CHAPTER I Musings and Inspirations 感悟篇
001 Sun，Moon，Man·Three Poems — to“Hillside Ram”（Shan po yang）
I．Red Sun
2003
O Sun，with white rays you break the night；
Emitting red light，the snow you melt
Until fog gives way and spring leaps into sight．
Splendor your portent；
Lush green your escort．
To fill vale and hill you send purple rays from the East[1]；
The most promising light you boundlessly disseminate．
Rising，
You are brilliant；
Setting，
You remain brilliant．
山坡羊·日月人三首
红日
2003年
拔白破夜，
吐红化雪，
云开雾散春晖泻。
煦相接，
绿相偕，
东来紫气盈川岳。
最是光明洒无界。
升，
也烨烨；
落，
也烨烨。
II．Bright Moon
1992
Star-spangled sky，silvery galaxy，
A pagoda reflected in a pond wavy．
Who painted the tiny bridge so dainty？
So chaste，without blemish；
So modest，without flash．
In priceless serenity，you wax and wane，
Shedding but placid light down heaven．
Coming，
You are carefree；
Going，
You remain carefree．
明月
1992年
星空银厦，
粼波倒塔，
小桥倩影谁描画？
皓无瑕，
素无华，
悄悄来去静无价。
只把清辉留天下。
来，
无牵挂；
去，
无牵挂。
III．Man in Himself[2]
1992
He who in his heart has the ocean
Sees no obstacle in his vision，
For he respires in universe，connects with heaven．
Coming with Spring，
Sending flowers blooming，
He's there to give hill and dale a touch finishing．
How can he always be himself within？
Fame，
To him is mundane；
Gain，
Too，is mundane．
自在人
1992年
胸中有海，
眼底无碍，
呼吸宇宙通天脉。
伴春来，
润花开，
只为山河添新彩。
试问安能常自在？
名，
也身外；
利，
也身外。
002 Sun-Watching — a five-character truncated quatrain
1980
To break day，Sun leaps o'er oceans；
Airborne，it nourishes the multitude
Ere turning to dip below the hills．[3]
Whilst man does a quantum stride．
五绝·观日
1980年
跃海破天明，
凌空沐物生。
转身山半落，
快马又一程。
003 Qiantang River Tides[4] — a seven-character truncated quatrain
September 1984
From sky's edge you in a single row come to roll，
Your rumbling rising to a deafening cavalry din，
Before surging into the sky with water to hurl．
Yank you to where you belong who ever can？
七绝·钱塘观潮
1984年9月
遥看天边一线来，
涛声渐奏万骑雷。
拔江立水排空过，
试问谁能掣浪回。
004 Morning Shadowboxing[5] — a five-character classical poem
1992
Posture commences[6] barely at sunrise；
Movement floats no birds to arouse．
Every measured step quiet and soft goes；
Longevity is rare I deem it otherwise．
Translated by Peng Lin
五古·晨练太极
1992年
起势天方晓，
行云未惊鸟。
韵步柔无声，
不信寿星少。
005 In Honor of a Friend — Patterned on Bai Juyi's“Everlasting Longing”（Chang xiang si）
March 1993
The Yellow River flows on，
The Yangtze River flows on，
Eastbound and beyond point of return．
Is liquor need'd to quench concern？
Long，long it takes when awaking，
Long，long it takes when dreaming．
Dreams vanish when mellowing．
Back to the stairway [7] you are as day is breaking．
长相思·赠友 步白居易原韵
1993年3月
黄河流，
长江流，
流向东方不掉头。
何须酒解愁。
醒悠悠，
梦悠悠，
梦到美时恐止休。
天明还步楼。
006 Ode to Diversiform-Leaved Poplar[8] — a seven-character truncated quatrain
July 1993
Root'd in a desert skies you boldly blot out，
With foliage on steely thousand-year bole．
For one millennium upon death you fall not；
Ne'er to decay for another when you do fall．
七绝·胡杨林赞
1993年7月
根扎大漠敢遮天，
铁骨苍枝岁过千。
死后千年仍挺立，
倒还不朽又千年。
007 Ode to Plum Blossom — Patterned on Lu You's“Divination Song”（Bu suan zi）
1998
By fallen petals you stand fair and sweet，
The unwitting apple of everyone's eye．
Having sent grief packing and let ice melt，
To nurture sprouts you rains inspire．
To heralding spring you are a devotee，
To the envy of eyes popping out．
Bathed in snow and wind to stay dust free，
You stay clean year in，year out．
卜算子·咏梅 步陆游原韵
1998年
俏立落花边，
无意偏得主。
才教冰融扫尽愁，
又唤催苗雨。
执著报新春，
哪管他花妒。
沐雪浴风不染尘，
岁岁洁如故。
008 Insomnia — a seven-character truncated quatrain
1998
I toss and turn aft suffering a stiff neck，
As bamboos keep rustling in my heart．[9]
If it helps the hard nut at hand crack，
For grey to touch my hair it matters not．
七绝·难眠
1998年
头虽落枕且翻身，
总有竹声绕在心。
但助难题得破解，
何妨晓镜又添银。
009 On Reading Jia Dao's Poem[10] — a seven-character truncated quatrain
December 1998
Ready is paper and Chinese ink，
Yet 'tis travail to render sheets not blank．
Swirl of three lines amidst four fortnights，
Ne'er pulled off a text whole from his guts．[11]
To split the hair word by word，
A wisp of his whisker he did rend．[12]
To perfect wealth he asserted his wit，
I dare say not much pity he left and felt．
Translated by Ren Xiaomei
七绝·读贾岛诗词有感
1998年12月
墨研纸展落毫难，
两月三行未句篇。
字字推敲须捻断，
少留遗憾在生前。
010 Night Gives Way to Day — a seven-character truncated quatrain
2000
