In this poem, Cen Can is talking about his spiritual experience of going up to a Buddhist temple high in the mountains, touching the sky. He’s looking down on the capital and reflecting on his life and the world, awakening to the importance of spirituality (the Buddhist Pure Essence) and deciding to retire from government service to seek enlightenment.
My Translation
By Cen Can (715-770) | 岑參 |
With Gao Shi and Xue Ju Climbing Toward Benevolent Temple | 與高適薛據 登慈恩寺浮圖 |
The pagoda seems it’s gushing forth ascending | 塔勢 如湧 出 |
Lone and lofty rising up— The Temple of Heaven | 孤高 聳 天宮 |
We climb, approaching, leaving the world | 登臨 出 世界 |
The steps of stone, the path, it feels like they're floating on air | 磴道 盤 虛空 |
Lofty and towering pressing down on all of China | 突兀 壓 神州 |
So high and towering as if it’s built by spirits | 崢嶸 如 鬼工 |
Its four corners block the rays of sun | 四角 礙 白日 |
And its seven stories rub the sky’s arch of blue | 七層 摩 蒼穹 |
Beneath us we see and point— the lofty birds | 下窺 指 高鳥 |
Looking down, we listen, hearing the frightening wind | 俯聽 聞 驚風 |
The mountains ranges look like undulating waves | 連山 若 波濤 |
As if running to assemble at the eastern Imperial Court | 奔湊 如 朝東 |
Green pagoda trees line each side of the capital’s road | 青槐 夾 馳道 |
And how the palaces look small, like tinkling jade | 宮館 何 玲瓏 |
From the west comes the dusky colors | 秋色 從 西來 |
Thus the gray of twilight fills through the frontier midst | 蒼然 滿 關中 |
Five mausoleums rise above the northern plateau: | 五陵 北原 上 |
And unfathomably ancient the mists of time the nature green | 萬古 青 濛濛 |
Finally I can understand The Pure Essence | 淨理 了 可悟 |
My long-cherished goal has been to seek the source of excellence | 勝因 夙所 宗 |
And so I pledge to hang up my cap and retire | 誓將 掛冠 去 |
Awakening to the Path of boundless wealth | 覺道 資 無窮 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
岑參 | 岑参 | Cén Cān |
與高適薛據登慈恩寺浮圖 | 与高适薛据登慈恩寺浮图 | Yǔ gāo shì xuē jù dēng cí ēn sì fú tú |
塔勢如湧出， | 塔势如湧出， | Tǎ shì // rú yǒng chū, |
孤高聳天宮； | 孤高耸天宫； | Gū gāo // sǒng tiān gōng; |
登臨出世界， | 登临出世界， | Dēng lín // chū shì jiè, |
磴道盤虛空。 | 磴道盘虚空。 | Dèng dào // pán xū kōng. |
突兀壓神州， | 突兀压神州， | Tú wù // yā shén zhōu, |
崢嶸如鬼工； | 峥嵘如鬼工； | Zhēng róng // rú guǐ gōng; |
四角礙白日， | 四角碍白日， | Sì jiǎo // ài bái rì, |
七層摩蒼穹。 | 七层摩苍穹。 | Qī céng // mó cāng qióng. |
下窺指高鳥， | 下窥指高鸟， | Xià kuī // zhǐ gāo niǎo, |
俯聽聞驚風。 | 俯听闻惊风。 | Fǔ tīng // wén jīng fēng. |
連山若波濤， | 连山若波涛， | Lián shān // ruò bō tāo, |
奔湊如朝東。 | 奔凑如朝东。 | Bēn còu // rú cháo dōng. |
青槐夾馳道， | 青槐夹驰道， | Qīng huái // jiā chí dào, |
宮館何玲瓏？ | 宫馆何玲珑？ | Gōng guǎn // hé líng lóng? |
秋色從西來， | 秋色从西来， | Qiū sè // cóng xi lái, |
蒼然滿關中。 | 苍然满关中。 | Cāng rán // mǎn guān zhōng. |
五陵北原上， | 五陵北原上， | Wǔ líng // běi yuán shàng, |
萬古青濛濛。 | 万古青濛濛。 | Wàn gǔ // qīng méng méng. |
淨理了可悟， | 净理了可悟， | Jìng lǐ // le kě wù, |
勝因夙所宗。 | 胜因夙所宗。 | Shèng yīn // sù suǒ zōng. |
誓將掛冠去， | 誓将挂冠去， | Shì jiāng // guà guān qù, |
覺道資無窮。 | 觉道资无穷。 | Jué dào // zī wú qióng. |
Literal Translation
岑參 | Steep Participate [=Cen Can (715-770)] |
與高適薛據登慈恩寺浮圖 | With High Match Grass Occupy climb Kind Charity temple float picture [High Match = Gao Shi; Grass Occupy = Xue Ju; float picture = Buddha, Buddhist stupa] |
塔勢如湧出， | Pagoda appearance like gushing-forth rise |
孤高聳天宮； | Lone lofty rise-up sky temple [lone lofty = arrogant; sky temple = Temple in Heaven (e.g., of the Jade Emperor)] |
登臨出世界， | Climb approach go-out world boundary [climb approach = visit places famous for their scenery; world boundary = world] |
磴道盤虛空。 | Stone-step path examine/feel empty deserted [empty deserted = empty, hollow] |
突兀壓神州， | Suddenly cut-off-feet press-down god state [suddenly cut-off-feet = lofty or towering, sudden or abrupt; god state = old name for China] |
崢嶸如鬼工； | High towering like ghost worker |
四角礙白日， | Four corners block bright sun [bright sun = daytime] |
七層摩蒼穹。 | Seven story rub blue dome [blue dome = blue dome of heaven] |
下窺指高鳥， | Underneath watch point high bird |
俯聽聞驚風。 | Look-down listen hear frighten wind |
連山若波濤， | Connect mountain like undulating waves [undulating waves = great waves] |
奔湊如朝東。 | Run/rush assemble like imperial-court eastern |
青槐夾馳道， | Green pagoda-tree line Hurry Path [Hurry Path = capital’s main avenue] |
宮館何玲瓏？ | Palace building how tinkling-of-jade gem-like-dragon [tinkling gem = clink of jewels, detailed & fine] |
秋色從西來， | Autumn colors from west come |
蒼然滿關中。 | Ash-gray thus fill frontier-pass midst [frontier-pass midst = valley of the Wei River] |
五陵北原上， | Five mausoleums northern plateau rise |
萬古青濛濛。 | Innumerable ancient capital drizzling mist |
淨理了可悟， | Pure reason/essence finish/achieve may/able realize |
勝因夙所宗。 | Surpassing because long-cherished place model |
誓將掛冠去， | Pledge going-to hang cap depart |
覺道資無窮。 | Awake/feel path wealth not poor [not poor = boundless, inexhaustible] |
Year:
2011
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