings from afar we hear the bell across the mound. / The moon ascends, no human voices clamor; / snow lies deep, we only recognize the tiger's tracks. / Over poetry and books we rejoice together to converse before the lamp; / with tea and fruit we wonder instead whether this meeting is a dream. / Casting off slippers in lofty discourse brings boundless joy; / hugging the brazier in the cold as the sun climbs high into the morning.
18.30
Visiting Lingyin and Encountering Rain, Presented to Puci and the Two Old Poets (Pan)
18.31
The mountain elder will not allow the mountain guest to depart, / intentionally sending ranks of clouds to lock the mountain gate. / Rain hastens the evening gloom to settle on all the ridges; / thunder sends the sounds of spring falling on the village behind. / Tonight the green forest blocks the moon from rising; / old friends with white hair take up poems for discourse. / Tomorrow the mountain waters will surely overflow; / staff in hand, we shall follow one another to seek the stream's source.
18.32
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Qisong)
18.33
Evening clouds about to rain drift thick and heavy; / watching the rain, I hold you close by the temple gate. / Flying birds startled by thunder return to the rear mound; / falling plums drift with flowing water out of the front village. / In such a famed mountain, why would you need to depart? / Splendid matters right now are all the better to discuss. / Moreover, here is a Chan elder who penetrates the wondrous principle; / lingering again and again, we knock at the true source.
18.34
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Weiwu)
18.35
Rain washes the flock of peaks, their graceful beauty clearly divided; / with a staff and a pair of clogs we reach the pine gate. / Clouds at heaven's edge disperse, racing back to their caves; / woodcutters outside the isles return, each claiming their hamlet. / Having long worn the blue robe, my heart is already weary; / looking at one another with white hair, let us cease discussing worldly affairs. / Please inquire closely of the Old Man of Huangmei: / you must believe the river of Chan has a separate source.
18.36
Lodging at Lingyin with Gongji and Chonghui, the Night Clearing (Qisong)
18.37
Unable to sleep, I brew Beiyuan tea once more; / the cold lamp has shed all its flowers that recently bloomed. / Late in the night rain passes, mountain outlines emerge; / heaven is clear, clouds are gone, the moonlight is fine. / And how glad I am that the monk's window is bright as day; / do not speak of human affairs tangled like hemp. / Moreover, accompanied by Zhi and Xu, who both can compose rhapsodies— / how could we begrudge leaving our poems behind the green gauze?
18.38
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Pan)
18.39
The mountain wind also understands the mountain dweller's intent, / sweeping away all turmoil in the sky and clearing the snowflakes. / The bright moon faces the tower, our spirits already stirred; / emerald clouds fall upon the paper, our lines are fine indeed. / The heavens' majesty suddenly clears, harmonizing with all things; / immortal companions suiting one another must surely bear the surname Ma. / All stirrings have ceased, the sound of the forest trees stilled; / lying down, we watch the stars through the window gauze.
18.40
Matching the Rhyme in Reply (Weiwu)
18.41
Having fought back the demon of sleep, I pour more tea; / opening the scrolls of writing again, my vision blurs with spots. / Pleased to meet this long night while the body remains healthy; / straining to match new poems, my mood is not yet fine. / The wind is gentle, gibbon cries pure as Sanskrit chanting; / the moon is bright, cedar shadows dense as hemp. / In year-end cold, by the lamp wick flying moths perish: / why bother diligently guarding it with thin gauze?
18.42
Passing Tianzhu Early, Presented to Mingzhi and the Two Old Companions (Pan)
18.43
On a rainy night at Lingfeng, resting upon a bamboo bed; / At dawn my clogs arrive at the cloud-hall. / Before the gate the rain has passed, the fresh brook brimming; / Over the rocks the wind turns, ancient grasses fragrant. / The mountains embrace the bell’s sound, round and undispersed; / Snow spreads across the tile surface, cold and without luster. / Master Li, do not blame the poems that disturb you; / Today our traveling companions are all of the Tang clan.
