Lacquer Grove, Wang Wei & Pei Di (Wangchuan Collection #19)

[lnhammer]

That ancient man was no proud official:
He’d little experience with worldly affairs.
By chance he held one minor office—
At ease among the many tree-trunks.

    Good reins long held feel natural,
    The fruit of this harmonious rest.
    Today I wander Lacquer Grove,
    Just as happy as Old Zhuang.

漆园

古人非傲吏，
自阙经世务。
偶寄一微官，
婆娑数株树。

    好闲早成性，
    果此谐宿诺。
    今日漆园游，
    还同庄叟乐。

Wang’s echoes of the first pair of poems signals he’s returning us to some sort of framing, as does the sudden shift to worldly affairs. While the ancient person (which Pei Di picks up on) evokes Zhuangzi, who supposedly held a minor position as manager of a lacquer tree grove, the consensus is Wang is talking about himself. Undertone lost in translation: at ease can also be understood as withered away.

(Home stretch—one more to go!)

---L.