Feasting at the Taoist Mei's on the Qingming Festival
English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.
搴帷览物华。
忽逢青鸟使，
邀入赤松家。
金灶初开火，
仙桃正发花。
童颜若可驻，
何惜醉流霞。
English translation
Lying in the woods, I grieve that spring is ending, I lift the curtain and view the splendor of things.
Suddenly I meet the blue bird's messenger, who invites me to the home of Chisong.
The golden stove has just been lit, the immortal peaches are breaking into flower.
If a child's complexion might be kept, why grudge growing drunk on the flowing rose-clouds?
Meaning
Lying quietly in the woods, I grieve that spring is about to go, and I draw back the curtain to enjoy the natural beauty of the hills.
Suddenly the Daoist Mei sends word by a messenger, inviting me to a feast at his place.
In his room the alchemist's furnace has just been lit, and outside the peach blossoms are in brilliant bloom.
If drinking this wine could keep one forever young, then I would surely drink until I fell asleep.
Background
Read the background
This poem should be dated to the period of Meng Haoran's retirement at Xiangyang. The Daoist priest Mei was Meng Haoran's neighbor in seclusion. On a Qingming day the author, in his capacity as a recluse, went to a feast at the priest's mountain retreat, and wrote this poem out of what he felt.