18.44
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.45
North of the ravine, at night we lodged in a Chan dwelling; / South of the peak, today we visit the Lecture Master's hall. / First walking the pine-lined path, delighting in the pure dawn; / Then crossing the stone bridge, smelling rare fragrance. / Sunlight warmly bakes, every valley pure; / Clear mountain mist splashes emerald, several peaks glowing. / Master Daobiao's esteemed guest has such lofty interest; / Furthermore, drinking the minister's leaf infusion with our company.
18.46
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.47
At dawn passing the monastery below the Sutra Translation Terrace, / Together with you I pay respects at the Ancestral Master's hall. / Before the courtyard purple osmanthus leaves repeatedly fall; / Upon the rocks red plum blossoms are just turning fragrant. / Emerging from the grotto, dark clouds divide their distant shades; / Hanging in the pines, the cold sun filters pure brilliance. / I thank you for urging me to eat without holding back; / Not permitting tea or soup to be served out of season.
18.48
Strolling Idly by the Southern Ravine, Presented to Gongji and Chonghui (Qisong)
18.49
Leading each other in the morning beside the jade-green ravine; / Snow gone from mountain forests, waters flow far and wide. / Unlikely to startle birds alighting on mossy banks; / First together watching fish, astride the stone bridge. / The sun is dim, sands are cold, gulls gather of themselves; / The year draws to an end, spring enters, grasses hold fragrance. / Bao Zhao and old Master Tang should chant verses together; / Why must one be busy with worldly affairs?
18.50
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.51
South of the ravine a single whistle summons a pure wind; / Beneath the forest returning once more, the daylight lasts long. / Clouds are distant, rocks deep, connecting to Vulture Peak; / Water is cold, sands shallow, resembling a fish weir. / Casually inquiring about past events from a rustic elder; / Leisurely accompanying recluses gathering diverse blossoms. / Longing further to trace the source, my sentiment does not end; / Knowing you are angry at my hurry to return.
18.52
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.53
Parting the clouds, I make my way past the southern ridge; / Flowing water splashes, one ravine running long. / Who piled the flat boulders to mend the broken bank? / An old tree has fallen of itself, forming a perilous bridge. / Shorebirds call their mates, frequently crying out; / Mountain herbs display colors, constantly fragrant. / As the twelfth month leaves and spring returns, the mountains grow finer; / Rejoicing that you too are free of worldly dust and toil.
18.54
Visiting the Upper Tianzhu Monastery, Presented to Dongshan Zhongling and Chonghui (Pan)
18.55
Entering the woods, I already delight in the joy of gibbons and birds; / Together disdaining this floating life, surpassing the great elixir. / Beyond the person, right and wrong are free as unbound clouds; / Within the lotus society, lingering affection is tied to the rain. / In a lonely wicker litter, I am ashamed before Pengze; / Holding a staff with graceful ease, resembling Deshan. / Send word to the water below Ge Hong's cliff: / Do not let pure dreams drift down into the human world.
18.56
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.57
Together we visit the remote temple in the deep valley; / Still following the rustic elder returning from selling firewood. / The birds have settled to roost, yet travelers only now arrive; / Though the twilight thickens, the gate is not yet shut. / Lodging tonight in the cliff chamber, ask not about Dharma; / Tomorrow morning donning waxed clogs, we climb the mountains again. / Exceptional friends throughout life are truly hard to meet; / Do not tire of holding hands amid the solitude.
18.58
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.59
The sky is cold with fine rain as the sun is about to set; / The mud is slippery—who could hold back a spurred horse from returning? / Sand hollows spit out springs that gurgle, / Bamboo groves hold returning birds whose cries sound out. / For a time aspiring to Xie Lingyun, one must wear clogs; / Do not envy Master Zhi alone buying a mountain. / Discourse and friendship outside the worldly realm are by no means shallow; / I wish to keep company growing old among the white clouds.
18.60
Visiting Tianzhu with Gongji and Chonghui, and Briefly Presenting This to Elder Chan Master Bozhou (Qisong)
18.61
Loving this deserted, deep pine valley; / Companions of poetry invited me to seek it out together. / In the vast haze the cold sun barely disperses the mist; / Billowing thick clouds once again gather gloom. / Anshi gave rein to his bosom, indulging in intense delight; / Jiaoran rode his inspiration, apt for pure recitation. / The host urges us to tarry and lodge at the Chan door, / All the more since plum fragrance now fills the woods.