Preordained in universe is everything；
Infinite are time and tide through the ages．
No length of rope can pull back sun setting；
Night always ends to hasten sunrise．
七绝·夜尽日圆
2000年
万象苍穹总有缘，
千般岁月本无边。
绳长难系斜阳落，
夜尽正催旭日圆。
011 Say No to Wishful Thinking — a seven-character truncated quatrain
2000
'Tis as futile to catch the moon in a pond，
As trying to pick a bouquet from a mirror．
The arrow ne'er returns once the bow's pulled；
No desert can be measur'd by flipping a finger．
七绝·戒妄
2000年
无奈池中空揽月，
可怜镜里枉摘花。
开弓徒挽回头箭，
屈指难量大漠沙。
012 Evils of the Day — a seven-character regulated poem
August 2005
Why not pass a ghost-written paper as one's own，
Like grabbing money with no sense of guilt？
In her pipe dream the fisherman's wife lives on；[13]
The emperor flaunts his unseen“new raiment．”[14]
He tells the public a lie，yet in his fashion he revels，
Unabash'd in a nakedness to which he is oblivious．
Impurities ne'er survive the sifting of high waves；
Awaiting he who goes his own way is deep abyss．
七律·时弊
2005年8月
代笔何妨顶桂冠，
图财哪管愧苍天。
渔婆美梦接着做，
皇帝新衣照旧穿。
作秀人嘲还窃喜，
吹牛自破不羞惭。
从来大浪淘沙尽，
一意孤行万丈渊。
013 Keep Off Fame and Gain — a five-character truncated quatrain
March 2001
Rank procured may go like floating clouds；
Vanity secured may drown with ebbing tides．
Apathy to vanity sets one's mind in repose；[15]
To truth I return with uncut jade[16] in arms．
Translated by Peng Lin
五绝·淡泊人生
2001年3月
显贵浮云去，
虚名逐浪沉。
淡泊心守静，
抱璞我归真。
014 Ode to Moral Integrity — a five-character truncated quatrain
September 2001
Plum flower，quashed，the balmiest remains；[17]
Cinnabar，ground，has its crimson hue unfad'd．[18]
Limestone，kilned，as white as snow becomes；[19]
Jade，broken，sees its purity uncompromis'd．[20]
五绝·气节赞
2001年9月
梅碾香犹在，
丹磨赤自存。
石焚洁似雪，
玉碎质还真。
015 My Study — a five-character truncated quatrain
December 2001
Refined room scented by ink splash'd，
In reading books serene mind rejoices．
Plain tea becoming to tunes age-old，
My clumsy brush novel idea moistens．
Translated by Ge Meng
五绝·书斋
2001年12月
室雅香泼墨，
心清趣读书。
粗茶和古韵，
拙笔润新符。
016 Anticipation — a five-character truncated quatrain
2002
Hoeing being over，autumn harvest next comes；
Once a channel's dug，water is expected to stream．
When a lady conceives，'tis labor she imagines，
Like one who aches for a boat to anchor home．
五绝·企盼
2002年
锄罢盼秋收，
渠成待水流。
怀胎足满月，
翘首望归舟。
017 Practicing Calligraphy — a classical poem
September 2002
Once a piece of calligraphy is conceiv'd，
'Tis time in a brush momentum to build．
Dots and hues embellished with facility，
As the wrist moves up and down freely．
In brimful verve strokes twist and turn，
Go off and on with untrammel'd abandon．
Big and small are in picturesque disorder；
Long and short alternate 'tween each other．
Thick and thin weigh'd in balance，
Spacing handl'd with care judicious．
Intangibles and tangibles complement；
Setting off mutually are black and white．
Lines look at once broken and link'd；
Beginnings are in endings echo'd．
Unrestrained is style，strict are rules；
Hard practice in virtuosity culminates．
Translated by Ge Meng
古风·学书
2002年9月
谋篇在胸，
蓄势贯笔。
点化裕如，
提按惬意。
折转酣畅，
往收俊逸。
大小错落，
长短交替。
粗细适宜，
疏密得体。
虚实相生，
黑白互济。
断连呼应，
首尾一气。
法而不拘，
功到自器。
018 On Reading“Tao Te Ching[21]”— a seven-character truncated quatrain
March 2003
Beyond human will autumn and spring shift；
Leaves wither，twigs sprout，'tis predestin'd，
Through non-action[22] man finds his true self[23]；
In judicious deportment rests peace of mind[24]．
Translated by Ge Meng
七绝·读《道德经》
2003年3月
春来秋往非人力，
叶老枝新本必然。
似是无为真自在，
难得有度果安恬。
019 Thoughts on Learning Poetry — a five-character regulated quatrain
June 2003
As limpid water can encompass the moon，
A soft brush can rein in a dragon．
When from its tip flow feelings genuine，
Will awe-inspiring qi[25] not brim within？
Translated by Ren Xiaomei
五绝·学诗
2003年6月
水淡能收月，
毫柔也纵龙。
真情流笔下，
大气溢胸中。
020 Reading into Midnight — a five-character truncated quatrain
August 2003
I desire nocturnal quiet when reading；
For peace of mind I drill in cursive script．
In spite of myself I burst into chuckling，
Only to hear my wife ask what time is it．
五绝·夜读
2003年8月
读书贪夜静，
习草养心清。
不禁失声笑，
妻曰已几更。
021 Tangible Things I·Six Poems — in five-character truncated verse
November 2003
I．Towering Mountain
Motionless on earth，you pierce skies；
To a sweeping landscape your crest opens．
Rock-firm you are as you brave gales，
