When I feel blue and melancholy, I will love to recite some ancient Chinese poems loudly or just recite them in my mind to get rid of my depression. Only God knows that the ancient Chinese poetry has just been part of me, not only the source of my pleasure but also the effective medicine of my sorrow. With that said, today I would like to invite you to enjoy a trio of poems in Tang dynasty written by Bai Juyi with me together, dear reader.
《忆江南》白居易
江南好，风景旧曾谙。
日出江花红胜火，春来江水绿如蓝。
能不忆江南？
江南忆，最忆是杭州。
山寺月中寻桂子，郡亭枕上看潮头。
何日更重游？
江南忆，其次忆吴宫。
吴酒一杯春竹叶，吴娃双舞醉芙蓉。
早晚复相逢？
The English version is also from the classical translator Xu Yuanchong.
Dreaming of the Southern Shore
Bai Juyi
Fair Southern shore(1),
With scenes I adore.
At sunrise riverside flowers redder than fire;
In spring green waves grew as blue as sapphire.
How could I not admire?
Dreaming of Southern shore,
It's Hangzhou(2) I adore.
The laurels fallen from the moon I'd like to store,
And watch in the pavilion rise the tidal bore.
When can I visit it once more?
Second of all,
I dream of Southern palace(3) hall.
A cup of wine green as bamboo exhaling spring,
Fair dancers two by two like drunken lotus sing.
When can I see them on the wing?
Here "Southern Shore(1)" means the south area of the Yangtze River which is the longest river in China originated from Tibet Plateau, pouring into the East China sea. Hangzhou(2) is the capital city of Zhengjiang province in southeast China. Southern palace(3) is an ancient palace (during the Spring and Autumn period) built on a hill in Suzhou--a city in the present Jiangsu province. Just like an old Chinese saying goes, 上有天堂，下有苏杭/ Above there is heaven and below are Suzhou and Hangzhou. (They both belong to the south area of the Yangtze River. ) You can imagine how beautiful the scenary of these 2 places is by yourself!
However, I think it is a little difficult for foreigners to get a good grasp on this trio of poems due to the different cultural and religious background. Of course, the first poem is easy to understand. The flowers in bloom along the riverside are redder than fire and the river water is greener than the “bluegrass” which is a kind of plant being used as a natural green pigment. I guess the color of bluegrass pigment is between the blue and the green, so the English translation above being ''as blue as sapphire'', more bright and vivid!
Osmanthus flowers
source
The problem is how to translate the sentence of the second poem: 山寺月中寻桂子 accurately, which is rather challenging. Maybe you would ask curiously: how ridiculous! how can the laurels fall from the moon？ Here it refers to a Chinese myth about the moon. Legend has it that there lives a beautiful but lonely fairy named Chang'e in the palace of the moon, only accompanied by a jade-white rabbit and a huge laurel tree. Later its seeds in the wind fall down to the land of Hangzhou, taking root and sprout, and accordingly the laurel trees begin to appear and thrive in this area. It is also said that in a moonlight night, people can even find the laurel tree's flowers dropping down to 灵隐寺/Temple of Soul's Retreat from the moon. This historical temple lies on the top of a hill, being an outstanding Buddhist temple in Hangzhou till now. As a matter of fact, to be precise, it should be translated into the osmanthus tree, instead of the laurel tree which is more popular in western world, especially in Greek mythology for the sake of western readers. If we translate it word by word, it would be "I look for the osmanthus flowers fallen from the moon in a temple of the hill". Thanks to the sweet-scented osmanthus flower whose special and strong fragrance can waft through the air from a place far away, such a romantic and childish behavior occured! And the poet would rather believe the trace of invisible osmanthus flowers he was sniffing was from the distant Moon Palace than from the hill around the 灵隐寺/Temple of Soul's Retreat.
Chang'e fairy, Jade rabbit and osmanthus flower
source
At this moment the poet failed to judge if he was still in the human world or in the Moon Palace. It seems that the impassable gap between heaven and earth blurred, both merging into one successfully through the medium of osmanthus flowers. A perfect combination of virtuality and reality! Whereas it is true that each autumn people can watch the renowned magnificent tidal waves of the Qiangtang River which is a postcard for Hangzhou rolling in from the sky. Here there is a point we have to mention. The imagery of poem is quite wonderful with how the poet moves from 寻/seek to 看/watch, from a celestial and subtle smell enjoyment to a fully and delightful visual feast! A course from aspiration to fullfillment! In addition, besides Bai Juyi, men of letters through the dynasties unanimously and invariably wax lyrical about the spring tide of Qiangtang River, leaving a lot of beautiful poems and proses as well as popular folklores/myths.
The spring tide of Qiangtang River
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In the third poem, the poet extolled the fine wine and the graceful dance movements in Suzhou. The translation from the late Prof. Xu Yuanchong is very true to the original. No need to say more than is needed.
Thanks for reading! Let's see in the next section of our ancient Chinese poetry journey! I'm so honored and happy to be your guide!
P.S. Attached is another English version whose author is unnamed for reference!
Memory for River’s South
by Bai Juyi
So fair is the River’s South,
The sunrise basks the blooms in fiery glow,
And the spring waters of blue as sapphire flow.
How can my nostalgia cease for the River’s South？
Remembrance for your charm, Hangzhou!
Unforgotten land foils enthralling show
Promenade around temple, Inebriated in laurels under the moon
Recumbency on circumvallation, watching spring tide at noon
How soon can I visit you, Hangzhou?
A commemorative stamp on spring tide of Qiangtang River
source
So fair is the River's South,
Remembering you, Wu Palace!
A snifter of drink, sweetness lasts on the galas,
Two willowy dancers intoxicates lotus.
When can I meet you in the River‘s South?