18.62
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.63
Without questioning the depths of gibbon cliffs and bird paths, / Carrying a cane and wearing clogs, I accompany your quest. / In the mountains cassia seeds startle the cold night; / After the snow plum blossoms press upon the year’s dark end. / Wishing to stay, I again meet your gaze of favor; / Facing one another, we must exhaust the white-haired chant. / If in later years the Biographies of Eminent Monks are continued, / Do not leave out Tang Xiu and Daolin.
18.64
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.65
For long our bond of poetry and Chan has been deep; / Going beyond the mortal world, pursuing seclusion. / After rain the ravines and gorges flow with cold murmurs; / At year’s close tamarisk and cryptomeria age in emerald shade. / Bare-chested and barefoot, no harm in Magistrate Tao's drunkenness; / Elegant and carefree, imitating the chants of the Luoyang scholars. / The old man of the mountain prepares a couch to welcome pure appreciation; / Not letting former sages surpass the Bamboo Grove.
18.66
Lodging at Tianzhu, Presented Again to Chan Master Dongshan and Chonghui (Pan)
18.67
Zhongling's compositions make me blush before an intimate friend; / Chonghui's writings secretly delight an appreciative ear. / Fine companions are both at ease in the joy of mountains and waters; / Our spiritual communion has long surpassed the depths of snow and frost. / Before the lamp I smile at my life’s pursuits; / After the rain we discuss anew the sentiments of this night. / Examining each other, let not our poetry be broken off; / In the late watch together hearing the night gibbon's call.
18.68
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes (Qisong)
18.69
Lord Shen's talents crown the forest of Confucian scholars; / His poetic verses startle people with the resonance of gold and jade. / In the ocean of learning I have always been ashamed of my shallowness; / Today I admire the depth of your fountainhead of diction. / Striving to match the ancient style, I must muster boldness; / Rejoicing to hear pure discourse, my mind is washed clean. / If my matched verses can bear these clumsy lines, / I will casually keep you company with the Liangfu chant, continuing your lofty recitation.
18.70
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes (Weiwu)
18.71
Lamps glimmer green in the cloud-valley temple; / The clear call of gibbons ceases, leaving lingering echoes. / By the balustrade plum blossoms are snowy white, spring wind is near; / Mountain rains pour in torrents, ravine waters deep. / Turning away from the world, my steps resemble the high bird's tracks; / Forming bonds, our minds match the heart of old pines. / Replying to your elegant lines with no fresh words, / I merely churn my poetic intestines, chanting through until dawn.
18.72
Lodging at Tianzhu Temple, Composing on 'Hearing the Spring' and Presenting to the Two Elders (Pan)
18.73
I harbor an inspiration amid springs, / Throughout my life loving the Classic of Waterways. / In the empty mountain it gurgles from time to time; / In the quiet night it turns ever more crystalline. / A dark vein flows swift and urgent; / A clear sound issues from the murky void. / The moon is cold and the wind makes no noise; / With high pillows I listen along with you.
18.74
Joining in Composing on 'Hearing the Spring' (Qisong)
18.75
Lodging in the woods at year's end, / Hearing it for the first time on a clear night. / Rinsing coldness wakes the traveler's dream; / Flying reverberations echo the mountain's cry. / In the deep ravine the pine breeze is stilled; / In the stone chamber the recluse is serene. / Who can for my sake / Transcribe this into the music of the zither?
18.76
Joining in Composing on 'Hearing the Spring' (Weiwu)
18.77
A ravine spring is what I love; / The mountain retreat is quiet without clamor. / Spring veins arise beneath the clouds; / Night sounds reach before my pillow. / The wind ceases, not stirring the bamboo; / The moon rises, gibbons have not yet cried. / Over the rocks it murmurs ever more urgently, / Chilly and cool, refreshing the dreaming soul.
18.78
Seeing Off Gongji and Chonghui Leaving the Mountains, and Briefly Presenting to Stationed Commander Li Siwen (Qisong)
18.79
Several days wandering the mountains, sleet and snow sparse; / Accompanying rustic elders, also forgetting scheming thoughts. / First loving the clouds inside the cavern fit for reclining; / Then recalling the human world at year's end. / At night falling plum blossoms must fill the road; / The wind holds spring colors, blowing one's clothes. / Relying on you to say to the noble prince: / News must ultimately be sent on flying birds.
