A seafaring visitor will talk about Japan,
Which waters and mists conceal beyond approach;
But Yiieh people talk about Heavenly Mother Mountain,
Still seen through its varying deepnesses of cloud.
In a straight line to heaven, its summit enters heaven,
Tops the five Holy Peaks, and casts a shadow through China
With the hundred-mile length of the Heavenly Terrace Range,
Which, just at this point, begins turning southeast.
...My heart and my dreams are in Wu and Yueh
And they cross Mirror Lake all night in the moon.
And the moon lights my shadow
And me to Yien River -
With the hermitage of Hsieh still there
And the monkeys calling clearly over ripples of green water.
I wear his pegged boots
Up a ladder of blue cloud,
Sunny ocean half-way,
Holy cock-crow in space,
Myriad peaks and more valleys and nowhere a road.
Flowers lure me, rocks ease me. Day suddenly ends.
Bears, dragons, tempestuous on mountain and river,
Startle the forest and make the heights tremble.
Clouds darken with darkness of rain,
Streams pale with pallor of mist.
The Gods of Thunder and Lightning
Shatter the whole range.
The stone gate breaks asunder
Venting in the pit of heaven,
An impenetrable shadow .
...But now the sun and moon illumine a gold and silver terracre,
And, clad in rainbow garments, riding on the wind,
Come the queens of all the clouds, descending one by one,
With tigers for their lute-players and phrenixes for dancers.
Row upon row, like fields of hemp, range the fairy figures...
I move, my soul goes flying,
I wake with a long sigh,
My pillow and my matting
Are the lost clouds I was in .
...And this is the way it always is with human joy:
Ten thousand things run for ever like water toward the east.
And so I take my leave of you, not knowing for how long.
...But let me, on my green slope, raise a white deer
And ride to you, great mountain, when I have need of you.
Oh, how can I gravely bow and scrape to men of high rank and men of high office
Who never will suffer being shown an honest-hearted face!
Original Poem
「梦游天姥吟留别」
李白
海客谈瀛洲，烟涛微茫信难求；
越人语天姥，云霞明灭或可睹。
天姥连天向天横，势拔五岳掩赤城。
天台四万八千丈，对此欲倒东南倾。
我欲因之梦吴越，一夜飞度镜湖月。
湖月照我影，送我至剡溪。
谢公宿处今尚在，渌水荡漾清猿啼。
脚著谢公屐，身登青云梯。
半壁见海日，空中闻天鸡。
千岩万转路不定，迷花倚石忽已暝。
熊咆龙吟殷岩泉，栗深林兮惊层巅。
云青青兮欲雨，水澹澹兮生烟。
列缺霹雳，丘峦崩摧。
洞天石扉，訇然中开。
青冥浩荡不见底，日月照耀金银台。
霓为衣兮风为马，云之君兮纷纷而来下。
虎鼓瑟兮鸾回车，仙之人兮列如麻。
忽魂悸以魄动，恍惊起而长嗟。
惟觉时之枕席，失向来之烟霞。
世间行乐亦如此，古来万事东流水。
别君去兮何时还？且放白鹿青崖间，须行即骑访名山。
安能摧眉折腰事权贵，使我不得开心颜！
Interpretation
This poem was written in 745 AD (the fourth year of the Tianbao era), during a significant turning point in Li Bai's life. After being summoned to Chang'an in 742 AD, he had hoped to showcase his talents and achieve great things, but reality fell far short of his ideals. Although he gained the favor of Emperor Xuanzong, he was sidelined by powerful officials and never truly given an important role. Moreover, his unrestrained personality clashed with the court's expectations, and in 744 AD, he was "granted gold and dismissed from court," ending his brief tenure as a court scholar.
After leaving Chang'an, Li Bai wandered freely, experiencing both the joy of liberation and the regret of unfulfilled ambitions. This poem, "Dreaming of Tianmu Mountain: A Farewell Poem", was composed as he prepared to leave the eastern Lu region and journey south to Wu and Yue. Through the fantastical experience of dreaming about Tianmu Mountain, the poem expresses his dissatisfaction with reality and his longing for a life of freedom. At the same time, it reflects Li Bai's bold aspirations and his determination to remain independent, refusing to bow to the powerful.
First Couplet:“海客谈瀛洲，烟涛微茫信难求。”
Hǎi kè tán Yíng zhōu, yān tāo wēi máng xìn nán qiú.
Travelers from the sea speak of Yingzhou, the mythical island, but its misty waves are elusive and hard to reach.
The poet begins with "Yingzhou," a legendary fairyland, highlighting humanity's yearning for such a place while emphasizing its illusory nature. This suggests that ideals in reality are as unattainable as a fairyland, setting the stage for the dreamlike journey to Tianmu Mountain.
Second Couplet:“越人语天姥，云霞明灭或可睹。”
Yuè rén yǔ Tiān mǔ, yún xiá míng miè huò kě dǔ.
People from Yue speak of Tianmu Mountain, where clouds and mist shift, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden.
Here, the poet describes Tianmu Mountain as mysterious and shrouded in mist, contrasting it with the unreachable Yingzhou. This comparison enhances the sacredness of Tianmu Mountain, laying the groundwork for the poet's dream journey.
