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Climbing Ciensi Pagoda with Gao She and Xue Du

Cen Shen 715-770 Macho pagoda sprouts forth, Alone, lofting to Heaven's Gate. In darkness stone steps coil upward, Emerge jutting above the world. Towering over the Imperial Capital, Awesome like a demon's work. Its four corners block the sun, Its seventh story grasps the firmament. Below glimpse soaring birds, Below again hear soughing wind. Mountain chain undulates like surf, Pounding ever straight eastward. Green locust trees on Emperor's Highway, Shade carved palace buildings. Autumn color arrives from the west, Impressive the bounteous Guanzhong Plain! Five Tombs on the north slope, Eternally green in moist mist. Buddha's words now revealed, In the name of my ancestors. I swear in future I will retire, Comprehend the Dao,         Invest in the inexhaustible.� �

Yù Gāo Shì Xuē Jù Dēng Cíēnsì Fútú

Cén Shén 715-770 Tǎ shì rú yǒng chū, Gū gāo sǒng tiān gōng. Dēnglín chū shìjiè, Dèng dào pán xūkōng. Tūwù xiū Shénzhōu, Zhēngróng rúguǐgōng. Sì jiào ài báirì, Qī céng mó cāngqióng. Xià kuī zhǐ gāo niǎo, Fǔ tīng wèn jīng fēng. Liánshān ruò bōtāo, Bēn còu sì cháo dōng. Qīng huái lái chídào, Gōngguǎn hé línglóng. Qiūsè cóng xī lái, Cāngrán mǎn Guanzhong. Wǔ líng běi yuán shàng, Wàngǔ qīng méngméng. Jìng lǐ liǎo kě wù, Shèng yīn sù suǒ zōng. Shì jiāng guàguān qù, Jué dào zī wúqióng.

Translator:

Dongbo 東波

Notes: In Xian today, if you are lucky, you can make this same climb up the dark coiling stone steps of the Dayanta, Big Goose Pagoda, and emerge ovelooking the old capital of Tang China.

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