The monk from Shu with his green silk lute-case,
Wal king west down O-mei Mountain,
Has brought me by one touch of the strings
The breath of pines in a thousand valleys.
I hear him in the cleansing brook,
I hear him in the icy bells;
And I feel no change though the mountain darkens
And cloudy autumn heaps the sky.
Original Poem
「听蜀僧浚弹琴」
李白
蜀僧抱绿绮，西下峨眉峰。
为我一挥手，如听万壑松。
客心洗流水，馀响入霜钟。
不觉碧山暮，秋云暗几重。
Interpretation
This poem was composed during Li Bai's travels after leaving his homeland of Shu. The monk from Shu (named Jun, or in some texts, "Jun") was a qin-playing monk from Li Bai's native region, who arrived from Mount Emei carrying the famed qin "Green Silk" (traditionally associated with the poet Sima Xiangru). The poem not only captures the aesthetic awe inspired by extraordinary musical artistry but also, through this artistic resonance of encountering a fellow native in a distant land, expresses the poet's profound homesickness and his cherishing of a kindred spirit. The poem's meaning resides in the qin's music, its atmosphere in the landscape, and its emotion in the traveler's heart, embodying Li Bai's poetic qualities of clarity, vigor, uninhibited expression, and deep artistic conception.
First Couplet: “蜀僧抱绿绮，西下峨眉峰。”
Shǔ sēng bào Lǜqǐ, xī xià Éméi fēng.
The monk from Shu cradles Green Silk, his prize; Down from Mount Emei's western peak he flies.
The opening outlines the performer's extraordinary aura with concise clarity. "Green Silk" refers not only to the renowned instrument but also carries cultural associations of sublime skill akin to Sima Xiangru's. "Down from Mount Emei's western peak" lends the monk an ethereal quality, as if descending from an immortal realm. Precious qin, sacred mountain, and transcendent monk combine, creating an expectation of sublime artistry even before a single note is heard.
Second Couplet: “为我一挥手，如听万壑松。”
Wèi wǒ yī huīshǒu, rú tīng wàn hè sōng.
For me, with one sweep of his hand, he plays; I hear ten thousand ravines' roaring pines' praise.
With utmost economy, this couplet conveys the music's majestic power and instantaneous impact. The effortless grace of "one sweep of his hand" contrasts sharply with the thunderous roar of "ten thousand ravines' pines," highlighting the performer's mastery that makes the difficult seem easy. Using nature's grand sound to describe the music aptly captures the composition's heroic tone and reflects Li Bai's characteristically vast imagination.
Third Couplet: “客心洗流水，馀响入霜钟。”
Kè xīn xǐ liúshuǐ, yú xiǎng rù shuāng zhōng.
My wanderer's heart is cleansed by flowing streams; The lingering tones join frost-chill bell that gleams.
This couplet delves into the music's purifying effect and distant resonance. "Flowing streams" alludes to the melody "High Mountains, Flowing Water" and metaphorically suggests the music's clarity and fluency, further hinting at the "understanding friend"典故. "Cleansed" is inspired, describing the sound's magical power to wash away worldly cares and purify the spirit. "Lingering tones join frost-chill bell" extends the auditory experience infinitely in space; qin notes and bell tones, nature's sounds and human culture, the instant and the eternal merge here into a profoundly serene artistic conception.
Fourth Couplet: “不觉碧山暮，秋云暗几重。”
Bù jué bì shān mù, qiū yún àn jǐ chóng.
Unaware, green hills embrace dusk's hue; Autumn clouds gather, layer on layer, in view.
The final couplet naturally shifts from immersion in the music to a scenic conclusion. "Unaware" emphasizes the listener's total absorption and self-forgetfulness. The passage of time ("green hills embrace dusk's hue") and changing spatial atmosphere ("autumn clouds gather") are not disruptions but proofs of the music's charm—beautiful art makes one lose track of time and space. The somber dusk and layered autumn clouds tinge this brief yet profound spiritual encounter with a subtle melancholy and lasting resonance.
Holistic Appreciation
This poem is a masterpiece of musical description in Li Bai's oeuvre. Structured around the psychological experience of listening, it progresses meticulously: beginning with the encounter with the monk, moving to the shock of hearing the music, then to the heart-cleansing effect of the sound, and finally settling into the encroaching dusk. The poet skillfully employs synesthesia, transforming intangible music into the visual and sonic impact of "ten thousand ravines' pines," the tactile and imagistic quality of "flowing streams," and the auditory blend of "frost-chill bell," making the music concrete and elevating the artistic conception. More remarkably, the emotional core of "wanderer's heart" runs throughout, seamlessly blending the musical experience with homesickness, travel melancholy, and the sense of a kindred spirit. This transcends mere appreciation of skill, elevating it into a profound spiritual cleansing and soulful dialogue.
Artistic Merits
- Art of Conveying Complexity Through Simplicity: The poem never directly describes the melody or technique. Instead, it evokes the music's extraordinary charm through the listener's sensations, metaphors, and environmental reactions, leaving vast space for imagination.
- Seamless Integration of Allusion and Imagery: Allusions like "Green Silk" and "flowing streams" are effortlessly woven into poetic expression; layered imagery like "pine torrents," "flowing water," "frost-chill bell," and "autumn clouds" collectively constructs a clear, lofty, and slightly desolate artistic realm.
- Skillful Manipulation of Temporal-Spatial Perception: From the instant of "one sweep of his hand" to the vast space of "ten thousand ravines' pines," to the psychological time of "heart cleansed by flowing streams," and finally to the extended temporal sequence of "green hills embrace dusk's hue," the poem unfolds rich temporal and spatial dimensions within a limited frame.
Insights
Li Bai's work reveals art's power to transcend time and space and touch the human heart directly. A performance from over a millennium ago continues to resonate through poetic record. It reminds us that in a noisy, troubled world, we need to preserve ears and hearts capable of listening to pure sounds. The "flowing streams" that cleanse the "wanderer's heart" are not merely music but can be any sincere, beautiful art. They allow us to forget worldly cares "unaware," offering spiritual nourishment and moments of peace. Simultaneously, the precious encounter of that "one sweep of his hand" prompts reflection: on life's journey, do we cherish those willing to "sweep their hand" and play for us? And when others are in need, can we become the ones who offer the comforting sounds of "ten thousand ravines' pines" and "flowing streams"?
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet
Li Bai (李白), 701 - 762 A.D., whose ancestral home was in Gansu, was preceded by Li Guang, a general of the Han Dynasty. Tang poetry is one of the brightest constellations in the history of Chinese literature, and one of the brightest stars is Li Bai.