Gathering rains that wash down streams．
五绝·咏物六首
2003年11月
崇山
坐地擎天立，
凌空放眼收。
迎风磐不动，
纳雨水争流。
II．Limpid Stream[26]
You go away in abundance to join skies，
Only in streams of thawing snow to return．
Shapeless，you take after your containers；[27]
Flower after flower you feed and moisten．
澈水
坦荡连天去，
清流化雪来。
柔随千器异，
润入万花开。
III．Raindrops
You wash lands green and comb willows soft，
And rouge and moisten so many visages．
Where you land you make quick work of dust，
Filling human world with air that refreshes．
沐雨
洗绿轻梳柳，
滴红细润颜。
尘埃一扫尽，
清气满人间。
IV．Auspicious Snow
You dress up a thousand hills like a jaded coat；
Ten thousand li is cleans'd 'mid flakes swirling．
When melting，you disappear traceless from sight，
Before gathering yourself to nourish spring．
瑞雪
玉落千峰素，
花飞万里澄。
无痕融水去，
尽在蕴春生。
V．High Wind[28]
You caress flowers and awaken the land；
Fresh aroma you send and sway shadows．
Redundant boughs in your way are prun'd，
As you whip up sand to steel man's bones．
长风
拂花甦大地，
摇影送清馨。
剪过繁枝落，
沙飞傲骨生。
VI．Gritty Grass
Without a fuss you far and wide grow，
And thrive in the crevices of high cliffs．
With roots defying death under snow，
You green the world when spring comes．
劲草
遍野无声长，
悬崖有隙生。
雪压根不死，
春到绿乾坤。
022 Tangible Things II·Six Poems — in five-character truncated verse
December 2004
I．Winter Plum Flower
When snow falls she looks sweeter，
Her scent wafting 'mid flakes swirling．
It matters not in this duo who is better，
Dancing a duet to bring back spring．
五绝·咏物又六首
2004年12月
冬梅
雪漫催花俏，
花香伴雪飞。
何须争上下，
共舞唤春归。
II．Spring Orchid
Being wont to inhabit a vale sequestered，
Who mov'd her to town she knows not．
In her refusal to wallow in the west wind[29]，
Untarnish'd is her scent and delicate．
春兰
原本居幽谷，
谁移闹市中。
依然香淡雅，
不肯共西风。
III．Summer Lotus
In her statuesque form she stands unsoil'd，
Displaying twin flowers in sheer innocence．
Her root does snap，her fibers keep it join'd；
Delicate and spellbinding is her fragrance．
夏荷
婷婷不染身，
并蒂俩天真。
藕断丝难断，
淡香也醉人。
IV．Autumn Chrysanthemum
As a hundred flowers vie for spring's favor，
She blooms belated，alone，by East Fence[30]．
When frostbitten，she becomes daintier；
The later she is，the sweeter her redolence．
秋菊
百卉春争艳，
东篱独后开。
凌霜花更放，
别有晚香来。
V．Emerald Pine
On a cliff the pine stoic and curvy soars，
High its branches，low the sun drops．
With clouds drifting in jumbles，
Even greener it looks when frost strikes．
青松
壁峭苍虬劲，
枝高落日低。
乱云从眼过，
犹绿见霜期。
VI．Sylphlike Bamboo
Pointing to the sky she from soil comes；
When jointing[31]，she grows an inch a time．
Disdaining vanity，dress up she ne'er does，
And would rather break than succumb．
修竹
破土指云霄，
一节一步高。
从来无媚饰，
宁断不弯腰。
023 Tangible Things·Four Poems — in five-character truncated verse
February 2009
I．Raindrops
Florid pearls dance in a swirl；
Only in wind do they vanish．
Quietly they trickle into soil
To moisturize the land afresh．
五绝·咏物四首
2009年2月
雨点
点点跳花珠，
风来扫却无。
悄然滴入土，
润野故如初。
II．Thunder
A thick pall of clouds closes in，
Hiding Sun behind blinding haze．
Thunder God comes roaring in，
To bring infinite blue back to eyes．
雷公
压城云不开，
蔽日起阴霾。
自有天公吼，
长空入目来。
III．Leaves Frostbitten
When the early frost arrived，
Few sprigs were rouged faintly．
By the time all hills turn red，
'Tis not too late to smile heartily．
霜叶
初寒打叶时，
浅晕两三枝。
及看千山赤，
开颜笑未迟。
IV．Snowflakes
Like uncolored flowers in the sky flying，
They with layered gauze cover the land．
Cleansing the air of particles floating，
Freshness to home after home they send．
雪花
飞天一色花，
落地几层纱。
尽滤浮尘去，
清新入万家。
024 Reflections·Four Poems — in seven-character truncated verse
April 2009
I．Man Written in Capitals
Sleeves unsoil'd，he is free from dust．
Cloaked in lunar light，away he toils．
Using blue sky as paper，dipping a mount
In river and lake，he writes“MAN”in capitals．
七绝·感悟四首
2009年4月
大写人
两袖清风不染尘，
一衣明月尽耕耘。
蓝天作纸山为笔，
饱蘸江湖大写人。
II．Mountain Woods
Rain or shine，clouds curl or uncurl；
Against rain and wind woods cling to root．
With leaves frostbitten in frigid fall，
In full effulgence they wear their fiery best．
映山林
云舒云卷任晴阴，
斜雨横风咬定根。
又是秋寒霜打叶，
依然红火映山林。
III．A Particle of Dust
Be it praise，blame，gain，or loss，I'd stay composed．
Rights，wrongs，merits，demerits are judg'd by others．
Returning to soil，I look up at the sky unregrett'd．
After all，but a particle of dust I am in the Cosmos．
一介尘
毁誉得失自定神，
是非功过在人心。
仰天无愧安归土，
原本星空一介尘。
IV．Barely a Pause
Eastward the mammoth river tumbles，
