I am the madman of the Ch'u country
Who sang a mad song disputing Confucius.
...Holding in my hand a staff of green jade,
I have crossed, since morning at the Yellow Crane Terrace,
All five Holy Mountains, without a thought of distance,
According to the one constant habit of my life .
...Lu Mountain stands beside the Southern Dipper
In clouds reaching silken like a nine-panelled screen,
\Vith its shadows in a crystal lake deepening the green water.
The Golden Gate opens into two mountain-ranges.
A silver stream is hanging down to three stone bridges
Within sight of the mighty Tripod Falls.
Ledges of cliff and winding trails lead to blue sky
And a flush of cloud in the morning sun,
Whence no flight of birds could be blown into Wu .
...I climb to the top. I survey the whole world.
I see the long river that runs beyond return,
Yellow clouds that winds have driven hundreds of miles
And a snow-peak whitely circled by the swirl of a ninefold stream.
And so I am singing a song of Lu Mountain,
A song that is born of the breath of Lu Mountain.
...Where the Stone Mirror makes the heart's purity purer
And green moss has buried the footsteps of Hsieh,
I have eaten the immortal pellet and, rid of the world's troubles,
Before the lute's third playing have achieved my element.
Far away I watch the angels riding coloured clouds
Toward heaven's Jade City, with hibiscus in their hands.
And so, when I have traversed the nine sections of the world,
I will follow Saint Lu-ao up the Great Purity.
Original Poem
「庐山谣寄卢侍御虚舟」
李白
我本楚狂人，凤歌笑孔丘。
手持绿玉杖，朝别黄鹤楼。
五岳寻仙不辞远，一生好入名山游。
庐山秀出南斗傍，屏风九叠云锦张，
影落明湖青黛光。
金阙前开二峰长，银河倒挂三石梁。
香炉瀑布遥相望，回崖沓嶂凌苍苍。
翠影红霞映朝日，鸟飞不到吴天长。
登高壮观天地间，大江茫茫去不还。
黄云万里动风色，白波九道流雪山。
好为庐山谣，兴因庐山发。
闲窥石镜清我心，谢公行处苍苔没。
早服还丹无世情，琴心三叠道初成。
遥见仙人彩云里，手把芙蓉朝玉京。
先期汗漫九垓上，愿接卢敖游太清。
Interpretation
This poem was written by Li Bai after he was pardoned, during his journey from Jiangxia to visit Mount Lu. Throughout his life, Li Bai faced constant setbacks and unfulfilled ambitions, finding it difficult to realize his political aspirations. As a result, he turned to nature, seeking a transcendent, otherworldly realm. Mount Lu, since ancient times, has been a place where literati and poets expressed their emotions. In this poem, Li Bai not only depicts the majestic scenery of Mount Lu but also expresses his desire to transcend worldly concerns and pursue freedom.
First Part
“我本楚狂人，凤歌笑孔丘。手持绿玉杖，朝别黄鹤楼。五岳寻仙不辞远，一生好入名山游。”
Wǒ běn Chǔ kuáng rén, fèng gē xiào Kǒng Qiū. Shǒu chí lǜ yù zhàng, cháo bié Huáng Hè Lóu. Wǔ yuè xún xiān bù cí yuǎn, yī shēng hǎo rù míng shān yóu.
I am the madman of Chu, who once sang the phoenix song and mocked Confucius. Holding a green jade staff, I bid farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower at dawn. To seek immortals, I would not hesitate to travel far to the Five Sacred Mountains; in this life, I love to wander among famous mountains.
The poet compares himself to the "madman of Chu," showing his disdain for worldly conventions and his longing for freedom and unrestrained living. These lines not only describe the poet's journey but also reveal his passion for nature and his pursuit of the Daoist path to immortality.
Second Part
“庐山秀出南斗傍，屏风九叠云锦张，影落明湖青黛光。金阙前开二峰长，银河倒挂三石梁。香炉瀑布遥相望，回崖沓嶂凌苍苍。翠影红霞映朝日，鸟飞不到吴天长。”
Lú Shān xiù chū nán dǒu bàng, píng fēng jiǔ dié yún jǐn zhāng, yǐng luò míng hú qīng dài guāng. Jīn què qián kāi èr fēng cháng, yín hé dào guà sān shí liáng. Xiāng lú pù bù yáo xiāng wàng, huí yá tà zhàng líng cāng cāng. Cuì yǐng hóng xiá yìng zhāo rì, niǎo fēi bù dào Wú tiān cháng.
