Mount Zhongnan
Mount Taiyi rises near the imperial capital;
The ranges seem to stretch to the edge of the sea.
Looking back, white clouds close together;
Entering the blue mist, I can no longer see it.
At the central peak the ancient celestial divisions change;
In the many valleys, sun and shade differ.
Hoping to find a home where I can stay,
I call across the water to ask a woodcutter.
Notes
Taiyi is a name associated with Mount Zhongnan. Tiandu may refer to the imperial capital, though other readings exist. “The sea’s edge” exaggerates the range’s extent. Fen ye refers to an ancient association between regions of the sky and lands below.
Meaning
The poem moves from a broad view of Mount Zhongnan through clouds and valleys to a traveller seeking lodging.
Appreciation
The opening describes the mountain near the capital and exaggerates its reach toward the sea.
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Clouds seen from a distance change appearance when the traveller enters them.
The old idea of celestial divisions and the differing light of valleys suggest a wide, varied landscape.
A question to a woodcutter brings the vast view back to a traveller’s immediate need for shelter.
About the poet
Wang Wei (c. 701–761), courtesy name Mojie, was a Tang poet, painter and official whose family originated near present-day Qixian, Shanxi.
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He served in government and spent time at Wangchuan; poems exchanged with Pei Di are well known.
His works also include Deer Enclosure and Seeing Yuan Er Off to Anxi.