Lu Yu: Evening Drop Anchor Near Ci Mu, a Large Boulder Above the River Water

Evening Drop Anchor Near Ci Mu, a Large Boulder Above the River Water

晚 泊 慈 姥 矶 下

山 断 峭 崖 立
江 空 翠 霭 生。
漫 多 来 往 客
不 尽 古 今 情。

月 碎 知 流 急
风 高 觉 笛 清。
儿 曹 笑 老 子
不 睡 待 潮 平？

Wan Bo Ci Mu Ji Xia

Shan duan qiao ya li
Jiang kong cui ai sheng.
Man duo lai wang ke
Bu jin gu jin qing.

Yue sui zhi liu ji
Feng gao jue di qing.
Er cao xiao lao zi
Bu shui dai chao ping?

Evening Drop Anchor Near Ci Mu, a Large Boulder Above the River Water

Mountain rocks broken into high and steep cliffs
Empty mountains, emerald-green mists emerge.
Everywhere many visitors travel back and forth
Past and present emotions not entirely used up.

Aware of the moon’s reflection suddenly moving and broken
Heavy winds, clear bamboo flute sounds clear and with feeling.
My four sons laugh at their old man
Go to sleep, do you believe this musical entertainment will level the river tides?

Notes:

Written in July 1165 AD while Lu was traveling from Zhengjiang to Nanchong, Jiangxi Province. In northwest Anhui he entered this famous and well-visited spot near Ci Mu.

Ci Mu:  Named after the Queen Mother of the West, a goddess associated with Daoism.

Zhengjiang: Located in Jiangsu Province on the banks of the Changjiang.

Nanchong: Located in northern Sichuan Province.