Song of the Peach Blossom Spring (Wang Wei)

Song of the Peach Blossom Spring (Wang Wei)

A fisherman's boat chased the stream, delighting in the spring hills,

Peach blossoms lined both banks, flanking the ancient mooring.

He sat gazing at crimson trees, unaware how far he'd gone,

And walked the whole blue stream without encountering a soul.

He crept through a hidden mountain pass where the land curved inward,

Then the mountains opened wide and suddenly turned to level ground.

From afar he saw a cluster of trees rising into the clouds,

And drew near to a thousand homes where flowers and wood were scattered.

The woodcutter was the first to speak of Han-dynasty names,

Yet the inhabitants still wore the clothing of Qin times.

These people together dwelt in Wuling's source,

And beyond the world of things they raised their fields and gardens.

The moon shone bright, and beneath the pines the windows lay still;

The sun rose in the clouds, and chickens and dogs made clamor.

Startled to hear of a mortal visitor, they vied to gather around,

Each competing to lead him home, asking of his village and town.

At dawn the lanes and alleys were swept as the blossoms opened;

At dusk the fishermen and woodmen came in by the water.

At first they had fled to escape the world of men,

And then, having attained immortality, they simply never returned.

Who in the gorge would know of the affairs of humankind?

The world beyond gazed afar at empty clouded mountains.

He doubted this sacred realm could ever be heard of or seen,

Yet his dusty heart still yearned for his native village.

Once beyond the cave, no matter how mountains and waters intervened,

He resolved to leave his home and wander far and wide.

He told himself he would not lose his way through the familiar path—

How could he know that peaks and valleys had changed since then?

Back then he had only noted how deep he'd gone into the mountains,

How many bends of the blue stream led to the cloud-forests.

Now in spring, everywhere the waters bloomed with peach blossoms—

And he could not tell where the Immortal Source might be found.