1. A message from Tiaoxi to Liang Geng after his farewell.
Liu Changqing (Tang Dynasty)
Birds fly far and near to Pingwu, and people follow the flowing water from east to west.
The white clouds are thousands of miles away, and the bright moon is in front of the stream and behind it.
I am melancholy to be banished to Changsha, and the grass in the rivers and ponds is luxuriant.
Translation:
The clear river is long and long, where does it end? The sun set to the west and the lone ship untied its moorings. Birds are flying over the fields, sometimes near and sometimes far away, and idlers are on boats, letting the stream drift east and west. White clouds float in the sky for thousands of miles, and the bright moonlight shines on the stream in front of the mountain and the stream behind the mountain.
It was sad and frustrating to leave Changsha after being demoted again, and the feelings of nostalgia were as strong as the vanilla on the river bank and the pond.
2. Seven Pastoral Music No. 6 / Leisurely Living
Wang Wei (Tang Dynasty)
The peach red contains the rain, and the willow green also contains the morning smoke.
The flowers have fallen, the children have not swept away the house, the orioles are singing, and the mountain guests are still sleeping.
Translation:
The red peach blossoms still contain the fresh rain from the night before, and the green willow silk carries a faint hint of spring smoke. The petals have fallen, the children in the house have not cleaned, the orioles are singing, and the leisurely mountain visitors are still sleeping soundly.
3. Eight Arrivals
Li Ye (Tang Dynasty)
From near to far from east to west, from deep to shallow clear stream.
The highest to the bright sun and the moon, the closest relatives to the distant husband and wife.
Translation:
The nearest and farthest are east and west, and the deepest and shallowest are Qingxi.
The highest and brightest are the sun and the moon, and the closest and most distant are the husband and wife.
4. Crossing the Mountain Farmhouse
Gu Kuang (Tang Dynasty)
The sound of Banqiao people crossing the spring, and the cockcrow on the thatched eaves at noon.
Don’t be angry when the smoke of roasted tea is dark, but be happy when the sun is shining and the sky is clear.
Translation:
Walking on the Banqiao, I could only hear the tinkling of the spring water under the bridge; when I arrived in front of the farmhouse, it was just past noon, and the rooster crowed in front of the thatched house. Don't complain about the smoke when baking tea, but be glad that it's a sunny day to dry the rice.