Where long ago a yellow crane bore a sage to heaven,
Nothing is left now but the Yellow Crane Terrace.
The yellow crane never revisited earth,
And white clouds are flying without him for ever.
...Every tree in Hanyang becomes clear in the water,
And Parrot Island is a nest of sweet grasses;
But I look toward home, and twilight grows dark
With a mist of grief on the river waves.
Original Poem:
「黄鹤楼」
崔颢
昔人已乘黄鹤去， 此地空余黄鹤楼。
黄鹤一去不复返， 白云千载空悠悠。
晴川历历汉阳树， 芳草萋萋鹦鹉洲。
日暮乡关何处是？ 烟波江上使人愁。
Interpretation:
The Yellow Crane Tower is a resort to visit, and this poem expresses the poet's nostalgia for the past.
The first four lines of the poem are: the past immortal has flown away with the yellow crane, leaving only the empty Yellow Crane Tower. The yellow crane never came back, and only white clouds were seen floating in the sky for thousands of years.
Describe climbing up and reminiscing about the past. An ancient building with a long history, a beautiful myth and legend, a few points of prosperity and bustle after the loss and despair. Poet around the origin of the Yellow Crane Tower repeatedly chanting, seemingly out of context, the language is vulgar, but a breath of fresh air, Wen potential through. An empty Yellow Crane Tower thus presents a deep cultural heritage, an unusual climb into the lamentation of the past and present.
After four lines: the sunshine under the Hanyang trees clearly visible, more clearly see the grassy Parrot Island. Twilight gradually diffuse, where is my hometown? The river's smoky surface makes people more worried.
Write what you see and think while standing on the Yellow Crane Tower. The beautiful scenery in front of me is like a picture, but inside I can't suppress my nostalgia. The sunny land, the green trees of Hanyang in the distance are vivid in my mind; on the Parrot Island, the luxuriant grass is like Yin. The wide-open field of vision, the vibrant and bright scenery, as a vista set off the Yellow Crane Tower's upright momentum overlooking Hanyang and the Yangtze River. The soft beauty of twilight and homesickness are intertwined: the mist of dusk quietly gathers in the center of the river, and nostalgia wells up in the poet's heart; the water on the surface of the river is dense, and the nostalgia clings to the misty smoke and waves. The misty waves of sunset and the long white clouds correspond to each other, forming a distant and remote mood.
The objects in the poem are integrated with the poet's feelings, with ups and downs and twists and turns, which makes the poem full of meaning and natural, far-reaching, and gives people a very high artistic enjoyment.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Cui Hao (崔颢), A.D. ? – 754, a native of Kaifeng, Henan Province. He was admitted as a scholar in 723 AD. At that time, Cui Hao was well known, along with Wang Changling, Gao Shi, Meng Haoran, and Wang Wei.
