Visiting an Old Friend’s Farm
An old friend prepares chicken and millet
And invites me to his farmhouse.
Green trees gather round the village;
Blue hills slope beyond its walls.
We open the window toward the threshing ground and garden,
Raise our cups and talk of crops.
When the Double Ninth Festival comes,
I will return to enjoy the chrysanthemums.
Notes
Guo means to visit. Chicken and millet stand for the meal prepared for a guest. The window faces a threshing ground and garden; mulberry and hemp represent farm work. The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
Meaning
A friend invites the speaker for a meal. They enjoy the village setting, talk of farm work, and plan to meet again at the Double Ninth Festival.
Appreciation
The poem begins with an invitation and a meal prepared by an old friend.
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Trees close around the village while hills stretch beyond it, moving the eye from near to far.
The open window frames the farmyard and garden as the friends talk of the work of the fields.
A promise to return for the festival extends the friendship beyond this visit.
About the poet
Meng Haoran (689–740) was a Tang poet from the area of present-day Xiangyang, Hubei.
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He traveled widely and wrote about landscapes, rural life and journeys.
He is often associated with Wang Wei; his surviving works include Spring Morning, Passing an Old Friend’s Farm, and Mooring on the Jiande River.