Category: Chinese customs

Thinking of Li Bai at the End of the Sky
Du Fu
天末怀李白 凉风起天末
君子意如何
鸿雁几时到
江湖秋水多
文章憎命达
魑魅喜人过
应共冤魂语
投诗赠汨罗 tiān mò huái lǐ bái

Returning Late on the Road from Pingquan on a Winter's Day
Bai Juyi
Mountain road hard travel sun become slant
Mist village frost tree about to perch crow
Night return not arrive should be unimportant
Warm drink three cups reach be come The mountain road is hard to travel, the sun now slanting down,
In a misty village, a crow lands on a frosted tree.
I'll not arrive before night falls, but that should not concern me,
Once I've drunk three warm cups, I'll feel as if at home.

Taking Down a Trellis
Du Fu
除架 束薪已零落
瓠叶转萧疏
幸结白花了
宁辞青蔓除
秋虫声不去
暮雀意何如
寒事今牢落
人生亦有初 chú jià

Remembering South of the River
Bai Juyi
South river good
Landscape old once know well
Sunrise river flower red bear fire
Spring come river water green like lily
Can not remember river south South of the river is good,
Long ago, I knew the landscape well.
At sunrise, the river's flowers are red like fire,
In spring, the river's water's green as lilies.
How could I not remember south of the river?

Staying Overnight with Abbot Zan
(Abbot of Dayun Temple in the capital, exiled to this place)
Du Fu
宿赞公房
（京中大云寺主谪此安置）

Regret for Peony Flowers
Bai Juyi   Melancholy steps before red peonies
Evening come only be two branches remain
Bright morning wind start cope blow exhaust
Night regret decline red hold fire look I'm saddened by the peonies before the steps, so red,
As evening came I found that only two remained.
Once morning's winds have blown, they surely won't survive,
At night I gaze by lamplight, to cherish the fading red.

Reading Laozi
Bai Juyi
读老子 言者不如知者默
此语吾闻于老君
若道老君是知者
缘何自著五千文
dú lǎo zi

Written for Scholar Wei
Du Fu
赠卫八处士 人生不相见
动如参与商
今夕复何夕
共此灯烛光
少壮能几时
鬓发各已苍
访旧半为鬼
惊呼热中肠
焉知二十载
重上君子堂
昔别君未婚
儿女忽成行
怡然敬父执
问我来何方
问答乃未已
驱儿罗酒浆
夜雨翦春韭
新炊间黄粱
主称会面难
一举累十觞
十觞亦不醉
感子故意长
明日隔山岳
世事两茫茫 zèng wèi bā chǔ shì

Official at Stone Moat Village
Du Fu
石壕吏（陕县有石壕镇） 暮投石壕村
有吏夜捉人
老翁逾墙走
老妇出门看
吏呼一何怒
妇啼一何苦
听妇前致词
三男邺城戍
一男附书至
二男新战死
存者且偷生
死者长已矣
室中更无人
惟有乳下孙
有孙母未去
出入无完裙
老妪力虽衰
请从吏夜归
急应河阳役
犹得备晨炊
夜久语声绝
如闻泣幽咽
天明登前途
独与老翁别 shí háo lì（xiá xiàn yǒu shí háo zhèn）