Wang Wei: Inside Bamboo Auditorium

Inside a Bamboo Auditorium

竹 里 馆

独 坐 幽 篁 里
弹 琴 复 长 啸。

深 林 人 不 知
明 月 来 相 照。

Zhu Li Guan

Du zuo you huang li
Tan qin fu chang xiao.                                                                                                          Shen lin ren bu zhi
Ming yue lai xiang zhao.

Inside a Bamboo Auditorium

Sitting alone inside a secluded bamboo grove
Playing the qin, making repeated long and strong whistles.

No people aware of this deep forest
Bright moonlight arrives, we echo and illuminate each other.

Notes:

Auditorium: This is best word in English I could come up with to express the Chinese word “guan” (馆) within this particular context.  One of the word’s meanings is a “place for cultural activities”.  Because he is playing his qin, this is what I believe Wang Wei meant when he chose the word “guan”.

Qin: An ancient stringed musical instrument.