At dawn I rise, with ringing bells my cab goes,
But grieved in thoughts of my home, I feel lost.
As the moon sets over thatched inn, the cock crows;
Footprints are left on wood bridge paved with frost.
The mountain path is covered with oak leaves,
The post-house bright with blooming orange trees.
The dream of my homeland last night still grieves,
A pool of mallards playing with wild geese.
Original Poem:
「商山早行」
温庭筠
晨起动征铎，客行悲故乡。
鸡声茅店月，人迹板桥霜。
檞叶落山路，枳花明驿墙。
因思杜陵梦，凫雁满回塘。
Interpretation:
This poem is Wen Tingyun left Chang'an to Xiangyang, defected to Xu Shang through the Shangshan (located in Shaanxi, China), made, describing the cold and bleak morning travel scenery, expressing the loneliness of the traveler outside the feelings and strong homesickness, the words flow between the lines of people on the journey of the disillusionment and helplessness.
The first two lines: Wake up at dawn, the bells of carriages and horses are already vibrating; embarking on a distant journey, the wanderer is sadly thinking of his hometown.
From the visual and auditory aspects of the traveler's horse and cart, and then from the second line onwards, the whole poem is shrouded in a poignant emotional atmosphere.
The third and fourth lines: the rooster's voice is loud and clear, the thatched roof store is bathed in the afterglow of the dawn moon; the boardwalk is filled with frost, and the guests' footsteps are traveling in a row.
The traveler hears the cock crowing at dawn, and although the moon is still hanging in the corner of the thatched store, he still hurriedly goes on his way.
The fifth and sixth lines: the withered mistletoe leaves fall all over the wild roads of the barren mountains; the flowers of Hovenia are brightly opened by the mud wall of the post station.
The poet continues to write about what he saw on his early trip, and the trail moves to the mountain road and the stagecoach. The leaves of the Hovenia tree remain on the branches in winter, and are shed only in the following early spring when the branches and leaves are sprouting. The Hovenia tree, also known as Hovenia, has white flowers in the spring. In the morning sun, sometimes I see the leaves of the hedgehog tree falling to the ground, and sometimes I see the white flowers of the hedgehog tree reflecting on the wall of the post station, which is dazzling to the eyes.
The last two lines: recalling last night's dream of Duling, a flock of ducks and geese were playing in the lake pond on the shore.
Witnessing the scenery in the mountains, the author remembers a country dream he had in Duling. In early spring, the water in the spring pond is warm, and it is the time for the ducks and geese to enjoy playing, while they are traveling and full of sadness.
In ancient China, people were very anxious to settle down, but they often had to travel far away from home for the sake of life, so many poems reflecting the sadness of travelers were produced. This poem is a masterpiece of this theme.
Poem translator:
Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
About the poet:
Wen Ting-yun (温庭筠) was a native of Qixian County, Shanxi, circa 813-870 AD. Wen Tingyun was a professional writer of late Tang Dynasty lyrics, whose achievements and influence were greater than that of poetry, and was once known as the “originator of the flowers”.
