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Plum blossoms on Lushan
A Plum Tree Blossomed Fully in Front of Pine Winds Pavilion
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On the Twenty-Sixth Day of the Eleventh Month
a Plum Tree Blossomed Fully in Front of Pine Winds Pavilion
Su Shi 1036-1101
On Spring Wind Peak
in a Huainan village
Years ago plum blossoms
once broke my heart.
How could I know, in my wanderings,
I would see them again
Where Man winds and Dan rains
grieve the sunset?
The long branches droop
half over the lichee bank,
The leaning trunk has unmatched grace
in the coir-palm garden.
Not only does their radiance in obscurity
detain the night,
Their chill beauty, I suspect,
may dispel the winter's warmth.
Before Pine Winds Pavilion,
amid thorns and brambles,
The jade petals of the two trunks
will gleam in the bright dawn light.
Goddess clouds from the southern seas
waft gently down to my steps,
In a white gown illumined by moonlight
she comes to knock at the door.
Awaking from drunken slumber,
I arise and encircle the tree;
Its marvelous intent is clear,
though it speaks no words;
"Sir, though you drink alone
do not sigh;
By good fortune the setting moon
peeks into your clear cup."
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Sōngfēngtíng Xià Méihuā Shèng Kāi
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Shíyīyuè Èrshíliù Rì
Sōngfēngtíng Xià Méihuā Shèng Kāi
Sū Shì 1036-1101
Chūnfēnglǐng Shàng Huáinán Cūn,
Xīnián méihuā céng duàn hún.
Qǐ zhī liúluò fù xiāng jiàn,
Mán Fēng Dàn Yǔ chóu huánghūn.
Cháng tiáo bàn luò lìzhī pǔ,
Wò shù xiùsè guāngláng yuán.
Qǐ wéi yōu guāng liú yèsè,
Zhí kǒng lěng yàn pái dōng wēn.
Sōngfēng Tíng xià jīnjí lǐ,
Liǎng zhū yù ruǐ míng zhāotūn.
Hǎinán xiān yún jiāo duò qiè,
Yuè xià gǎo yī lái kòu mén.
Jiǔ xǐng mèng jué qǐ rào shù,
Miào yì yǒu zài zhōng wú yán.
Xiānsheng dú yǐn wù tànxī,
Xìng yǒu luò yuè kuī qīng zūn.
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Notes: From Ron Egan's definitive book on Su Shi (Su Dongpo), Word Image and Deed In The Life Of Su Shi, Harvard University Press. Used with permission. Professor Egan teaches at the University of California, Santa Barbara, California.
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