18.80
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.81
After the twelfth month the east wind sweeps the emerald heights; / Together watching fragrant willows disclose the spring impulse. / For three nights listening to water, completely dreamless; / For four days climbing mountains, unwilling to return. / The rustic elder relies only on clouds to see off guests; / Family members must laugh at rain soaking our clothes. / Your poem also brings a brief message to the fine prince; / I only fear his pouch will be emptied, flying away in a single night.
18.82
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.83
Inviting one another toward the edge of green-field villages; / For days in the green mountains, detached from worldly schemes. / Regretting parting at Yong'an hermitage; / Returning past the ferry landing at Lingyin. / Snow piled on cloud-capped peaks confuses woodcutters' paths; / Fresh springs from rock fissures splash travelers' robes. / At poetic gatherings unable to accompany imperial kin, / My mind flies into the city alongside clouds and birds.
18.84
Returning from Mountain Wandering and Meeting Rain, Presented to Zhongling and Chonghui (Pan)
18.85
Passing through the Nine-Mile Pine Gate when snow ceases, / The wicker litter sways, brushing pine branches. / Rain detaining the lodging guest falls slantwise again; / Wind sending off the traveler also blows back in reverse. / At the ornamental pillar, startled that the yellow crane has returned; / In my ears still lingers the white gibbon's sorrow. / Tomorrow morning, if I do not put on mountain-climbing clogs, / I can avoid your poking fun at this disciple of Xie Lingyun.
18.86
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.87
When Yan Wei and Lingche departed the mountains, / Sheltering from rain, they too were reportedly snagged by tree branches. / At year's end, frost and cold are not worth fearing; / Spring colors within the pipes can already be blown. / Wind holds the bell's rhythm, condensing and dispersing; / Water congeals the stream's murmur, choked and mournful. / Do not laugh at this rustic stroll playing with grasses; / Chuping was originally a shepherd boy.
18.88
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.89
With spirits high, unwilling to pause pure verses, / Leaving the sedan chair, once more leaning on a chestnut staff. / Pines and cypresses are lush and green, washed by spring rain; / Mists and clouds are light and brisk, blown by ravine winds. / Woodcutters returning to the rear valley sing in succession; / Deer crossing the front creek grieve at losing their herd. / Do not say that returning home makes one endure silence; / Tao Qian had his own five sons.
18.90
Returning from the Mountains and Remembering Old Master Dongshan (Pan)
18.91
Inspiration for mountain rambling aroused, I specially sought you out; / Clog teeth and cane circled through four neighborhoods. / North of the peak watching clouds, forgetting worldly tasks; / South of the ravine listening to water, attaining natural truth. / Renowned and solitary, recorded in monastic histories; / The romantic elegance beneath the woods resembles men of Jin. / What day will loquats and bitter bamboo shoots ripen? / Returning to wander, no less than last year’s spring (last year you had the line, 'When bitter bamboo shoots are done, loquats ripen').
18.92
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.93
You pursued leisurely roaming, entering tangled clouds; / With you, donning clogs, I traversed the creek's neighborhood. / Listening to birds in the woods, the sound is exceptionally fine; / Gazing at mountains amid the mist, the view is unreal. / Ravine waters can only hurriedly see off the guest; / Cliff blossoms know not how to detain someone long. / Letian made yet another pact at Longmen; / The fine gathering must surely take advantage of early spring.
18.94
Having Received in Succession Two Poems Shown by Gongji on His Way Out of the Mountains, While My Barren Thoughts Are Dried Up and I Have No Leisure to Match Them, I Beg to Cease Chanting (Qisong)
18.95
Poetic stanzas are left behind at the rustic recluse's window; / Once more receiving a pair of jade discs worthy of Yu Qing. / Miraculous as flood dragons rising from ancient waters; / Pure as sun and moon soaking the autumn river. / Responsive chanting does not stop at boasting of mountains and marshes; / The transformed odes ultimately must pertain to the state. / Send word to the valiant general of the realm of poetry: / As snow ceases, stop chanting; my heart has already yielded.
