Lu Yu: Floating On the East River As Far As the Lake

 

Floating On the East River As Far As the Lake

 

泛 湖 至 东 泾
春 水 六 七 里
夕 阳 三 四 家。
儿 童 牧 鹅 鸭
妇 女 治 桑 麻。
地 僻 衣 巾 古
年 丰 笑 语 哔。
老 夫 维 小 艇
半 醉 摘 藤 花。
Fan Hu Zhi Dong Jing

Chun shui liu qi li
Xi yang san si jia.
Er tong mu e ya
Fu nu zhi sang ma.

Di pi yi jin gu
Nian feng xiao you bi.
Lao fu wei xiao ting
Ban zui zhai teng hua.

 

Floating On the East River As Far As the Lake

Springtime river for two or three miles
At sunset, see three or four households.
Children tend to the geese and ducks
Women in charge of mulberry trees and making thread.

This secluded land with people still wearing the ancient styles of clothes and scarves
Annual harvests with plenty of laughs and smiles.
This old man has bound together his small skiffs
Half drunk I pick the flowers on their vines.

 

Notes:

Ancient styles of clothes: Perhaps a literary allusion to a famous poem by Tao Yuanming, Peach Blossom Water Source.  The poem and biographical information can also be found on this website.