Ascending the Heights
The wind is swift, the sky high, and apes cry sadly;
Over clear islets and white sand birds wheel back.
Endless leaves fall with a rustling sound;
The inexhaustible Yangtze rolls onward.
Far from home, I often grieve autumn as a guest;
Ill through my later years, I climb alone.
Hardship has brought the sorrow of abundant white hair;
Worn down, I have lately set aside my cup of wine.
Notes
A zhu is a small river islet. Falling wood means leaves. Ten thousand li suggests great distance; a hundred years refers to a lifetime. Frost at the temples is white hair; the recently set-aside cup is often connected with illness.
Meaning
An autumn river view leads the poet from leaves and circling birds to long travel, illness and ageing.
Appreciation
Wind, cries, sand and birds establish what the speaker hears and sees from the height.
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Falling leaves and the rolling river create two continuing movements on a vast scale.
The poem turns to travel, illness and white hair, bringing the broad landscape into a personal life.
The set-aside cup is a concrete detail; the poem leaves hardship larger than any one cause.
About the poet
Du Fu (712–770), courtesy name Zimei, was a major Tang poet.
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His poetry records personal experience and the upheaval of his age, including the An Lushan rebellion.
He lived in Kuizhou in later years; his works include Spring View and Ascending the Heights.