18.96
Respectfully Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.97
Several evenings discussing poetry, sitting by the stone window; / Admiring your hundred stanzas, wondrous and peerless. / Enticing wild inspiration, encroaching upon the solitary moon; / Stirring the fountainhead of diction, surging like a great river. / Several sheets suddenly arrived from Tianzhu's crest; / For a thousand years they may still illuminate the state of Wu. / Mutual longing inevitably brings mutual provocation; / Do not raise banners only to fake surrender.
18.98
Leaving the Mountains and Halfway Along Sending This to Chan Master Yong'an (Weiwu)
18.99
Before the pine path ends, I turn my head back; / The cold, torrential downpour has gradually ceased. / Beside the Sea-Viewing Pavilion, clouds coil and wind; / Beneath the Spring-Walking Bridge, waters rush on. / Hurriedly parting from the mountain hermitage, lofty discourse is distant; / About to return to the city temple, shame fills my face. / We should emulate writing books together to protect the Dharma; / Boundless human affairs only needlessly imprison us.
18.100
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.101
Suddenly recalling the white-haired elder in the mountains; / At year's close coming to visit, as snow begins to gather. / The poems shown and appreciated are all of lofty spirit; / Accompanying Xie Lingyun, you are no vulgar companion. / In vain cliff clouds offer a night's repose; / Furthermore, no local dishes prepared for the morning meal. / Loving your recitations, they are truly worth hearing; / Resonance of gold and jade, far surpassing the prisoner of Chu.
18.102
The Day After Gongji and Chonghui Left the Mountains, Respectfully Sent to Them (Qisong)
18.103
Sun Chuo once accompanied Zhi Dun on his wanderings; / for a thousand years people called both paragons of romantic freedom. / I admire you who, emulating them, don a pair of wooden clogs, / and having joined company, return together to share a single hill. / Your robes are cold, yet the snow and frost have not yet departed; / your spirits are high, how could you be willing to bring the clouds and moon to an end? / Indulging in poetry and valuing the Way, neither of you has an equal; / you surely could rival the myriad-household lords of that time.
18.104
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Pan)
18.105
Before the calls of gibbons subside, the birds' cries sound sorrowful; / bamboo shoots sprout, flowers bloom, and ravine waters flow. / Facing the spring breeze once again, one is startled by the seasonal phenomena, / idly longing for the rustic elder beside the wooded hill. / When ancients attained the Way, most lived in deep seclusion; / for a worthy governor of renown, it is noble to withdraw early. / Do not blame me for frequently visiting beneath the woods— / looking at my own bone-structure, I am not destined to be enfeoffed as a marquis.
18.106
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Weiwu)
18.107
Today I reminisce about our wandering yesterday: / the two of you rode your inspiration like a surging stream. / To seek out the secluded gorge afar, you walked dragging wooden clogs; / tired, reaching deep clouds, you lay pillowed upon the hill. / Cliffside bamboos were sparse, their clear shadows chaotic; / dock plums had scattered, their evening fragrance gathered up. / We surely must pay another visit to the old man of Tengzhou, / and moreover invite the highly talented Marquis Shen Yin.
18.108
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Qisong)
18.109
Letian once roamed with Guangxuan, / further transcending the dusty world beyond the vulgar run. / The Saint of Wine was fully able to outdo Bi Zhuo; / the Immortals of Poetry all wished to join Fuqiu. / (Recently, as Gongji wandered with Chonghui, he abstained from meat and wine, mostly following him in observing the precepts.) / Where the verses run free, rivers and mountains are moved; / when brush and inkstone are at rest, clouds and rain disperse. / How much more so when your reputations are both renowned far and wide, / soaring together north and south, stirring princes and marquises.
18.110
Returning at Year's End to the Western Dock, Sent to Gongji and Wubian (Qisong)
18.111
Riding inspiration, I set off along the creek; / still returning beneath the forest. / Plum fragrance carries tidings of spring; / the sunlight warms one's clothes. / With white hair, my thoughts roam far; / finding pure streams becomes even rarer. / How could the wild birds understand my intent? / Turning to look at each other, they face the brushwood gate.
