三詠黃山雪霽
三山吹雪乾坤白
千峰列陣氣象開
豁然中天雲光瀉
想是仙仗移瓊台
沖寒氣凜登高處
青冥浩蕩風滿懷
側身唯有天上下
我今振衣歸去來
詠黃山雪霽
放眼江山雪初晴
乾坤蒼茫浩氣凝
凌雲列陣千鋒戟
憑空倒懸九天冰
風生凜冽玉龍戰
摧鱗敗甲卷飄零
萬古元氣磨不去
神州處處是蓬瀛
再詠黃山雪霽 Huangshan(1) after Snow
七十二峰雪滿山
危乎高哉列千關
鐵馬重裘難為進
到此仰呼行路難
何代仙人開鳥道
往來天都一日還
上有奇松出雲海
下有九龍探百川
墨花點破太白筆
道場曾煉軒轅丹
梵天擲下青蓮座
光明之頂不可攀
半空俯仰壯心目
上下泱漭若渾涵
元氣磅礴萬萬古
始知乾坤有大觀
注釋:
①七十二峰雪滿山:黃山七十二峰
②往來天都一日還:三大主峰之天都峰
③上有奇松出雲海:黃山四絶之一奇松
④下有九龍探百川:黃山三大名瀑之「九龍瀑」
⑤墨花點破太白筆:黃山奇峰「夢筆生花」傳為太白之筆化成
⑥道場曾煉軒轅丹:黃山傳為軒轅黃帝煉丹處,故稱黃山
⑦梵天擲下青蓮座:三大主峰之蓮花峰
⑧光明之頂不可攀:三大主峰之光明頂
Over seventy summits, mapped and named, obscured by snow.
Vastly high, to rising sky, lined up, a thousand passes!
Weaponed suits, in furs, on armoured horse—no easy passes—
Battled armies halt: So huge their ride! How far to go!?
Which immortals built those paths where only birds can fly?
So high, so far away, yet reachable in just a day.
Life-affirming, miracle pines peak over clouds’ seas’ sway.
Nine Dragon Waterfall(2) dashed to a hundred rivers—Li Bai(3):
Brush pen flourished into Dream Flower Pen(4), a tree-soft point.
Yellow Emperor(5) made dan inside this Taoist sphere.
Full of beauty—is this Buddha’s lotus seat(6) spread here?
Brightness Apex(7), it’s impossible to get to the point.
Half way to heaven, heart-vast, up-down, majestic, vision not finite,
No limit, far, inside, vast, unseen but known, profound—
Base Earth energy running millions of years unbound,
Only being here I now know the universe’s light.
Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Damian Robin
Footnotes:
1. Huangshan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangshan(Chinese: 黄山, literal meaning: Yellow Mountain) is a mountain range in southern Anhui Province in eastern China. Vegetation on the range is thickest below 1,100 meters (3,600 ft), with trees growing up to the tree line at 1,800 meters (5,900 ft). The area is well known for its scenery, sunsets, peculiarly-shaped granite peaks, Huangshan pine trees, hot springs, winter snow, and views of the clouds from above. Huangshan is a frequent subject of traditional Chinese paintings and literature, as well as modern photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's major tourist destinations.
2. The Nine Dragon Waterfall is one of the three most famous waterfalls in Huangshan.
3. Li Bai (701–762) was a Chinese poet acclaimed from his own day to the present as a genius and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He is regarded by many as the greatest poet in Chinese history.
4. Dream Flower Pen (Meng Bi Sheng Hua) is located within northeast of Yellow Mountain and close to the Bijia Peak. The elevation is 1,640 meters. A stone stands elevated with a round bottom cuspate top, like a brush pen used for calligraphy. Legend has it that once Li Bai dreamed that flowers blossomed on top of his brush. There is also another story that when Li Bai once visited Mount Huangshan, he was invited by a monk to write a poem. After he finished writing, everyone was so amazed by his calligraphy and poem. In his excitement (not without drinking some rice wine produced and provided by the monks), Li Bai threw away his brush which turned into a peak of Huangshan which is now called "夢筆生花Meng Bi Sheng Hua", or "Dream Flower Pen", meaning the brush blossomed in a dream. "Meng Bi Sheng Hua" also evolved into a Chinese idiom referring to very talented writers or writings.
5. Legend has it that once the Yellow Emperor made his elixir, or dan, on Mount Huangshan. Huang means yellow, Shan means mountain. That's how Mount Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) gained its name: It was named after the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di). The Yellow Emperor was
one of Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in ancient China, living some 5000 years ago. He was believed to have succeeded in cultivation, become an immortal and rose to heaven on a dragon. Chinese people now call themselves "descendants of the Yellow Emperor".
6. Lotus Peak is one of the three main peaks of Huangshan. Buddhas are believed to sit on lotus petals (like a seat).
7. The Bright Peak is one of the three main peaks of Huangshan.
春雪有懷 A Snowy Day in Spring
飛雪樹頭 太古周遊
我思浩浩 天地悠悠
東風吹徹 孰與唱酬
我思茫茫 不見子猷
尋梅策蹇 寒江泛舟
我思澹澹 聊以忘憂
四望一白 如臨姑射
我思渙渙 夫復何求
With all the trees in shrouds of falling snow,
We move towards the moment of Time's birth.
My thoughts leap forward with great strength and flow
Within the massive gap of heaven … earth.
Around me, cold East Wind that blows and blows
Much like a song—but who will sing with me?
Dispersing, wafting thoughts are vagrant echoes
Of Zi You gone, returned, now not with me.
I want to ride a donkey, sail the river
To trace plum blossoms at the edge of mind.
My thoughts reach gently, dancing on forever,
They leave the worried world’s concerns behind.
While in the center of this pure white realm,
I could be in the presence of Ku Yi.
Contented, all my thoughts flow with no helm.
All I have is all I need to be.
Translated by Jennifer Zeng.
Edited by Damian Robin.
冬日随笔(三)
風回寒林靜 雪落幽谷空
晶瑩珊瑚樹 妝成玉虛宮
舉步疑無路 仙源心徑通
野望登高處 不見長眉翁
茫茫天地大 誰與論道同
峰出四山上 獨坐白雲中
冬日隨筆(二)
我居異域久 嘗思北國寒
茫茫天地古 落落對空山
風回林更寂 雲起意近禪
偶來松下坐 一尺雪蒲團
冬日隨筆(一)A Winter’s Poem (1)
山中晶瑩雪 春深寂寞林
四時不同景 冷淡總相因
倦遊紅塵久 常懷高士心
默然獨愁予 空谷生白雲
Crystal snow covering the mountains
The thick forests so lonely
While scenes change across every season
The coldness of life remains
Tired of traveling through this human world
How I long to soar far beyond!
Silent I sit here alone with a sorrowful heart
Watching white clouds rising amidst the empty valleys.
Translated by Jennifer Zeng and Gerard Traub