Dining With Mei

Qingming The lunar festival of Qingming (literally Pure Bright) is celebrated when the sun reaches 15° of celestial longitude, April the 4th, 5th or 6th (According to the Gregorian calendar). Traditionally, Chinese families visit the graves of ancestors, eat cold food dishes, and burn incense. Qingming — Dining at Taoist Mei’s House Lying in the…

Thanksgiving, Meng Haoran

Chongyang Ri Like the American holiday of Thanksgiving, Chong Yang Ri (重陽日, the Double Ninth Festival), celebrates a good harvest with good friends. Double Ninth Day: referring to the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It was a hearty meal of chicken and rice (no doubt there were delicious sides…

The Apes are Crying along the Shore

Exchanging Poems “Your lonely boat’s is now a distant thing, that sails where blue skies go.” Li Bai to Meng.“As apes shed tears along the shore, so do I.” Meng Haoran to Li. Li Bai Early spring, circa 730, good friends Meng Haoran Li Bai meet at the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan to say…

In the Early Winter Wind

It’s a Long, Long Way Home Did the stinging wind make his eyes tear, or was he crying? The 8th century Tang poet, Meng Haoran was a long way from home, in Chang’an, wishing he was going home, feeling lonely, watching geese flying south, burdened by a cold northern wind. Memories in the Early Winter…

Meng to Zhang: Autumn

To Zhang Ming: An autumn day, circa 735 AD, Pengze, Jiangxi Province. To Zhang Ming, the illustrious Zhang, known to the world as Zhang Jiuling, 張九齡, noted poet and Imperial Chinese minister. An Autumn Day at your grand pavilion looking off into the distanceWatching the twists and turns of rivers and mountains.Lying down, wring poetry,…

Send Meng this Gift

Mysterious moon in the sky. Some nights, so close, it seems, one can touch it. And even when it is far, far away, good friends can always share it. 赠孟浩然 吾爱孟夫子， 风流天下闻红颜弃轩冕， 白首卧松云醉月频中圣， 迷花不事君高山安可仰, 徒此挹清芬 赠孟浩然, 李 白 A Gift to Meng HaoranMaster Meng, my love. Beloved the world over.Your rosy cheeks replace your courtly crownYour…

Leaving Wang Wei

Leaving Wang Wei Meng Haoran and Wang Wei were 8 century landscape poets who shared a deep friendship. Meng was older by a decade, but Wang Wei was the more successful of the two. The two met in Chang’an, the capital, where Meng had come to take the Imperial Examination. Failing to pass, Meng sadly…

Spring Morning,

It’s Spring, I lie awake as morning breaks.While everywhere are birds who cry,Who heard last night the sound of rain and wind —So do you know how many flowers fell? 春晓 春眠不觉晓处处闻啼鸟夜来风雨声花落知多少 Meng Haoran, 孟浩然 I tossed in bed this morning, I could not sleep. I heard the birds cry. It rained, it howled last…

Mooring on the River at Jiande

A rocking boat moored on a misty bankThe parting day brings new worriesIn the distance the heavens droop behind the treesThe moon is a close friend on Blue River Sù jiàn déjiāng Yí zhōu bó yān zhǔRì mù kè chóu xīn Yě kuàng tiān dī shù Jiāngqīng yuè jìn rén 宿建德江 栘舟泊烟渚日暮客愁新野旷天低树 江清月近人 Stay Overnight…

A Cold Food Feast at Zhang Mingfu’s

I see that it has been almost four years since I last dined with Meng Haoran at Zhang Mingfu’s. Though it is now only November, this will be the fifth winter since we dined. A warm stove, fragrant ash, a cold feast on a cold evening, a glass or two too much of wine among…