Top 10 Most Beautiful Poems by the Poet Wang Wei

Farewell (Drinking with the Gentlemen)
Getting off the horse, I raise a cup to bid my friend goodbye,
Asking where he is heading,
He replies that he is unsatisfied,
And will return to sleep by the slopes of Zhongnan Mountain.
So I let him go, without another word,
Watching the white clouds drift endlessly into the sky.

Meaning
Alighting from my horse, I offer a drink to see my friend off.
I ask where he's going,
And he says he's not content with his journey,
Preferring to rest in the peaceful solitude of Zhongnan Mountain.
So, I let him go without further questions,
As the endless white clouds stretch beyond sight.

This poem was written when Wang Wei sent the poet Meng Haoran on his journey to live a secluded life in Zhongnan Mountain.

September 9th, Remembering My Brothers in Shandong
Alone in a foreign land, I am a stranger here,
Every festive season makes me long for my family even more.
From this distant place, I know my brothers have ascended to high places,
Yet I remain alone, a solitary traveler with no companions.

Translation
In a faraway land, I stand as a stranger,
On every special day, my thoughts turn more to those I love.
Though I know my brothers have climbed to greater heights,
I am left here alone, without the presence of any one of them.

(Written in the year 717)

Vị Thành khúc - Tống Nguyên nhị sứ An Tây
Vị Thành triêu vũ ấp khinh trần,
Khách xá thanh thanh liễu sắc tân.
Khuyến quân cánh tận nhất bôi tửu,
Tây xuất Dương Quan vô cố nhân.

Dịch nghĩa:
Tại Vị Thành, mưa ban sáng làm ướt đám bụi mỏng
Quán khách có liễu màu sắc mới mẻ xanh tươi
Xin anh hãy uống cạn chén rượu
Ra khỏi Dương Quan về phía tây e không còn có bạn nữa

Vị Thành nay ở phía tây bắc An Huy, tỉnh Thiểm Tây, xưa là thành Hàm Dương của nước Tần.

Waiting for Zhiguang Xi to Arrive
In the morning, the deep gates have opened,
I rise and sit, listening for the sound of the carriage.
I think I hear the sharp ring of a jade pendant,
As I prepare to go out and welcome the guest.
The evening bell rings in the upper garden,
A light rain brushes through the springtime city.
I realize my friend will not come,
Yet I remain in the courtyard, waiting with a heart full of longing.

Translation
At dawn, the gates of the courtyard open wide,
I sit up, straining to hear the sound of an approaching carriage.
I imagine hearing the clear chime of a jade ornament,
Ready to greet the visitor at the door.
The evening bell rings in the upper garden,
As a fine mist sweeps through the spring city.
I understand that my friend will not arrive,
Yet I stand in the yard, wistfully waiting.

This poem was written about Wang Wei’s friend, Xu Guangxi, a scholar who passed the imperial examinations during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong in the Tang Dynasty. Both Wang Wei and Xu Guangxi were key figures of the landscape poetry school of the Tang dynasty.

Huangfu Zhi, Yunnan Ji 2 - Lotus Pond
Day after day, I pluck the lotus flowers,
Bringing back many blossoms from the long beach.
Playfully, I dip the stalks, careful not to touch the water,
Afraid to stain my pink lotus robe with dew.

Translation by Tran Dong Phong

Every day, I gather lotus flowers,
Carrying many blooms from the beach.
I gently swing the stalks, careful not to wet them,
Fearing to tarnish the pink color of the lotus robes.

Huangfu Zhi, Yunnan Ji 3 - The Path of the Hermit
Into the red lotus field it vanishes,
Then rises amidst the green reeds.
Standing alone, it ties its cord,
The beak still holding a fish, perched on the raft.

Translation by Tran Dong Phong
It disappears beneath the red lotus plants,
Then surfaces where the green rushes grow.
Standing alone, it fastens its rope,
Its beak still clutching a fish on the raft.

The Young Warriors Volume 4
The Emperor and his loyal ministers celebrate with a grand feast,
At the Cloud Platform, they discuss their military achievements.
The Emperor grants titles to the noble officials,
The General dons the imperial seal and leaves the palace.

Translation by Trần Đông Phong:

The Han Emperor and his officials rejoice in a grand banquet,
At the Cloud Platform, they deliberate on their military deeds.
The Emperor, from the imperial court, bestows noble titles,
The General, adorned with the seal, departs from the palace.

Yearning
Red beans grow in the southern land,
In spring, they sprout and spread their branches.
I hope you will pick many of them,
For they are a symbol of longing and love.

Translation
Red beans grow in the southern region,
When spring arrives, they sprout in abundance.
May you gather many of them,
For they symbolize deep yearning and affection.

Red beans, with their round shape and vibrant red color, are often used as ornaments in women's hair. In ancient times, they were considered a symbol of love, earning the name “yearning beans.”

A Miscellaneous Poem by Huangfu Yue, Volume 1 - The Mountain Birds
The leisurely person watches the falling osmanthus blooms,
The peaceful night quiets the spring mountains.
The moon rises, disturbing the mountain birds,
Echoing songs fill the spring valley.

Translation:
A person at ease observes the falling osmanthus flowers,
The silent night calms the spring mountains.
As the moon rises, it startles the mountain birds,
Whose melodies resonate through the spring valley.

Huangfu Yue's life remains unclear. Wankai is a place, the home of Huangfu Yue.

This poem was included as supplementary reading in the 10th-grade Chinese literature curriculum from 2007 onwards.

Magnolia Grove
The last buds of the hibiscus bloom at the branch tips,
While deep in the mountains, the pink magnolias unfold.
In the secluded home by the stream, silence reigns,
As the flowers bloom and fall, one after another.

Translation:
Like the hibiscus flowers at the branch ends,
In the mountains, the magnolias open with a soft pink.
The home in the valley is quiet, with no visitors,
The flowers bloom and scatter, left to fall alone.

The magnolia is referred to as “Tân Di” in this poem.