Wei Yingwu: Beginning a Government Position As a Provincial Recorder, Departure From the Shanfu Daoist Temple

Beginning a Government Position As a Provincial Recorder, Departure From the Shanfu Daoist Temple

始 除 尚 书 郎 别 善 福 精 舍

简 略 非 世 器
委 身 同 草 木。
逍 遥 精 舍 居
饮 酒 自 为 足。

累 日 曾 一 栉
对 书 常 懒 读。
社 腊 会 高 年
山 川 恣 游 瞩。

明 世 方 选 士
中 朝 悬 美 禄。
除 书 忽 到 门
冠 带 便 拘 束。

愧 忝 郎 署 迹
谬 蒙 君 子 录。
俯 仰 垂 华 缨
飘 飖 翔 轻 毂。

行 将 亲 爱 别
恋 此 西 涧 曲。
远 峰 明 夕 川
夏 雨 生 众 绿。

迅 风 飘 野 路
回 首 不 遑 宿。
明 晨 下 烟 阁
白 云 在 幽 谷。

Shi Chu Shang Shu Lang Bie Shan Fu Jing She

Jian lue fei shi qi
Wei shen tong cao mu.
Xiao yao jing she ju
Yin jiu zi wei zu.

Lei ri ceng yi zhi
Dui shu chang lan du.
She la hui gao nian
Shan chuan zi you zhu.

Ming shi fang xuan shi
Zhong zhao xuan mei lu.
Chu shu hu dao men
Guan dai bian ju shu.

Kui tian lang shu ji
Miu meng jun zi lu.
Fu yang chui hua ying
Piao yao xiang qing gu.

Xing jiang qin ai bie
Lian ci xi jian qu.
Yuan feng ming xi chuan
Xia yu sheng zhong lu.

Xun feng piao ye lu
Hui shou bu huang su.
Ming chen xia yan ge
Bai yun zai you gu.

Beginning a Government Position As a Provincial Recorder, Departure From the Shanfu Daoist Temple

My job is simple and concise, not overly valued by society
Put myself at the service of plants and trees.
From this slow and remote location and a small temple room
Drinking wine is enough to make oneself sufficient.

Day after day combed my hair only once
Facing my books, often too lazy to read them.
Spring and autumn festival get-togethers with the more senior and cultured
Travel without restraint to take in the mountains and rivers scenery.

Enlightened reigns choose intellectuals for service
Working inside the palace can make one proud of an official’s salary.
Suddenly an imperial decree arrives at my door
Now have to tie up and wear the imperial caps and belts.

Ashamed to be adding the outward signs of an official’s office
Feel like I am using, and being used by those in rank above me.
My hat’s tassels reveal my position when I bow
Now I travel in a carriage, swaying back and forth in the breeze.

Time to depart and travel away from loved ones
Feel attached to those undulating western valleys and rivers.
Distant peaks, bright sunset on the river
Summer rain, everything emerging green.

Riding downwind across open country highways
Cannot return to spend another night of leisure.
Tomorrow morning I will be under the governmental pavilions
White clouds remain in those secluded valleys.

Commentary:

This is a pivotal poem to the understanding of what it must have been like to be an ancient Chinese poet summoned to office.  There are enough details here to get a good feel for what thousands had to experience throughout the centuries.  Wei Yingu more than adequately expresses the feelings of ambivalence between enjoying the prestige and salary of a government official, his desire to experience the beauty of the natural world, and to have the leisure and state of mind to write about it all.

White clouds refer to the pursuit and appreciation of spiritual things.