Seeing Yuan Er Off to Anxi
Morning rain in Weicheng settles the light dust;
Fresh green willows brighten the guesthouse.
Please finish one more cup with me, my friend;
West beyond Yang Pass, no old friend will be there.
Notes
Yuan Er is a friend addressed by a name and family rank. Anxi refers to a Tang western administrative region. Yì means to moisten; a guesthouse is an inn. Yang Pass was an important gateway west. Gùrén means an old friend.
Meaning
Morning rain and fresh willows surround a guesthouse in Weicheng. The speaker offers a departing friend one more cup before the journey west beyond Yang Pass.
Appreciation
This parting poem sets a quiet morning scene before turning to a final shared cup.
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Rain settles the dust and fresh willow leaves brighten the inn. Willows can suggest parting, while also belonging to the visible spring scene.
The invitation to finish another cup makes the farewell immediate. The journey beyond Yang Pass suggests the distance that will soon separate the friends.
Imagine what the two friends might say as they part, or share a wish you would give a traveling friend.
About the poet
Wang Wei (c. 701–761), courtesy name Mojie, was a Tang poet, painter and official. His poems often describe landscapes, everyday life and friendship.
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Life: Wang held official posts and also spent time at Wangchuan, a place closely associated with his landscape poetry.
Works: His poems include Deer Enclosure, Birdsong Ravine and Thinking of My Brothers on the Ninth Day.
Sources
Poem and reading reference: Shicile · Poet biography reference · poems-db
Translation and explanations by Poetry Buds; review ongoing.