On a road outreaching the white clouds,
By a spring outrunning the bluest river,
Petals come drifting on the wind
And the brook is sweet with them all the way.
My quiet gate is a mountain-trail,
And the willow-trees about my cottage
Sift on my sleeve, through the shadowy noon,
Distillations of the sun.
Original Poem:
「阙题」
刘眘虚
道由白云尽，春与清溪长。
时有落花至，远随流水香。
闲门向山路，深柳读书堂。
幽映每白日，清辉照衣裳。
Interpretation:
The name of this poem originally had a title, but it was lost in later circulation, although it has been verified that the original title of this poem was Returning to Taoyuan Township. Taoyuan Mountain is located in present-day Jing’an, Jiangxi Province, and was the hermitage of Liu Xiaoxu. If this is true, then this poem is about the writer’s hermitage in the Taoyuan Mountain and his leisurely interest in retreat.
The long mountain road ends at a place surrounded by white clouds, but in fact, it is only covered by white clouds, and the road does not really end. Along the clear stream all the way, both sides of the stream are full of flowers, grass, everywhere is full of vitality, the clear stream from time to time there are flower petals fall on the water, with the water floated down, exuding a wisp of fragrance. Anthropomorphizing the falling flowers, making them also have life and spirituality, makes people feel that the falling flowers seem to welcome people, and with the flowing water around the people’s body. These lines seem to be just about the scenery, but they are about the scenery of the poet’s hermitage, thus implying the poet’s life and feelings. “The white clouds, the green stream, the falling flowers, and the flowing water all reflect the author’s leisurely state of mind.
Finally, the specific environment of the author’s hermitage is written: the door is often closed towards the mountain road, and the author’s study place is hidden in the thick willow forest. Here, the author’s quiet and secluded retreat is specifically written. It is said that the sunlight shines through the branches and leaves of the trees into the bookstore, and the faint light falls on the poet’s clothes.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Liu Shen-xu (刘眘虚), whose date of birth and death are unknown, was a native of Fengxin, Jiangxi Province. He was one of the “Four Friends of Wuzhong”, together with He Zhizhang, Bao Rong and Zhang Xu. In 723 AD, he was admitted as a jinshi. He was fond of traveling with mountain monks and Taoist priests, but he lived in exile and did not live long. His poetic style was quite close to that of Meng Haoran.
