Mountain Tour – Du Mu
Far up the cold mountain a path of stone is slanting.
Even here among white clouds the homes of men are growing.
I stop my cart to rest awhile, the maple woods admiring,
The frosted red leaves like spring flowers blossoming
山行 Shan1 Xing2
远上寒山石径斜 Yuan1 shang4 han2 shan1 shi2 jing4 xie2
白云生处有人家 Bai2 yun2 sheng1 chu4 you3 ren2 jia
停车坐爱枫林晚 Ting2 che1 zuo4 ai4 feng1 lin2 wan3
霜叶红于二月花 Shuang1 ye4 hong2 yu2 er4 yue4 hua1
白云生处有人家 Bai2 yun2 sheng1 chu4 you3 ren2 jia
停车坐爱枫林晚 Ting2 che1 zuo4 ai4 feng1 lin2 wan3
霜叶红于二月花 Shuang1 ye4 hong2 yu2 er4 yue4 hua1
Mountain Tour
Far up cold mountain stone path slanting
White cloud exist place has men’s homes
Stop cart sit love maple forest evening
Frost leaf red in February flowers.
Note: There must be dozens of Chinese paintings showing the mountains, the clouds, the slanted path, the village clinging to the side of the mountain, the maple trees. I chose from my own photos, taken in Nepal and in Japan.
“er yue” translates to “February”, but since at the time Du Mu wrote he used the lunar calendar, the modern time would be early March, when the first flowers poke up through the snow and sludge.
Chinese Puzzle Box 