Rippling and foaming without letup．
To draw notice it ebbs and flows，
Coming and going with barely a stop．
几曾留
大江滚滚向东流，
浪沫嘈嘈总不休。
时起时伏争耀眼，
匆来匆去几曾留。
025 The Peony — a seven-character regulated poem
July 2009
Competition and contention you never know；
Amid escorting green quietly you grow．
Queen of the land with charms a thousand，
All blossoms you lead in poses a myriad．
Favored erstwhile in mansions on high，
Your divine aroma sweeps far and nigh．
A latecomer in springtime rails，be you may，
The same coronals on you never sway．
Translated by Peng Lin
七律·牡丹
2009年7月
从来不与众花争，
绿叶相扶默默生。
广纳千娇成国色，
兼收万态冠群英。
曾居华贵高堂客，
早泛天香百姓朋。
纵使春阑才吐艳，
依然无愧状元名。
026 Reader's Ruminations·Ten Poems — in seven-character truncated verse
January 2007
I．Books
To the three realms[32] high-piled books lead，
Like beacons for the journey of our lives．
Or akin to soothing rain and vernal wind，
All books are lifelong friends and teachers．
七绝·读书者言十首
2007年1月
其一 书籍
书山顶上三重境，
生命途中一盏灯。
润雨春风何惬意，
良师益友伴终生。
II．A Book Flipped Open
The door opens to a yard with a riot of flowers；
Weed and broken twigs can't hide their splendor．
Heady is their scent wafted by nectar collectors；
Rotten or in ashes，they all make fine fertilizer．
其二 开卷
推门满院尽芳菲，
莠草残枝未掩辉。
采蜜溢香常醉客，
成灰腐朽可当肥。
III．Good Books
Good books are worth reading for the hundredth time；[33]
From reading and rereading my muse refreshes．
With eyes feasted by this family heirloom，
Gratifying are plain tea and humble rooms．
其三 好书
好书不厌百回读，
常品常新味道殊。
但有家珍能饱眼，
粗茶陋室也心足。
IV．Intensive Reading
Mellow wine is brew'd with cumulat'd effort；
Once sipped，its fragrance lingers around．
Much meditation is need'd to get to its root；
Only from enlightenment can truth be found．
其四 精读
美酒从来厚酿成，
齿香细品味无穷。
溯源析缕须自悟，
功到悠然一点通。
V．Extensive Reading
Books，too，are made for speedy browse，
That opens horizons in ways cumulative．
Let their numbers be imbedd'd in brains，
So need'd books you can readily retrieve．
其五 泛读
一目十行随意翻，
日积月累眼天宽。
门牌号码心中记，
待到需时信手拈。
VI．Tireless Reader
On pillow，in bathroom，during triple spare time[34]，
What a delight it is，the sea of books to roam！
Reading under a lamp I find the eve fleeting，
And mumble to fetch books when dreaming．
其六 勤学
枕边厕上三余后，
翰海神游好快哉。
灯下贪吟嫌夜短，
梦中呓唤取书来。
VII．Curious Learner
Take with a grain of salt what certain seems，[35]
For truth emerges only with dogg'd hunting．
In a cycle an old doubt goes，a new one comes．
Reciprocat'd are learning and questioning．
其七 好问
似无疑处敢存疑，
细辨求真韧不移。
惑解惑生无止境，
学焉问也本相依。
VIII．Buying Books
'Tis hard to walk through a book fair thronged；
There are too many books shelv'd for one to count．
'Tis as pleasing to pan for nuggets buried in sand
As to buy a book at a deduction of seventy percent．
其八 购书
熙熙书市难移步，
满架琳琅目不暇。
沙里淘金人自乐，
七折八扣捧回家。
IX．Chosen Books Ditched
Sandwiched 'tween stacks，by book-walls besieged，
I find it hard for eyes from shelf to shelf to roam．
Through much sifting seven，eight books are garnered
— Only to have the basket emptied one more time．
其九 裁书
环壁中央处处堆，
忍心无奈下架谁。
左筛右选七八册，
放入筐中又取回。
X．Using Books
The dearth of learning is keenly felt when it is used；[36]
We regret having a book too many with shelves pack'd．
Let study mesh with practice — a book with no word；[37]
For rules of conduct，turn to sage thinkers we should．
其十 用书
书到用时方恨少，
高阁束置却嫌多。
践学相长读无字，
处事为人仰圣哲。
027 Poetry Society Turns Twenty[38] — a seven-character regulated poem
May 12，2007
Flags fly in soughing wind as flows by time；
Verse of yore is as popular as today's poetry．
Out of the heart emotion gushes in a stream，
As exquisite scenes are sketch'd in ingenuity．
Word is refined to shun ornateness without trace；
Delightful is creativity with naturalness and taste．
In singing the heyday and refuting the evils
Of the day，to go up a notch poets anticipate．
七律·贺中华诗词学会成立二十周年
2007年5月12日
漫卷吟旗岁月稠，
今声古韵共风流。
情由心曲清泉涌，
境赖眼独画笔收。
炼字无痕雕饰去，
求新有味自然留。
引吭盛世砭时弊，
翘首诗坛更上楼。
028 Calligraphy Makes Heritage List[39] — a seven-character regulated poem
December 2009
Ink has flooded the inkslab for thousands of years；
Neath the wrist dragons writhe on the divine land．
The real and unreal work dazzling wonders；
Miraculous dots and lines shift with no end．
Strokes at will imitate drifty clouds or a pitching sword；
A literary legacy is left as Dipper and Galaxy switch[40]．
The Sage of Calligraphy，if around，would be consoled
