The crescent moon looks like old Autumn's golden brow;
Its deep reflection flows with limpid water blue.
I'll leave the town on Clear Stream for the Three Gorges now.
O Moon, how I miss you when you are out of view!
Original Poem:
「峨眉山月歌」
李白
峨眉山月半轮秋，影入平羌江水流。
夜发清溪向三峡，思君不见下渝州。
Interpretation:
This poem was written by the author Li Bai on his way to Shu in 725 AD. It is one of Li Bai's most popular poems with a clear and beautiful mood.
The first two lines: Half of the bright moon hangs high in front of Mount Emei, and the moon's shadow is reflected on the clear water of the Qingyi River, as if flowing with the river.
In front of the lofty Emei Mountain hangs half a round of autumn moon. The poem points out that the time of year for the trip is in autumn, when the moon is especially bright and high. The moon is only half full, which reminds people of the beautiful scenery of green mountains spitting out the moon.
Next, it is written that the moon's shadow is reflected in the river and flows away with the river. Life experience tells us that when we look at the shadow of the moon in the water, no matter how the river flows, the shadow of the moon does not move. This sentence not only writes out the beauty of the moon reflecting on the river, but also alludes to the boat trip on the autumn night.
The last two lines: I set off by boat at night, leaving Qingxi and going straight to the Three Gorges. I miss you, but it's hard to see you, so I can only reluctantly go down the river to Yuzhou.
The last two lines begin to describe the character, who is departing from the Qingxi Post into the Minjiang River at night, heading for the Three Gorges. This young man is leaving his hometown at first, and he can't help but be reluctant to let go of his homeland and people. When you see the moon on the river, it is like seeing the old man. The last line expresses the infinite feelings of farewell, which can be said to be short and long.
The poem uses five place names in a row, well conceived, without traces, the poet passes through the place is: Emei Mountain - Pingqiang River - Qingxi - Three Gorges - Yuzhou, so the poem gradually unfolds a thousand miles of Shu River travel map for the readers.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong(许渊冲)
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.
