Seeing Off Chen Zhangfu
English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.
枣花未落桐阴长。
青山朝别暮还见，
嘶马出门思旧乡。
陈侯立身何坦荡，
虬须虎眉仍大颡。
腹中贮书一万卷，
不肯低头在草莽。
东门酤酒饮我曹，
心轻万事如鸿毛。
醉卧不知白日暮，
有时空望孤云高。
长河浪头连天黑，
津口停舟渡不得。
郑国游人未及家，
洛阳行子空叹息。
闻道故林相识多，
罢官昨日今如何。
English translation
In the fourth month the south wind and the barley turns yellow, the date blossoms not yet fallen, the paulownia shade grown long.
Blue hills left at dawn are seen again at dusk, the horse neighs at the gate, thinking of its old home.
Lord Chen, how open and level your bearing, curling beard, tiger brows, and a broad high forehead.
Ten thousand scrolls of books stored in your belly, you will not bow your head among the weeds.
At the east gate you bought wine for the likes of us, your heart counts all things as light as a goose feather.
Drunk you lie, unaware that the day is ending, sometimes gazing in vain at the high, lonely clouds.
On the long river the waves are black, joining the sky, at the ford the boat is halted, we cannot cross.
The traveler from Zheng has not yet reached home, the wayfarer of Luoyang sighs in vain.
I hear you have many friends in your old woods, you left office yesterday, how is it with you today?
Meaning
The fourth month's south wind ripens the barley to gold; the date blossoms have not fallen, and the shade of the plane trees already darkens the road.
At dawn we left the blue hills, at evening we meet again; hearing the horses neigh as I go out of the gate makes me think of home.
Lord Chen comports himself with a frank and open heart; with curling beard and tiger's brows and broad forehead, how noble is his bearing.
Ten thousand scrolls of books and poems are stored in your breast; how can you bow your head and be buried among the grass and brambles?
At the east gate of the city you bought wine and feasted us freely; with a heart at ease you regard all things as light as a goose feather.
Drunk, you sleep deep and know not that the sky has darkened; sometimes you gaze alone into the sky at a lonely cloud.
Today the Yellow River's waves run high and black to the horizon; the boat lies moored at the ford and dares not cross.
You, the traveller of Zheng, cannot go home; I, the wanderer of Luoyang, sigh in vain.
I hear you have many old acquaintances in your native place; now that you have resigned your office, how will they regard you?
Background
Read the background
Chen Zhangfu once passed the special imperial examination, but because he was not entered in the household registers the Ministry of Personnel would not appoint him. When he submitted a petition pressing his claim, the Ministry could not refute him, and so referred the matter specially to the chief ministers, who took him on as an exception. This act won the praise of scholars throughout the land and made him famous. His official career, however, never went smoothly, and so he lost all heart for the life of office. This poem was probably written as Chen Zhangfu, having been dismissed from his post, set out on his journey home; Li Qi saw him off as far as the ferry crossing and wrote this poem as a gift.