Mount Lu rises magnificently beside the Southern Dipper, its peaks like a nine-fold screen, draped with clouds like brocade. Its shadow falls on the clear lake, glowing with a bluish hue. The Twin Peaks stand before the Golden Gate, and the Three Stone Beams cascade like a hanging Milky Way. The Incense Burner Waterfall gazes from afar, while winding cliffs and layered ridges soar into the azure sky. The emerald shadows and red clouds reflect the morning sun, and even birds cannot reach the distant skies of Wu.
The poet depicts the grandeur and mystique of Mount Lu from a lofty perspective, imbuing it with an otherworldly, fairy-like aura, making readers feel as if they are standing within this celestial mountain.
Third Part
“登高壮观天地间，大江茫茫去不还。黄云万里动风色，白波九道流雪山。”
Dēng gāo zhuàng guān tiān dì jiān, dà jiāng máng máng qù bù huán. Huáng yún wàn lǐ dòng fēng sè, bái bō jiǔ dào liú xuě shān.
Ascending to the heights, I behold the vastness of heaven and earth; the mighty river flows endlessly, never to return. Yellow clouds stretch for thousands of miles, stirred by the wind, while nine white waves surge like snow-capped mountains.
This section portrays the breathtaking view from the mountain's summit, highlighting the relentless flow of the Yangtze River and hinting at the fleeting nature of life and the passage of time.
Fourth Part
“好为庐山谣，兴因庐山发。闲窥石镜清我心，谢公行处苍苔没。”
Hǎo wéi Lú Shān yáo, xìng yīn Lú Shān fā. Xián kuī shí jìng qīng wǒ xīn, Xiè Gōng xíng chù cāng tái mò.
I am inspired to compose a ballad of Mount Lu, for its beauty stirs my heart. In leisure, I gaze into the Stone Mirror Pool, its clear waters purifying my mind. The paths where Xie Lingyun once walked are now covered in moss.
This passage expresses the poet's love for Mount Lu and his reflections on history. Xie Lingyun, a famous landscape poet of the Southern Dynasties, once roamed these mountains, but now his traces are lost to time, symbolizing the impermanence of human endeavors.
Fifth Part
“早服还丹无世情，琴心三叠道初成。”
Zǎo fú huán dān wú shì qíng, qín xīn sān dié dào chū chéng.
If I could take the elixir of immortality early, I would be free from worldly concerns. Now, I have grasped the essence of "Threefold Harmony of the Heart," and my path to the Dao is beginning to take shape.
The poet expresses his weariness with worldly troubles and his longing for immortality and spiritual transcendence.
Sixth Part
“遥见仙人彩云里，手把芙蓉朝玉京。先期汗漫九垓上，愿接卢敖游太清。”
Yáo jiàn xiān rén cǎi yún lǐ, shǒu bǎ fú róng cháo yù jīng. Xiān qī hàn màn jiǔ gāi shàng, yuàn jiē Lú Áo yóu tài qīng.
From afar, I see immortals riding on colorful clouds, holding lotuses as they journey to the Jade Capital. I wish to roam the nine heavens early and join the ancient immortal Lu Ao in the realm of supreme purity.
The poet immerses himself in fantasy, envisioning a celestial world and expressing his desire to transcend earthly bonds and achieve true freedom and detachment.
Overall Appreciation
The poem revolves around Mount Lu, progressing from a real-world journey to a celestial fantasy, layer by layer, revealing the poet's transcendent aspirations. Beginning with the self-comparison to the "madman of Chu," the poet expresses his disdain for the mundane world. He then describes the majestic and extraordinary scenery of Mount Lu, reflects on life while gazing into the distance, and concludes with a vision of the immortal realm, expressing his ideal of transcending the ordinary. The poem is grand in意境 (yìjìng, artistic conception), rich in language, and unique in structure, embodying the romantic spirit of Li Bai's poetry.
Writing Characteristics
- Layered Progression, Blending of Reality and Fantasy: The poem begins with a mountain journey and gradually transitions into a celestial realm, moving from reality to fantasy, enhancing its depth and complexity.
- Skillful Use of Allusions, Vast Artistic Conception: The poem incorporates allusions such as the "madman of Chu," "Xie Lingyun's paths," and "Lu Ao," enriching its cultural depth.
- Fusion of Natural Scenery and Daoist Pursuits: Mount Lu is not only a symbol of natural beauty but also a spiritual sanctuary for the poet's pursuit of immortality.
Insights
This poem reflects Li Bai's longing for freedom and his dissatisfaction with reality, showcasing his inner conflict between political ambition and repeated failures, which led him to seek solace in nature and transcendence. At the same time, the poem emphasizes the grandeur of nature and the pursuit of the human spirit, allowing us to experience the bold, unrestrained romanticism that characterizes Li Bai's poetry.
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.