18.112
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.113
I have heard tell that the Western Hermitage is fine, / and I fear you will not return to Tengzhou. / To prolong one's years, pine may be eaten; / to flee the world, grass may be worn. / In the mountain docks, the snow must be billowing; / at the forest edge, plum blossoms too are scarce. / Still I cherish the two Chan elders, / whose fine lines reach my city gate.
18.114
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Bianyuan)
18.115
Strolling through the wilds, the creek flow is quiet; / the source is deep, my inspiration has not yet turned back. / Evening birds roost in snow-laden bamboo; / lingering sleet sprinkles my Chan robe. / Giving free rein to my mind toward distant heaven's edge, / in wild chanting, few people are encountered. / The poem completed, I send it to my companions; / its pure air stirs the forest gate.
18.116
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Weiwu)
18.117
The white-haired elder of the Eastern Mountain / returns through green woods to the Western Dock. / Hearing gibbons, he pauses his tin staff for a while; / wading through water, he lifts his own robes. / His lofty discourses are unmatched in talent; / his solitary traces are seen but rarely. / Ashamed that you send lines to a woodcutter, / fine verses emerge from the cliff gate.
18.118
Sent to Chan Master Dongshan (Pan)
18.119
Reclining high beneath the moon of the Western Forest, / in solitary leisure I meet only you. / With a goosefoot staff, you explore the ravine waters; / resting on your pillow, you gaze upon mountain clouds. / When deer pass, who sees them? / When gibbons wail, one hears them only by oneself. / Who knows how many verses you have composed? / In sending them to me, do not shrink from the effort.
18.120
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Qisong)
18.121
Free and unburdened, secluded beneath the woods, / my Way is different from yours, sir. / Practicing forbearance like hidden grass; / contemplating the body like a solitary cloud. / With worldly sentiments I have no mind to be tainted; / the crane's cry is heard from time to time. / Xie Ke sends his poetic feelings; / I cherish your diligence in such inspiration.
18.122
On a snowy night, Pan climbed Yongjin Tower. Looking afar at the Western Mountains, he remembered Zhongling, who possessed an untrammeled air that surpassed the world. He then recalled Wang Huizhi of Shanyin drinking alone on a snowy night: looking around on all four sides, all was luminous and bright; pacing about, he chanted Zuo Taichong's poem "Summoning the Recluse." Suddenly he remembered Dai Kui and set off in a small boat riding his inspiration. Regretting that I was unable to go as I wished, I casually send this poem.
18.123
Your home commands the clouds upon the islet of the Western Lake; / snow-light and moon-hue invade the soul all the more. / Inspiration comes in full abandon, cast upon the empty sky; (Some editions have "mind" for "cast.") / with the poem finished, into the vast gloom, my eyes are quite dim. / Where can the robes and caps of the Jin state be sought? / Yet the halls and pavilions of the Liang dynasty stand as if still preserved. / Longing for you, I cannot match the night in Shanyin; / gazing afar at green pines, I listen to the snow gibbons.
18.124
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Qisong)
18.125
Dusk's colors are gloomy and somber, snow blending with clouds; / an old friend at this moment stirs his chanting soul. / Mist congeals, fires go cold, ten thousand homes are quiet; / water-hues and mountain-glow are dim throughout the night. / Inspiration stirs: the Jin worthies of antiquity are far away; / poems are transmitted: Xiao Liang's temples still survive up to the present. / Spring returns to the cliff gorges, fragrant trees are many; / I casually wish to invite you from afar to listen to the gibbons together.
18.126
Sent to Encourage Chonghui to Promptly Match My Clumsy Poem (Pan)
18.127
Chonghui is a hero among both monk and Confucian poets; / I particularly cherish that you bring glory to the square robe. / In a thousand verses, your inspiration is unrivaled in this era; / through thirty years of labor, your style has reached the highest peak. / With white hair, meeting the spring, you are even bolder today; / in clear chanting till old age, do not shrink from the toil. / On what morning will you finally be willing to take pearls and jade / to repay the immortal in exchange for a quince?
