听古诗 Poetry Buds
300 Tang Poems / Written at the Jinling Ferry
English中文

Written at the Jinling Ferry

张祜 · Tang dynasty

English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.

Original poem · Pinyin
金jīn陵líng津jīn渡dù小xiǎo山shān楼lóu,
一yī宿xiǔ行xíng人rén自zì可kě愁chóu。
潮cháo落luò夜yè江jiāng斜xié月yuè里lǐ,
两liǎng三sān星xīng火huǒ是shì瓜guā洲zhōu。

English translation

The little hillside tower at the Jinling ferry crossing, one night's lodging, and the traveler has grief enough.

The tide falls in the night river beneath the slanting moon, two or three points of lamplight, that is Guazhou.

Meaning

At night I lodge in the little hill tower at the Jinling ferry, tossing and turning, my heart full of the sorrows of travel.

The ebbing night river lies bathed in the slanting moonlight, and the few distant sparks of light mark the place called Guazhou.

Background

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This is a short poem written while the poet was wandering in the south. Zhang Hu wrote it out of what he felt when he lodged for the night at the ferry crossing of Zhenjiang (in present-day Jiangsu).

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