Seeing Off Vice-Minister Du when He Took a Position in Shuzhou, Wang Bo (Tang Shi #92)

[lnhammer]

At this gatehouse guarding three Qins,
Looking through mists towards the five ferries,
I wish you well upon your journey—
Just as, too, this official travels.
In China, we are closest friends—
At the ends of the world, we’ll still be neighbors:
Don’t just stand here at this crossroad
Handkerchief soaking like a child’s.

送杜少府之任蜀州
城阙辅三秦，
风烟望五津。
与君离别意，
同是宦游人。
海内存知己，
天涯若比邻。
无为在歧路，
儿女共沾巾。



Yes, this is a standard example of a standard genre, but I rather like it. At least, assuming I’m correctly reading the last lines as having a certain amount of asperity. The three Qins refers to how, after the Qin Dynasty was overthrown, the core territory of the former Qin Kingdom was divided into three domains, while the five ferries are crossings of the Min River near Shuzhou in modern Sichuan. Idioms: China is literally "within the seas," and ends of the world is literally "edges of the sky." Lost in translation: the first couplet is (like the obligate middle two) also antithetical, and the mist is broken up in the wind.

(Yeah, these are taking a lot longer to translate than quatrains—more than twice as long, actually. Hmm.)

---L.

Comments

[sartorias]

It might be conventional but since I am not versed enough to recognize the conventions, I find it very effective. (And cinematic)

[lnhammer]

I think you've put a finger on something -- it is rather cinematic. All sorts of panning over vistas as a figure gestures.

[thawrecka]

I rather like this one.

[lnhammer]

All its parts are pulling together neatly.