A Message to Commissioner Li at Zizhou by Wang Wei

From ten thousand valleys the trees touch heaven;
On a thousand peaks cuckoos are calling;
And, after a night of mountain rain,
From each summit come hundreds of silken cascades.
...If girls are asked in tribute the fibre they weave,
Or farmers quarrel over taro fields,
Preside as wisely as Wenweng did...
Is fame to be only for the ancients?

Original Poem

「送梓州李使君」
万壑树参天，千山响杜鹃。
山中一夜雨，树杪百重泉。
汉女输橦布，巴人讼芋田。
文翁翻教授，不敢倚先贤。

王维

Interpretation

This poem was composed by Wang Wei to bid farewell to his friend Prefect Li, who was departing for Mianzhou in Shu (present-day Mianyang, Sichuan). Though Wang Wei served in court throughout his life, his heart remained in the mountains and forests, often expressing through poetry his affection for friends and yearning for nature. This farewell poem breaks convention by avoiding sentimental parting emotions, instead envisioning the landscapes, local customs, and exemplary figures of his friend's destination—grand in conception and lofty in artistic conception.

First Couplet: "万壑树参天，千山响杜鹃。"
Wàn hè shù cāntiān, qiān shān xiǎng dùjuān.
Trees pierce the sky in countless valleys; cuckoos echo across a thousand peaks.

Using parallel structure, these lines create a vast panorama of the majestic Shu landscapes that await the traveler. Rather than describing the parting scene, Wang Wei immediately transports readers to the destination with bold, sweeping imagery. The ubiquitous cuckoo calls lend both natural vibrancy and a faint melancholy, foreshadowing the poem's emotional undercurrent.

Second Couplet: "山中一夜雨，树杪百重泉。"
Shān zhōng yī yè yǔ, shù miǎo bǎi chóng quán.
After one night's mountain rain, a hundred cascades pour from treetops.

Depicting Shu's miraculous post-rain scenery, these lines show waterfalls cascading from forest canopies in layered torrents, adding three-dimensional dynamism to the visual tableau. Wang Wei masterfully uses auditory imagery—the interplay of cascades and earlier cuckoo calls—to immerse readers in Shu's fresh, lively atmosphere. The first four lines form a magnificent landscape painting, blending visual grandeur with kinetic beauty.

Third Couplet: "汉女输橦布，巴人讼芋田。"
Hàn nǚ shū tóng bù, Bā rén sòng yù tián.
Han women deliver tapa cloth; Ba people dispute taro fields.

Transitioning from nature to human affairs, the poet highlights Shu's distinctive local customs. Tapa cloth and taro fields—regional specialties—represent the administrative realities Prefect Li will encounter. Through these authentic details, Wang Wei subtly conveys the responsibilities and challenges of governance without direct admonition.

Fourth Couplet: "文翁翻教授，不敢倚先贤。"
Wén Wēng fān jiāoshòu, bù gǎn yǐ xiānxián.
May you revive Wen Weng's teachings, not resting on predecessors' merits.

The conclusion invokes Wen Weng, the Han Dynasty governor who transformed Shu through education. By urging Li to "revive teachings" rather than rely on past glory, Wang Wei delivers profound encouragement—to build new achievements while honoring tradition. This historically-grounded wish combines respect for the past with faith in his friend's potential.

Holistic Appreciation

The poem's six lines unfold in three couplets, progressing logically from panorama to human affairs before culminating in historical inspiration. Wang Wei's unconventional approach—beginning with the destination rather than the departure—allows simultaneous portrayal of natural beauty and administrative realities. The uplifting tone, rich yet restrained emotion, and seamless integration of scene and sentiment exemplify Wang Wei's distinctive style: fresh yet profound, understated yet powerful.

Artistic Merits

1. Grand Opening: Rejecting conventional farewell tropes to begin with the destination's majestic landscapes
2. Sensory Richness: Combining striking visuals ("sky-piercing trees") with evocative sounds (cuckoos, cascades)
3. Natural to Human Transition: Fluid movement from scenery to governance responsibilities
4. Allusive Depth: The Wen Weng典故 operates as cultural benchmark and personal challenge

Insights

This poem redefines farewell poetry—transforming partings into occasions for envisioning futures and affirming responsibilities. Wang Wei expands the emotional range of separation poems by blending landscape appreciation with governance wisdom, demonstrating how artistic expression can carry moral weight. His technique of progressing from physical landscapes to human affairs to historical models offers a timeless template for meaningful encouragement—reminding us that true friendship inspires both the heart and the mind.

Poem translator

Kiang Kanghu

About the poet

Wang Wei (王维), 701 - 761 A.D., was a native of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. Wang Wei was a poet of landscape and idylls. His poems of landscape and idylls, with far-reaching images and mysterious meanings, were widely loved by readers in later generations, but Wang Wei never really became a man of landscape and idylls.