Composing Together at Xianyou Temple
English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.
风物凄凄宿雨收。
山色遥连秦树晚，
砧声近报汉宫秋。
疏松影落空坛静，
细草香闲小洞幽。
何用别寻方外去，
人间亦自有丹丘。
English translation
First I catch sight of the immortal terrace, its five city towers, the scene is chill, the rain of last night has ceased.
The mountain colors reach far to the trees of Qin at evening, the sound of fulling blocks near at hand tells of autumn in the Han palace.
Sparse pine shadows fall, the empty altar is still, fine grass is fragrant and quiet in the little cave's seclusion.
Why go elsewhere to seek a land beyond this world? Among mortals too there is a Cinnabar Hill.
Meaning
Coming for the first time to the Xianyou Temple, I seem to behold the fabled five city towers; the night rain has just ceased, and all about carries a touch of wintry clearness.
Far off, the colours of the hills join the woods of Qin and grow dim in the evening dusk; near at hand, the sound of pounding clothes comes again and again, as if to tell that cold autumn has arrived.
The sparse green pines cast crisscrossed shadows, and the empty Taoist altar is the more still; the fine grass breathes a faint fragrance, and the deep little grotto is filled with pure and elegant air.
Why go elsewhere to seek a fairyland beyond this world? Here among mortals there are indeed immortal abodes such as Danqiu.