On a northern peak among white clouds
You have found your hermitage of peace;
And now, as I climb this mountain to see you,
High with the wildgeese flies my heart.
The quiet dusk might seem a little sad
If this autumn weather were not so brisk and clear;
I look down at the river bank, with homeward-bound villagers
Resting on the sand till the ferry returns;
There are trees at the horizon like a row of grasses
And against the river's rim an island like the moon
I hope that you will come and meet me, bringing a basket of wine --
And we'll celebrate together the Mountain Holiday.
Original Poem
「秋登兰山寄张五」
孟浩然
北山白云里， 隐者自怡悦。
相望始登高， 心随雁飞灭。
愁因薄暮起， 兴是清秋发。
时见归村人， 沙行渡头歇。
天边树若荠， 江畔洲如月。
何当载酒来， 共醉重阳节。
Interpretation
This poem by Meng Haoran expresses profound longing for his friend Zhang Wu while autumn mountain-climbing. Blending scene and emotion with subtle yet far-reaching imagery, it stands as a masterpiece of landscape poetry infused with personal yearning.
First Couplet: "北山白云里，隐者自怡悦。"
Běi shān bái yún lǐ, yǐn zhě zì yí yuè.
Northern peaks veiled in white clouds - the recluse finds joy in solitude.
Alluding to Tao Hongjing's phrase "joy known only to myself," the cloud-wrapped mountains establish a transcendent atmosphere while hinting at the poet's own reclusive aspirations.
Second Couplet: "相望始登高，心随雁飞灭。"
Xiāng wàng shǐ dēng gāo, xīn suí yàn fēi miè.
I climb to gaze toward you - my heart follows wild geese disappearing.
The core couplet transforms physical ascent into spiritual journey, with the vanishing geese embodying irretrievable distance and unfulfilled longing.
Third Couplet: "愁因薄暮起，兴是清秋发。"
Chóu yīn bó mù qǐ, xìng shì qīng qiū fā.
Melancholy comes with dusk, while clear autumn stirs my spirit.
Captures autumn's paradoxical nature - its clarity elevates even as its twilight saddens, reflecting complex human emotions.
Fourth Couplet: "时见归村人，沙行渡头歇。"
Shí jiàn guī cūn rén, shā xíng dù tóu xiē.
Occasionally I see villagers returning - some walk sandy shores, others rest at ferries.
Rustic details ground the poem's ethereal mood, showing the poet's dual engagement with transcendent nature and humble human rhythms.
Fifth Couplet: "天边树若荠，江畔洲如月。"
Tiān biān shù ruò jì, jiāng pàn zhōu rú yuè.
Distant trees resemble shepherd's purse; river islets mirror the moon.
Painterly minimalism transforms landscapes into delicate ink-wash images, achieving sublime spaciousness through selective detail.
Sixth Couplet: "何当载酒来，共醉重阳节。"
Hé dāng zài jiǔ lái, gòng zuì Chóngyáng jié.
When shall we bring wine together, drunk on Double Ninth Festival?
The conclusion crystallizes human connection as antidote to solitude, transforming seasonal ritual into intimate communion.
Holistic Appreciation
The poem orchestrates a symphony of ascent - physical (mountain climbing), temporal (dusk approaching), and emotional (intensifying longing). Beginning with cloud-hidden peaks symbolizing spiritual attainment, it progresses through vanishing geese (lost connections), autumn's bittersweet clarity, and villagers' earthy routines, before achieving cosmic perspective in the miniatured landscapes. The final fantasy of shared drunkenness during the height-autumn festival completes this movement from solitary transcendence to cherished human bonds.
Artistic Merits
- Dimensional composition: Vertical (mountain), horizontal (distance), and temporal (seasonal) axes structure the poetic space
- Psychological verisimilitude: Authentically captures how nature amplifies human emotion
- Cultural resonance: The Double Ninth reference roots personal longing in collective tradition
- Precision imagery: "Trees like shepherd's purse" exemplifies classical understatement conveying vastness
Insights
This meditation on absence and presence suggests that profound connection often becomes most tangible through separation. Meng demonstrates how natural grandeur can simultaneously highlight human smallness and intensify interpersonal bonds. The work teaches that seasonal rituals - like climbing during Double Ninth Festival - gain deepest meaning when shared, transforming solitary transcendence into communal celebration. Ultimately, the most majestic landscapes serve as canvases for projecting our most human hopes.
Poem translator
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet
Meng Haoran (孟浩然), 689 - 740 AD, a native of Xiangyang, Hubei, was a famous poet of the Sheng Tang Dynasty. With the exception of one trip to the north when he was in his forties, when he was seeking fame in Chang'an and Luoyang, he spent most of his life in seclusion in his hometown of Lumenshan or roaming around.