Inquiring when he'd see the art go up a notch．
七律·贺中国书法申遗成功
2009年12月
砚池墨浪涌千秋，
腕底腾龙盘九州。
妙在虚实生万象，
奇出点画变无休。
云游剑舞随心起，
斗转星移信手留。
书圣有灵应庆慰，
殷询何日更高楼。
029 To Know More of Man — a five-character linked regulated poem
November 25，2006，Islamabad
What a wondrous world！
In my eye man is matchless．
His body has at least two trillion cells and
Twenty-three pairs of chromosomes．
They are with god's hand kept orderly，
By no one knows who linked seamless．
The groupings，when changed slightly，
Make gender and character differences．
Channels and collaterals may baffle；
The flow of thoughts ne'er up dries．
Computers may have facility colossal，
'Tis human brains that foresee things．
'Tween bone and muscle is divid'd labor；
In sync act the four limbs．
Man，to know himself better，
Can only turn to science for answers．[41]
五言排律·自知人尚浅
2006年11月25日于巴基斯坦伊斯兰堡
世界真奇妙，
斯人叹更绝。
细胞核万亿，
染色体廿些。
有序神排列，
无间谁续接。
组合稍变化，
性态显区别。
经络寻难见，
思维涌不竭。
微机虽海量，
大脑总先觉。
骨肉分工巧，
手足合作谐。
自知人尚浅，
天问考科学。
030 To Poetry Society's Third Congress — a seven-character truncated quatrain
May 2011
Once again lands turn green in the vernal wind；
Tang pines and Song cypresses put on new twigs．
Why can they with lush foliages sky-high stand？
Only because of fertile soil and their deep stems．
七绝·写在中华诗词学会三大召开之际
2011年5月
又是春风染绿时，
唐松宋柏吐新枝。
缘何叶茂参天立，
赖有根深沃土滋。
031 Pining for the East[42] — a classical poem patterned on Li Bai's“Difficult Is the Road to Sichuan”
August 1968
Yi-yu-xu，
So great，so magnificent！
Far，far away，
Red is the sun in the east！
Striking the waters for two winters
Fills my heart with myriad feelings．
Sweet，sour，bitter，hot — I've tast'd all it，
Wind，tide，ice，frost — it puts my gut to test．
Big waves can't keep fish from jumping o'er them；
However wind shrieks，falcons hover all the same．
Snowy，frostbitten or icy may be the days；
Greener are pines，and fierier the plums．
Birds may wing a thousand times，high they are flying．
Rivers twist and turn nine times，but keep east flowing．
No matter how high Mount Tai rises，
As usual they rush past myriad gullies．
How perilous are their eddying waves！
From antiquity heroes are born of woes．
Wing'd steeds can't be bred in a peristyle，
Nor can the pine survive a flower's bowl．
From practice stems knowledge authentic；
Before borrowing east wind[43] let's cut empty talk．
Nothing can be accomplished without masses；
Trust on workers and farmers brings success．
No clout lasts over three generations，[44]
How loud the alarm bell booms！
Far，far away，
Red is the sun in the east！
Wave upon wave，the drive for Harmony advances．
As a link in this ten-thousand-li relay race，
To share the weighty load I deem it glorious．
To be behead'd our forefathers not feared；
In equal poise we latecomers step forward．
Of all the things said and done，
For national governance what is overriding？
Those who win public trust win the throne．
From the first step begins e'erything；
Uppermost is populace on the mind．
Short as life is，
Our cause no end knows．
For China to rejuvenate，
This must be borne in heart．
Let's all o'er the world make friends，
For this globe to everybody belongs．
May the blood in my veins
Be a rainbow up heavens．
Far，far away，
Red is the sun in the east，
Rising in full glory scarlet．
古风·望东方 仿李白《蜀道难》句式
1968年8月
噫吁嘘，
伟乎壮哉！
远望东方，
东方太阳红！
击水才两冬，
感慨已无穷。
甜酸苦辣尝百味，
风浪冰霜试身功。
浪大难拦鱼穿水，
风狂何碍鹰击空。
雪压霜打冰封日，
然后苍松愈青梅更红。
雄翅千翕千展仍高翔，
大江九曲九注复向东。
泰山之高尚不能挡，
奔流已过壑千重。
惊涛何汹汹！
自古磨难铸英雄。
庭院难养千里马，
花盆岂栽万年松。
得来真知由实践，
扫去空谈借东风。
事就无不靠群众，
业成惟有投工农。
三世而斩犹可训，
警钟隆！
远望东方，
东方太阳红，
前赴后继求大同。
征长万里我接力，
担重千斤自为荣。
先驱断头无所惧，
后辈献身亦从容。
说千也道万，
千古治国大计何为第一宗？
得人心者得天下，
道循脚底，
民立心中。
生命虽有限，
事业永无终。
兴我中华，
惟此为重；
结友全球，
天下为公。
愿将满腔血，
飞天化长虹。
远望东方，
东方太阳红，
冉冉升起正彤彤。
032 A Test of Will[45] — to“Moon over the West River”（Xi jiang yue）
June 1970
No road leads to mountaintop straight；
Common are torrents on long voyages．
Billowing，big waves let up not，
Smiling，men grapple with woes．
If you know when to retreat，sky'll be the limit；[46]
To the selfless and brave freedom belongs．
Let's look thunder and lightning in the eye straight，
Like the petrel as usual taking to the skies．[47]
西江月·考验
1970年6月
攀岳本无直路，
远航常遇激流。
不平万浪岂甘休，
笑对磨难奋斗。
能进能退天阔，
无私无畏自由。
雷鸣电闪不低头，
海燕翱翔依旧。
033 Lunar Halo Bodes Wind[48] — a seven-character regulated poem patterned after Bai Juyi's“Statements，”second piece[49]
1972
Who says there is no way to crack doubts？
