Mountain Songs

Roaming on Green City Mountain

Search

About us

Contact us

Slideshow Google Map Timeline Timemap Text Mode Comments (0)

Roaming on Green City Mountain

        Zhan  Shichuanɡ

Crank, crank the mini-train,
Chirp, chirp the little birds.
Accompanying their songs the flute sings its tunes.
Boats welcome the pilgrims on the mountain lake;
Smiles of joy ripple across innocent faces.
The Tao seekers roam leisurely on the waters.

Roosters crow and hens cackle,
Breaking the silence of the cable way.
The cable cars roll on,
Skirting the beaten path of stony steps,
Merge into the mist and fog.
The Tao seekers roam freely in midair.

Cloud waves ebb and flow;
The Goddess of Mercy ferry us across.
In his Cave Heaven dwells Immortal Xuanfu.
Gusts of cool breeze
Bring the sound of scripture chanting.
The Tao seekers roam numinously
  -- in the Shangri-la of High Purity

Tide surges around the fairy island of Penglai;
Lady Ma comes with her nectar wine.
Three drinks from the jade goblet
And our thoughts begin to float far into the dreamland.
Ah, intoxicated on this Green City Mountain,
We the Tao seekers roam far and wide
  -- in the boundless Sea of Heart.

QīnɡChénɡ Yóu

Zhan Shichuanɡ

Xiǎochē liūliū,
Xiǎoniǎo jiūjiū.
Bànsuí yīqǔ xiāoɡē,
Xiǎochuán yínɡ kè shān hú.
Bìbō yánɡqǐ qīnɡchún xiàoliǎn,
Fǎnɡdàorén zài húpō lǐ yōuyóu.

Shānjī tíchànɡ,
Huànxǐnɡ chénjì suǒdào.
Lǎnchē ɡūɡū,
Shǎnɡuò shíjiē jiùlù.
Rónɡjìn mímàn yúnwù,
Fǎnɡdàorén zài bàntiān lǐ mànyóu.

Yún lànɡ huí zhuǎn,
Cí hánɡ yǐn dù.
Dònɡ tiān xuán fǔ,
Qīnɡfēnɡ fúfú.
Línɡtīnɡ xīwēi sònɡjīnɡshēnɡ,
Fǎnɡdàorén zài shànɡqīnɡ-shènɡjìnɡ shén yóu.

Pénɡlái lànɡ yǒnɡ,
Máɡū sònɡlái měijiǔ.
Yùzūn sānxún,
Xiásī piāofú mènɡ yōu.
A ， táozuì zài wànlǐ qīnɡchénɡ,
Fǎnɡdàorén zài wúbiān xīnhǎi lǐ chànɡyóu.

Translator: Charles Q. Wu 吳千之

Notes:
From May 21 through June 11, 1999, Charles Wu led a 24-member Taoist tour to China. "We visiting seven mountains, ten cities, and numerous temples, mostly Taoist, some Buddhist, and one Confucian. Throughout the tour we were accompanied by outstanding Taoist scholar, Professor Zhan Shichuang of Xiamen University, who shared with us his great wisdom as well as rich knowledge about the philosophy, history, and practice of China's native-born religion. I had the privilege of being his interpreter, and the two of us developed a great friendship emanating from a common qi field. On several occasions, after visiting an inspiring site, Professor Zhan's poetic creativity would be set ablaze and once back on the bus he would start composing a poem, which I would immediately or subsequently translate and read to the group."

Commentary:
Qing Cheng Shan 青城山 or Green City Mountain, is where Zhang Daoling (34-156) meditated and founded the first sect of Taoist religion. Like other Taoist mountains, it is replete with tales and legends. Here we see the Taoified Goddess of Mercy dubbed the Compassionate Ferry. Here we pass by a pond (supposedly of wine) named after the female immortal Lady Ma from Penglai, the offshore island where she witnessed the sea turn into mulberry orchards.