Translation
Wang Wei (701-761) | 王維 |
Staying in the Mountains, An Autumn Night | 山居秋暝 |
Empty hill, fresh after the rain, | 空山 新雨後 |
The sky, the air— it’s autumn and evening has come. | 天氣 晚來秋 |
A brilliant moon that shines between the pines, | 明月 松間照 |
A peaceful spring that flows above the rocks. | 清泉 石上流 |
Bamboo is talking as washing women return | 竹喧 歸浣女 |
And water lilies move beneath the fishing boats. | 蓮動 下漁舟 |
Listening to my heart... and even if the grass of spring should wane | 隨意 春芳歇 |
This Wang descendant may possibly remain. | 王孫 自可留 |
Notes:
1. Background: In the ancient China, water was very rare in the northwest. So after the rainfall, many ladies gathered to do laundry that night.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
王維 | 王维 | Wáng Wéi |
山居秋暝 | 山居秋暝 | Shān jū qiū míng |
空山新雨後， | 空山新雨后， | Kōng shān xīn yǔ hòu, |
天氣晚來秋。 | 天气晚来秋。 | Tiān qì wǎn lái qiū. |
明月松間照， | 明月松间照， | Míng yuè sōng jiān zhào, |
清泉石上流。 | 清泉石上流。 | Qīng quán shí shàng liú. |
竹喧歸浣女， | 竹喧归浣女， | Zhú xuān guī huàn nǚ, |
蓮動下漁舟。 | 莲动下渔舟。 | Lián dòng xià yú zhōu. |
隨意春芳歇， | 随意春芳歇， | Suí yì chūn fāng xiē, |
王孫自可留。 | 王孙自可留。 | Wáng sūn zì kě liú. |
Literal Notes
王維 | King/ruler Maintain/preserve = Wang Wei (701-761) |
山居秋暝 | Mountain/hill live/dwell/reside/house/residence autumn/fall dark/obscure [autumn/fall/harvest-time dark=a night in the autumn] |
空山新雨後， | Empty/air/leisure mountain/hill new/fresh rain after/later/afterwards |
天氣晚來秋。 | Sky/heaven air evening/night come/arrive autumn/fall [Sky air= weather] |
明月松間照， | Bright/clear/brilliant moon pine-trees among/between illuminate/shine/reflect |
清泉石上流。 | Clear/quiet/pure/clean/peaceful spring stone/rock on-top/above flow/move/circulate/stream-of-water |
竹喧歸浣女， | Bamboo lively/noisy/talking-loudly/clamor return/go-back-to to-wash/rinse woman/female [wash/rinse woman/female=washerwoman] |
蓮動下漁舟。 | Lotus/water-lily/paradise move/change under/down/below fisherman/to-fish/fish boat |
隨意春芳歇， | Follow/comply-with/listen-to/submit-to idea/thought spring/joyful/youthful/love/life/lust fragrant/aroma/virtuous to-rest/stop/lodge [Follow idea = as one wishes, according to one’s wishes] |
王孫自可留。 | King/monarch/ruler grandson/descendant self/from/since can/may/able-to/permit/possibly stay/retain/remain/keep/stop/retire [King = “Wang,” the poet’s family name, thus referring to himself] |
Year:
2012
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