Without divination lunar halo wind bodes．
Soap bubbles may be an eyeful but thriftless；
Owl scheming on the yoke[50] nowhere goes．
When all is tranquil villains make troubles；
A toad may have its day if blindfold one is．
Insects lying stiff are not real lifeless，
Mount Lushan won't be true till sunrise．
七律·月晕当风 步白居易放言五首之二原韵
1972年
谁言无法解狐疑，
月晕当风岂用蓍。
皂泡浮光徒目满，
鸱枭鸣轭枉心期。
小人逞勇风平日，
奸佞逢迎目掩时。
应信僵虫身未死，
庐山日出面真知。
034 Voyage to a Remote Clime[51] — to“Spring in a Qin Garden”（Qin yuan chun）
July 1，1977
Long，long is human life like a boat
On a prolonged voyage that the ocean cleaves．
How can ambition come into fruition？
Look at dwellings gleaming like firebugs，
Lit up by the Big Dipper they are．[52]
Well-inform'd classics[53] of great masters'
Guide us to stand high and view far．[54]
The Way[55] to its inexorable laws sticks，
But methodology is rich and varied．[56]
Truth is sought by fusing learning and practice．
With the standard[57] in hand，
To clasp the moon and seize the turtles，[58]
Who's to take the lead？
The masses are all along history makers
Like water that can carry or capsize a boat．[59]
Can the myriad glamorous flowers
In green leaves' absence luxuriate？
Ere all rivers empty into the sea，
Are trickling rivulets a non-factor？
With folks uppermost upon our mind，
Burdened and worried we are not．
Freedom belongs but to the open-hearted．
To tread rough roads，
And head for sublimity，
We'd ne'er call it quits．
沁园春·远航
1977年7月1日
漫漫人生，
破浪远航，
壮志怎酬？
看萤囊小舍，
亮由北斗；
大家宏论，
远上层楼。
道有常则，
法无定术，
相长知行真谛求。
执金杖，
待捉鳖揽月，
谁站排头？
从来民铸春秋，
信水可载舟亦覆舟。
问万花集锦，
可离黛绿？
百川归海，
能少涓流？
心有苍生，
身无挂累，
坦荡胸怀总自由。
踏崎岖，
奔壮观胜景，
永不言休。
035 Unbosoming Myself at Sixty-Five — a seven-character regulated poem
June 29，2011
I feel my prime gone suddenly as gallops my steed；
Yet with my rein tightened I keep spurring it on．
Farmers hate to see sunset when tilling the land；
While reading 'tis good to see the moon skyborne．
Gems from knowledge's sea I delightfully garner；
Feasting my eyes on hill and pass I'm contented．
Hoofbeat keeps fading away，yet on ears they linger；
Crouching on my saddle，another stride I've made．
七律·六五述怀
2011年6月29日
跃马忽觉过壮年，
未曾松套自加鞭。
耘田只恐阳斜落，
把卷欣逢月正悬。
翰海拾珠生惬意，
关山览胜见悠然。
蹄声渐远难绝耳，
信是伏身又向前。
036 A Maxim in Eighty-One Words[60] — a three-character poem
June 29，2001
[Methinks that one should —]
Deem people[61] fundamental，
The state pivotal，
The public vital．
Know how the wind blows，
Uphold cardinal principles，[62]
Stand high and be farsighted．
Tell right from wrong，
Be reasonable and understanding，
Know the square and compass．[63]
Seek the truth，
Be down-to-earth，
Not mince one's words．
Temper toughness with gentleness，[64]
Learn well what to take and give，
Stay thoughtful and attentive．
Delight in hearing the Way，
Mend one's errors readily，
Act on the good and honest．
Be strict with oneself，
And lenient to others；
Be widely acquainted with the virtuous．
Stay aloof from fame and gain，
Make light of honors and riches，
Be honest and incorruptible．
[All in all —]
Observe the Way of Heaven，
Cater to public opinion，
To Nature one doth return．
Translated by Ren Xiaomei
三言诗·九九箴言
2001年6月29日
民为本，
国为重，
公为先。
识时势，
举大体，
居高瞻。
明是非，
通情理，
懂方圆。
求真情，
办实事，
敢直言。
兼刚柔，
能取舍，
贵周全。
闻道喜，
知过改，
见善迁。
严律己，
宽待人，
广结贤。
淡名利，
轻富贵，
守清廉。
＊ ＊
循天道，
顺民意，
归自然。
————————————————————
[1] The“purple rays from the East”are deemed an auspicious sign．When such rays enter your house through an eastern balcony at sunrise，your entire home will be brightened，and every member in your family will feel toasty right away．
[2] The German philosopher Immanuel Kant's notion of“thing-in-itself”stands for any transcendental object that is a product of the human understanding．“Man in himself，”of course，falls into that category．
[3] This line shows how time flies．The sun rises over the sea in the morning and sheds its light everywhere，but in what seems a mere twinkling，it dips below mountains at dusk．
[4] The Qiantang River in Zhejiang province leads all rivers in coastal China with its awesome tidal waves．After attending the First National Symposium of Middle-Aged and Young Executives on Economic Restructuring in September 1984，I went to that river to watch its tides，which reminded me that the reform unfolding in this country was as irresistible as the surging Qiantang tides．