Third Couplet:“我欲因之梦吴越，一夜飞度镜湖月。”
Wǒ yù yīn zhī mèng Wú Yuè, yī yè fēi dù Jìng Hú yuè.
Inspired by this, I dream of traveling to Wu and Yue, flying across Mirror Lake under the moonlight in a single night.
The poet uses the dream as a medium to transcend reality instantly, showcasing his romantic spirit and longing for freedom. "Mirror Lake under the moonlight" depicts a clear and serene night, reflecting the poet's pure and untainted state of mind.
Fourth Couplet:“湖月照我影，送我至剡溪。”
Hú yuè zhào wǒ yǐng, sòng wǒ zhì Shàn Xī.
The moon over the lake illuminates my shadow, accompanying me as I arrive at Shanxi.
This line not only paints a beautiful scene of nighttime travel but also alludes to Shanxi, a place once visited by Xie Lingyun, symbolizing the poet's admiration for the free-spirited ethos of the Wei-Jin period and his yearning for a carefree life.
Fifth Couplet:“谢公宿处今尚在，渌水荡漾清猿啼。”
Xiè Gōng sù chù jīn shàng zài, lù shuǐ dàng yàng qīng yuán tí.
The place where Xie Lingyun once stayed still exists today; clear waters ripple, and the cries of gibbons echo through the mountains.
By describing the remnants of Xie Lingyun's journey, the poet expresses his reverence for this ancient figure and reflects on the passage of time and the impermanence of human endeavors. The "cries of gibbons" not only evoke the tranquility of the wilderness but also hint at a sense of solitude.
Sixth Couplet:“脚著谢公屐，身登青云梯。”
Jiǎo zhuó Xiè Gōng jī, shēn dēng qīng yún tī.
Wearing Xie's wooden clogs, I ascend the ladder to the clouds.
The poet uses "Xie's wooden clogs" to symbolize his aspiration to follow in Xie Lingyun's footsteps, demonstrating his desire to rise above worldly concerns and avoid compromising with the mundane. The "ladder to the clouds" metaphorically represents the pursuit of lofty ideals, showcasing the poet's ambitious spirit.
Seventh Couplet:“半壁见海日，空中闻天鸡。”
Bàn bì jiàn hǎi rì, kōng zhōng wén tiān jī.
At the halfway point, I see the sun rising over the sea; in the sky, I hear the crowing of the heavenly rooster.
The poet depicts the surreal experience of his dream journey with extraordinary imagery. The "sun rising over the sea" and the "heavenly rooster" not only add to the mystical aura of the fairyland but also symbolize the poet's yearning for enlightenment and transcendence.
Eighth Couplet:“安能摧眉折腰事权贵，使我不得开心颜！”
Ān néng cuī méi zhé yāo shì quán guì, shǐ wǒ bù dé kāi xīn yán!
How can I lower my head and bow to the powerful, letting it rob me of my joy and freedom?
Here, the poet returns from the dream to reality, declaring his refusal to submit to the powerful with impassioned resolve. This line, both a cry of defiance and a celebrated expression of boldness, has resonated through the ages.
Overall Appreciation
"Dreaming of Tianmu Mountain: A Farewell Poem" is a highly romantic and fantastical travel poem. Through the device of a dream journey, the poet constructs a magnificent and otherworldly fairyland on Tianmu Mountain, expressing his dissatisfaction with reality and his longing for a world of freedom. The poem combines dazzling imagination with profound reflections on reality, blending romantic exuberance with a sober contemplation of life's vicissitudes.
At its core, the poem reflects the poet's discontent with reality. By contrasting the idealized fairyland of Tianmu Mountain with the real world, he expresses his desire to transcend worldly concerns and resist the constraints of power. The first half of the poem is filled with dreamlike imagery, while the emotional outburst in the latter half brings the poem back to a firm rejection of reality.
Writing Characteristics
- Imaginative and Fantastical:
Using the dream journey as a narrative thread, the poet creates a surreal fairyland. From the moonlight over Mirror Lake to the ladder to the clouds, and from the rising sun over the sea to the mist-shrouded mountain, the poet's rich imagination transports readers into a wondrous dreamscape. - Grand and Expansive:
The poem employs extensive exaggeration and contrast, creating a sense of grandeur and power. - Interweaving of Reality and Fantasy:
The poem skillfully alternates between reality and dreams, forming a striking contrast. - Bold Language, Surging Emotion:
The poem's language is unrestrained, with varying sentence lengths that create a dynamic rhythm.
Insights
This poem is not merely a dream journey but also a reflection of Li Bai's attitude toward life. After his political setbacks, he chose to express his pursuit of freedom through the medium of a dream, while also voicing his dissatisfaction with and resistance to reality. The spirit of "refusing to bow to the powerful" embodied in the poem has made it not only a masterpiece of romanticism but also a guiding principle for many later scholars and intellectuals.
From this poem, we can learn that life is like a dream, and the world is ever-changing. Rather than compromising in the pursuit of power, it is better to seek true freedom and happiness. Li Bai's declaration to "ride off and visit famous mountains" is not just an escape from reality but also a spiritual transcendence—a quest for inner peace in nature, free from the whirlpool of fame and fortune. This attitude of striving forward while refusing to compromise is the profound insight this poem offers to future generations.
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.
