孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

献襄阳于大夫

Presented to Xiangyang's Minister Yu


襄阳青山郭
汉江白铜堤
谢公领兹郡
山水无尘泥

Xiangyang is a blue hill's city
Along Han River's white-copper levee.
We thank you to receive this prefecture,
A landscape without taint.

铁马万霜雪
绛旗千虹霓
风漪参差泛
石板重叠跻

Armored cavalry for a myriad of adversities.
Purple banners like a thousand rainbows.
When wind beats the water into waves,
Stone flagstones, high-piled rise.

旧泪不复堕
新欢居然齐
还耕竟原野
归老相扶携

Old tears no longer fall.
New joys unexpectedly arise.
The plow returns to the wild grasslands and
The elderly retire hand in hand.

物色增暧暧
寒芳更萋萋
渊清有遐略
高躅无近蹊

The enemy gathers in the distance.
Its chill rankness masses like clouds.
Thorough purging requires forethought.
Noble conduct has no easy path.

即此富苍翠
自然引翔栖
曩游常抱忆
夙好今尚暌

Approaches here abundant fortune.
Yet naturally, the leader soars alone.
Of old, your kind were always cherished in thought
And likewise, we admire you from this distance.

愿言从逸辔
暇日凌清溪

Speak sincerely, free of all restraint
And you will rest beside clear mountain streams.

-- 孟郊


废话

This poem of Meng Jiao's is pretty clearly an official poem. Minister Yu has been appointed to Xiangyang, perhaps the same one as the present Xiangyang in Hubei. It is at this time a walled fortress-city on the border and apparently at war. I take this poem as a kind of imperial encouragement, put into words by Meng Jiao. The enemy here could well be a rebellious district general. The kingdom was divided into five districts, each with a military commander. And these were often at odds with the emperor. Meng Jiao also lived through the An Luchan rebellion. And that also could be the context of this poem. Yet the poem itself yields no clues to its context which I can find.


Index