Inscribed at the Jinling Ferry Crossing, Zhang Hu (Tang Shi #286)

[lnhammer]

In Xiaoshan Tower at Jinling ferry crossing,
A one-night lodger would of course be anxious.
Tide’s falling, nighttime river in slant moonbeams—
Those two or three small sparks are in Guazhou.

题金陵渡
金陵津渡小山楼，
一宿行人自可愁。
潮落夜江斜月里，
两三星火是瓜州。

Jinling is modern Zhenjiang, a little downstream of Nanjing, and Guazhou is across the Yangzi, on the north bank. Xiaoshan is “small mountain”—I don’t see anything is gained by translating it. That the sparks are small is added to fill out the meter, possibly justified by the literal meaning of spark as “star-flame.”

—L.

Comments

[sovay]

That the sparks are small is added to fill out the meter, possibly justified by the literal meaning of spark as “star-flame.”

Could you translate "those two or three small stars"? Or am I reading too much into a potential resonance with the moonbeams?

(I like, again, how compactly visual this poem is.)

[lnhammer]

I completely missed the moon/star contrast, being more focused on the flame part of the imagery. (I strongly suspect, though I’ve not met it in commentary, that part of the anxiety is from piracy a la the Maple Bridge poem a while ago.) That and how, though I ended up didn’t reproduce this, the poem begins and ends with place names facing across the river.

Hmm. Need to think about what to prioritize here.

(That compact imagery is something the Tang poets specifically valued.)

[sovay]

I strongly suspect, though I’ve not met it in commentary, that part of the anxiety is from piracy a la the Maple Bridge poem a while ago.)

I think I need this reference unpacked.

That and how, though I ended up didn’t reproduce this, the poem begins and ends with place names facing across the river.

Oh, nice.

[lnhammer]

Whoops -- that was a bit overcompact. This can happen when I respond from my phone while out and about (in this case, during a play-date).

The setting for this poem is close to that of #273, which similarly has a traveler feeling anxiety on a river, in that case explained as the result of recent pirate attacks. I haven't found a commentary mention that for this one, but I suspect a similar cause, above and beyond the usual literary Chinese reaction of anxiety while traveling.

I'm currently thinking of going with "star-sparks," and looking for a way to move Jinling to as close to first word as I can.