Translation
| Meng Haoran (689-740) | 孟浩然 |
| On Purifying the Tombstones Day, A Banquet at the House of Mei, Daoist Priest | 清明日 宴梅道士房 |
| | |
| Reclining in the woods, I fret on the end of spring, | 林臥 愁春盡 |
| So I open the balcony to view its magnificence. | 開軒 覽物華 |
| Suddenly I come across a bluebird, a messenger, | 忽逢 青鳥使 |
| Inviting me into the home of Mr. Red Pine. | 邀入 赤松家 |
| His furnace is red with starting fire, | 丹灶 初開火 |
| While the Immortal Peach, just then, begins to give its fruit. | 仙桃 正發花 |
| If youthful colors could remain, | 童顏 若可駐 |
| Why begrudge a drink of Flowing Red Clouds? | 何惜 醉流霞 |
Interpretive Notes
This poem is set on Qingming Day, a festival to sweep the tombstones and honor the dead. It occurs on the 104th day after the winter solstice, the 15th day after the spring equinox.
There is a contrast between the youthful, vibrant colors of spring and the tombstones of the dead. This can be personalized as well to the poet thinking of his lost youth, especially in the last two verses.
Mr. Red Pinerefers to a legendary Daoist Immortal, here associated with the host, Daoist Priest Mei. The Immortal Peach is a legendary fruit that comes out only once every 3,000 years. Flowing Red Clouds is the name of an immortal wine.
Original Chinese
| Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
| | | |
| 孟浩然 | 孟浩然 | Mèng Hào Rán |
| 清明日宴梅道士房 | 清明日宴梅道士房 | Qīng míng rì yàn méi dào shì fang |
| | | |
| 林臥愁春盡， | 林卧愁春尽， | Lín wò chóu chūn jǐn, |
| 開軒覽物華。 | 开轩览物华。 | Kāi xuān lǎn wù huá. |
| 忽逢青鳥使， | 忽逢青鸟使， | Hū féng qīng niǎo shǐ, |
| 邀入赤松家。 | 邀入赤松家。 | Yāo rù chì sōng jiā. |
| 丹灶初開火， | 丹灶初开火， | Dān zào chū kāi huǒ, |
| 仙桃正發花。 | 仙桃正发花。 | Xian táo zhèng fā huā. |
| 童顏若可駐， | 童颜若可驻， | Tóng yán ruò kě zhù, |
| 何惜醉流霞。 | 何惜醉流霞。 | Hé xī zuì liú xiá. |
Literal Notes
| 孟浩然 | Elder-brother/first Grand/great Shape/pledge=Meng Haoran(689-740) |
| 清明日宴梅道士房 | Qing/clear/pure/clean Ming/bright/brilliant/clear Day feast/repose/banquet Mei/plums Daoist/Path Priest/scholar/gentleman house/room |
| | [Qing Ming Day=Qingming Festival, a tomb-sweeping day.] |
| 林臥愁春盡， | Woods/forest/grove lie/crouch worry-about/anxious spring/joyful/gay/youthful/love/life/lust/wanton end/finish/exhaust/use-up/deplete |
| 開軒覽物華。 | Open/initiate/begin/start curtained-carriage/pavilion-with-a-view/balcony/wide/tall to-view/look-at/inspect/perceive thing/object/matter/substance magnificent/splendid/flowery/illustrious |
| 忽逢青鳥使， | Suddenly/abruptly/overlook/neglect come-across/meet-by-chance blue-or-green bird envoy/messenger [blue-or-green bird= in the fairy tale, it is the messenger of the West Goddess.] |
| 邀入赤松家。 | To-invite/request/welcome/meet enter/go-into/join/become-a-member-of/confirm-with/agree-with Red/scarlet Pine-tree/fir/tree home [Red/scarlet Pine-tree=Mr. Red Pine, a legendary immortal. Here also refers to Priest Mei.] |
| 丹灶初開火， | Pellet/cinnabar/powder/red/vermilion furnace/kitchen-stove at-the-beginning/at-first/beginning start/turn-on fire/flame |
| 仙桃正發花。 | Immortal Peach just/at-the-moment issue/dispatch/send-out/develop blossoms [Immortal Peach= The West Goddess grows the immortal peaches in her garden. They only give fruit once every 3,000 years and are regarded as an elixir.] |
| 童顏若可駐， | Child/boy face/color/countenance if/as/seem can/ may/able-to/permit/to-suit/certainly/very/approve to-stay/halt/to-be-stationed/reside |
| 何惜醉流霞。 | Why/what/how/which regret/pity/to-rue/begrudge intoxicated/drunk flow/move/drift/spread red-cloud/rosy-clouds [flow red-cloud = Flowing Red Clouds, an immortal wine’s name] |
| | |
Year:
2012
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