[5] During my student days at the Party School of the Party Central Committee in 1992，I was in the habit of shadowboxing with a taijiquan master every morning．
[6] The simplified shadowboxing has 24 postures，“commencing posture”being the first one．
[7] The stairway by which one travels between dream and reality．When you sober up from a dream，you will go back to face reality and assert yourself in your life and work．
[8] During a stop at the Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim River Basin，Xinjiang，I saw for the first time in my life thick clusters of diversiform-leaved poplar trees．An old Uygur man told me，“The diversiform-leaved poplar lives for a thousand years，remains standing a thousand years after its death，and refuses to rot a thousand years after it falls to the ground．”
[9] Qing-dynasty painter and poet Zheng Banqiao（1693-1765），“Presenting a Bamboo Painting Done in Weixian County Yamen to Uncle Bao Kuo，Governor of Shandong”：“Lying in a yamen study I listen to bamboo soughing，/Surmising 'tis people out there in agony moaning．/Officials in Caozhou as low as a magistrate like me，/Always worry about such trivia as a single twig or leaf．”
[10] The celebrated Buddhist-poet of the Tang dynasty Jia Dao（779-843）was contemplating two lines of verse as he rode a donkey on his way to Chang'an for the imperial examination：“While birds nest in lakeside trees；/A monk knocks on a moonlit door．”He wondered if he could change“knocks”to“pushes”when he ran absent-mindedly into the procession of Governor Han Yu（768-824）of the Metropolitan District．When Jia was brought to Han，he told about his bewilderment about the wording．Instead of giving the poet a good talking-to，Han，who himself was a prominent poet of his time，pondered for what seemed an eternity on his mount．Then he urged Jia to keep the word“knocks”in his poem．This anecdote gave rise to the Chinese phrase“push and knock，”meaning to“carefully hammer out the rhetoric in a sentence．”
[11] The feeling that writing can sometimes be hard labor could also be felt in Jia Dao's poem“After Finishing a Poem”：“Hoorah，two lines at last！It's been three years．/Reciting them，I let fall tears．/If for you，my dear reader，they still do not ring true，/I'll retreat to my hometown hills．”
[12] The talented poet Lu Yanrang（c.902）of the Tang dynasty also wrote：“So hard a task to choose a certain word when writing，/I cannot help pulling off a strand of hair on my chin．”
[13] According to Alexander Pushkin's narrative poem“The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish，”when a poor old fisherman catches a small golden fish in his net，the fish promises to meet the man's every desire if he agrees to spare its life．All the demands of the fisherman's wife are thus met，but when she asks further to be made“Queen of the Sea，”the fish puts her back in poverty．
[14] swindlers strip their emperor of his clothes and mime dress him in a suit of invisible“new clothes，”an“honor”they say only someone in his position deserves．The emperor is so hungry for vanity that he parades himself stark naked in the street．A child in the crowd tells the emperor he is wearing nothing at all，but the emperor holds himself up proudly and goes on with his exhibitionist display．
[15] An indirect quotation from Zhuge Liang's（181-234）“Admonitions to My Son”：“You won't be certain of your aspiration without keeping vanity away；you won't achieve grand goals without anchoring your heart in a quiet bay．”
[16] An indirect quotation from Intrigues of Warring States·Strategies of Qi：“Return to nature and the simplicity of uncut jade，and you won't feel disgraced all your life．”In Chinese literature，to“return to truth”is to return to nature and be one's natural self；“uncut jade”symbolizes man's unadorned，genuine nature．
[17] The Southern Song-dynasty poet Lu You（1125-1210），“Ode to Plum Blossom”：“She may fall in mud and be ground to dust，/Yet as fragrant as ever her scent remains．”
[18] Lü's Commentary：“Stone may be broken，but cannot be robbed of its hardness；cinnabar may be ground to smithereens，but can never be robbed of its red color．”
[19] The famed Ming-dynasty minister Yu Qian（1398-1457），“Ode to Limestone”：“Hammered and chiseled out of remote hills，/You hold lightly the burning fire．/Fearlessly you let yourself be smashed to pieces，/So long as your purity is left behind．”
