Tao Yuanming: Seasonal Cycles

Seasonal Cycles

时 运

迈 迈 时 运
穆 穆 良 朝。
袭 我 春 服
薄 言 东 郊。

山 涤 馀 霭
宇 暧 微 霄。
有 风 自 南
翼 彼 新 苗。

洋 洋 平 津
乃 淑 乃 濯。
邈 邈 遐 景
载 欣 载 瞩。

人 亦 有 言
称 心 易 足。
挥 兹 一 觞
陶 然 自 乐。

延 目 中 流
悠 想 清 沂。
童 冠 齐 业
闲 咏 以 归。

我 爱 其 静
寤 寐 交 挥。
但 恨 殊 世
邈 不 可 追。

斯 晨 斯 夕
言 息 其 庐。
花 药 分 列
林 竹 翳 如。

清 琴 横 床
浊 酒 半 壶。
黄 唐 莫 逮
慨 独 在 余！

Shi Yun

Mai mai shi yuan
Mu mu liang zhao.
Xi wo chun fu
Bao yan dong jiao.

Shan di yu ai
Yu ai wei xiao.
You feng zi nan
Yi bi xin miao.

Yang yang ping jin
Nai shu nai zhuo.
Miao miao xia jing
Zai xin zai zhu.

Ren yi you yan
Chen xin yi zu.
Hui zi yi shang
Tao ran zi le.

Yan mu zhong liu
You xiang qing yi.
Tong guan qi ye
Xian yong yi gui.

Wo ai qi jing
Wu mei jiao hui.
Dan hen shu shi
Miao bu ke zhui.

Si chen si xi
Yan xi qi lu.
Hua yao fen lie
Lin zhu yi ru.

Qing qin heng chuang
Zhuo jiu ban hu.
Huang tang mo dai
Kai du zai yu!

Seasonal Cycles

Step by step the seasons revolve
Dawn exquisitely clear and quiet.
Continue to wear my springtime clothes
Walking to the eastern outskirts.

Cleansed mountains, mists almost gone
Dimly-lit sky, small clouds remain.
Winds from the south
One by one new sprouts wave.

Vast and level ferry crossing
Only then do I gargle and wash up.
Far away, distant scene
To view steadily brings happiness.

People always say
To find something gratifying is easy and enough.
To hold this one cup of wine
Brings carefree happiness and joy.

Long time looking at moderate flows of water
From far away, out of the Yi mountains, the Xiyi River water begins with transparency, but now mixed and full of silt.
These young adults finished with schooling
Return home chanting to a time of leisure.

I love this calm life
Wakefulness and sleep easily take turns.
Only regret, my unusual society
My own youth far away, never can retrieve.

This morning, this evening
I live and relax in my simple hut.
Cultivate flowers and medicinal herbs
Within a shady bamboo forest.

Simple qin across a level stand
Half a pot of murky, homemade wine.
Years from the Golden Age no one can recapture
Here I remain alone with my deep emotions.

Notes:

Eastern outskirts: Literally means he is taking a walk to the eastern edge of the village. As a metaphor it can also mean he is entering a state of spiritual awareness.

Qin: Ancient stringed musical instrument, often played by those of culture and discernment.

Golden Age: Refer to Tao’s poem, Peach Blossom River Source Story, which can be found on this website under the category “Pivot Poems”.

Commentary:

Wonderful description of a fine and late spring day.  Blended with these appreciations are Tao’s use of the ever-present drinking of wine in a state of creativity and leisure.  But then he also acknowledges there is no getting away from old age and a society that is often crass and corrupted.  Add in a simple hut, expressing seclusion and a touch of poverty, and one has virtually all of the major themes Tao Yuanming used throughout his work.

These themes can be found throughout this website and ancient Chinese poetry in general.