Bai Juyi: River Tower Hear Washing Rocks

River Tower and Heard the Washing Rocks

江 楼 闻 砧

江 人 授 衣 晚
十 月 始 闻 砧。

一 夕 高 楼 月
万 里 故 园 心。

Jiang Lou Wen Zhen

Jiang ren shou yi wan
Shi yue shi wen zhen.                                                                                                                 Yi xi gao lou yue
Wan li gu yuan xin.

River Tower and Heard the Washing Rocks

Late season, these river people have yet to give me proper clothes
Tenth lunar month, begin to hear the washing rocks.

One sunset, tall tower and the moon
Hometown heart-mind thousands of miles away.

Notes:

Washing rocks: River rocks used to wash the household’s clothes.