Meng Haoran: With Mr. Yu of Hangzhou, Climb Up to Zhang Lou to Watch the Rising Tidal Bore

With Mr. Yu of Hangzhou, Climb Up to Zhang Lou to Watch the Rising Tidal Bore

与 颜 钱 塘 登 樟 楼 望 湖 作

百 里 闻 雷 震
鸣 弦 暂 辍 弹。
府 中 连 骑 出
江 上 待 湖 观。

照 日 秋 空 迥
浮 云 渤 澥 宽。
鹭 涛 来 似 雪
一 坐 凛 生 寒。

Yu Yan Qian Tang Deng Zhang Lou Wang Hu Zuo

Bai li wen lei zhen
Ming xian zan chuo dan.
Fu zhong lian qi chu
Jiang shang dai hu guan.

Zhao ri qiu kong jiong
Fu yun bo xie kuan.
Lu tao lai si xue
Yi zuo lin sheng han.

With Mr Yu of Hangzhou, Climb Up to Zhang Lou to Watch
The Rising Tidal Bore

From thirty miles away, can already hear the thunderous roar and feel
the shaking
Mr. Yu has left his office work behind to watch this event with me.
Crowds of people together ride and go to this place
They all wait for the wave to arrive.

Autumn sunshine and sky, distant visibility
Floating clouds thin, with a wide horizon, like at Bohai.
Tidal bore wave approaching like billows of snow-white birds
Sitting together, here comes the rush of cold air.

Notes:

Mr. Yu: Then current mayor of Hangzhou

Hangzhou: Famous ancient city and occasional capital of imperial China.
A popular spot to view the large Qiantang River tidal bore wave in mid-August.

Zhang Lou: A riverside, multistoried pavilion on the Qiantang River just outside the city limits of Hangzhou.

Bo Hai: Sea off the coast of Shandong province.