[20] Book of Northern Qi·Biography of Yuan Jing'an：“Rather be a piece of broken jade than a whole tile”— better to die in dignity than live in disgrace．
[21] A pivotal classic of the philosophic Taoism，Tao Te Ching（otherwise known as Laozi）is attributed to Li Er（571-471 BC），a celebrated thinker of the Spring and Autumn period．Its text of 5，000 words falls into two sections，“Tao”（The Way），and“Te”（Virtue）．
[22] Tao Te Ching：“Tao never does；yet through it all things are done．”By Tao's“non-action”is not meant to do nothing．Rather，it urges us to follow objective laws and never go against them，and to follow the will of nature rather than impose our will on it．
[23] For a man to find himself is to be a“man in himself．”
[24] Meaning to stay carefree and to ward off fame and gain．
[25] That is，the immortal noble spirit in Chinese ontology．
[26] In old days“limpid stream”was a complimentary metaphor of literati-officials who wanted nothing to do with bigwigs．Annals of Three Kingdoms·Annals of Wei·Commentaries on Chen Qun and Others：“Chen Qun（？-236）in his action upheld personal reputation and righteousness；for this he earned the elegant appellation 'limpid stream．'”
[27] Tao Te Ching：“Nothing under heaven is softer or more yielding than water，but when it attacks things hard and resistant there is not one of them that can prevail．”
[28] The four lines in this quatrain depict the wind in spring，summer，autumn and winter respectively．
[29] In this poem's context，to wallow in the west wind is to play with the gallery，a typical Chinese interpretation which flies in the face of the Western concept of the term．According to Percy Shelley（1792-1822）in his“Ode to the West Wind，”the west wind is a living entity or spirit that drives the world．This Western view echoes the Chinese perspective of the“east wind．”
[30] Tao Yuanming（See Footnote 2，p.267），“Drinking Wine”：“Picking chrysanthemums under the East Fence，/One pensively views the southern mountains．”Because of this poem，“East Fence”has since become a byname for“chrysanthemum nursery．”
[31] At the jointing stage of the bamboo's growth，internodal tissues in a shoot begin to develop into a stalk；after this stage，the stalk puts out branches and continues to elongate．
[32] That is，the realms of the true，the good and the beautiful．
[33] The Song-dynasty poet Su Shi（1037-1101），“To An Dun after He Failed the Imperial Examination”：“A book stands reading and rereading a hundred times，/You can master it if you read repeatedly and think deeply．”
[34] Records of the Three Kingdoms·Book of Wei·Biography of Wang Su：“By 'triple spare time，' it denotes winter，which is the spare time of a year；night，the spare time of a day；and when it rains，the spare time of the hour．”
[35] The Northern Song-dynasty philosopher Zhang Zai（1020-1077），Library of Classics and Rationales·Reason and Justice：“In reading，the first thing to do is to doubt．Only by doubting what seems to be doubtless can progress be made．”Another Northern Song philosopher，Lu Jiuyuan（1139-1193），said in his Quotations：“What is dreadful in learning is that you don't have any doubts；only when you have doubts in mind can you make progress．”
[36] The renowned late Qing-dynasty lyrical poet Du Wenlan（1815-1881），Ancient Ballads and Proverbs：“Only when book learning is applied will you regret having read so little；only by experiencing something can you understand how difficult things can be．”
[37] Premier Zhou Enlai（1898-1976）：“Work with those who are sincere and open-hearted；start from reading sentences with no words．”The Ming-dynasty hermit Hong Yingming（1560-1615），Zen of Vegetable Roots（translated by Lee Siu-Leung）：“People know how to read a book with words but not a book without words．People know how to play a stringed instrument，but not one without strings．If you only know how to recognize something practical and nothing spiritual，how can you appreciate the wonders of music and books？”
[38] Founded on May 31，1987 in Beijing，the Chinese Poetry Society is a nongovern-mental organization dedicated to promoting the creative writing of classical verse and ci — lyrical poems set to strict tonal patterns and rhyme schemes，each with a fixed number of lines of prescribed lengths．