18.128
Responding Using the Same Rhymes (Weiwu)
18.129
Closing my gate, who still thinks of our kind? / Old and fearing the spring cold, I wrap myself in a monk's felt robe. / Indolent and slow, all along I have merely laughed at myself; / in chanting and responding, I am now even more awed by your elevation. / Never having widespread renown for the Way, / I tire of wearing out my liver and spleen with bitter toil. / Fine verses suddenly arrive to urge on my rustic lines, / as if forcing an ordinary fruit upon an immortal peach.
18.130
In the New Year, Rain Continued Unceasingly; Thus Sent to Gongji and Also to the Worthy Magistrate, Lord Qiang (Song)
18.131
In the cold suburbs, barely had one rejoiced in the new glory of the year, / when the scenery turned gloomy and dim for another ten days. / Clouds carry the sky low, hanging down to oppress the wilderness; / rain conceals the spring daylight, darkly confusing people. / Rather than lamenting that lamps and candles obstruct the bright moon, / one sighs instead that poets begrudge the fine season. / Magistrate Tao now lies reclined in the river country; / leaning against the tower and chanting toward the horizon, who else is dear to him?
18.132
Matching the Rhymes in Reply (Pan)
18.133
At my forest gate, I am weary of listening to the frequent sound of rain; / sorrowing that the spring breeze lasts for only ninety days. / Dampening and striking mountain blossoms, the apricots are about to open; / gradually encroaching, the years and months have already overtaken man. / When will it be good to go and wander by the southern ravine? / Every night in vain I come out to gaze at the Northern Star. / Sitting in sorrow, there are no more guests in carriage or on horse; / I only cherish my poetic brush, idly keeping it close.
18.134
Having Humbly Read Zhongling's Poem on the Protracted Rain and Recounting the Intent of My Poetry Gatherings with Gongji, I Venture to Match the Rhymes in Reply (Zhi)
18.135
Poetic inspiration entices, fresh day by day; / as the year's light first breaks, rain fills a ten-day span. / From our past travels, we have already gained a new Ministry of Works official; / in fine verses, we now meet Shangren Xiu. / (Zhongling's literary talent is of a great hand, not merely comparable to Xiu; this comparison is made solely with respect to poetry.) / Beyond the clouds, his mind races, bound to water and stones; / beside the river, scratching his head, he gazes at the stars. / With mud so deep, I do not care to look for mountain clogs; / who keeps company with the staff and shoes at the Western Hermitage?
18.136
Matching the Original Rhymes Again (Zhi)
18.137
In chanting thoughts, how can one know the years and months are new? / The first orioles chant in the rain, which has already lasted ten days. / Graceful wild bamboos border the cold water; / washed clean, river plums cast their cold glow on people. / Wandering together on Vulture Peak has wearied my dreams; / a single laugh at Tiger Creek is still like the stars Shen and Chen. / Praise worth a thousand pieces of gold appears at the end of the scroll; / though our traces have not yet converged, our hearts are already close.
18.138
Matching the Rhymes Again, Respectfully Sent to Magistrate Qiang (Qisong)
18.139
Flowing on and on, the calendar of the year is new; / mid-spring days have not yet filled a ten-day span. / Why should a gentleman of the blue clouds across ten thousand leagues / come to inquire after a white-haired man of the Twin Peaks? / The poetic sentiments are wonderfully startling, containing an aged style; / his spirit is clear and crisp, cherishing the fragrant season. / How much more so having heard of Magistrate Tao Yuanliang's aloof pride: / with your wax clogs, you must come and keep company with me.
18.140
Responding Once More Using the Rhymes (Zhi)
18.141
For a thousand years, the matter of Zhi and Xu has been like new; / wishing to send word of past travels, ten days have casually passed. / Rain carrying black clouds shields off vulgar guests; / gibbons calling to flying birds keep company with the recluse. / At leisure in profound discourse, who knows on what day? / Stirred with gratitude by your fine verses, it comforts this season. / The renown throughout the four seas is not just that of Zaochi; / Dao'an's reputation is heavy—how could one become close to him?
18.142
Collected Writings of Tanjin, Fascicle 18
Linked texts (1)
- 鐔津文集 — Classical Chinese