Photo Friday: Stone Carved Poems On Taishan

January 8th, 2010 | 24 comments


Carved poems on Taishan

Carved poems by Confucius and the poet Dufu are scattered along Taishan. The poems describe the beauty of the surrounding, respect and a legend that says those who climb the mountain will live until they are 100 years old.

Update:

Thanks to @darrickjlee, the poem has been semi-deciphered! He introduced me to, Nciku, an amazing resource for learning Chinese. It even comes with audio to help with pronunciations! Below is the poem’s pinyin in Chinese.

乾隆皇帝, Qian Long Hong Di

回峦抱深凹， Hui Luan Bao Shen Ao,
曦光每独受。 Xi Guang Mei Du Shou.
所以朝阳名， Suo Yi Zhao Yang Ming,
名山率常有。 Ming Shan Lu Chang You.
是处辟云关， Shi Chu Bi Yun Guan,
坦区得数亩。 Tan Qu De Shu Mu.
结构寄幽偏， Jie Gou Ji You Pian,
潇洒开窗牖。 Xiao Sa Kai Chuang Shan.
历险欣就夷， Li Xian Xi Jiu Yi,
稍息复进走。 Shao Xi Fu Jing Zou.
即景悟为学， Ji Jing Wu Wei Xue,
无穷戒株守。 Wu Qiong Jie Zhu Shou.

Update:

@darrickjlee to the rescue! He’s translate the poem into English. Thanks so much Darrick! I envy your skills.

Meandering peaks embrace deep vales;
Twilights are often received exclusively.
That’s why the name Early Morning Sun,
Is used to name many a famous mount.
[Middle verse harder to translate...]
Having faced danger, it’s pleasing to find peace.
Having rested, it’s time to resume proceeding.
The current scenery is enlightening me to learn,
That the infinite sky forbids procrastinating.

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  • http://stayadventurous.wordpress.com/ stayadventurous

    I might prefer the chinese proverb of walking 100 steps after each meal and live for 99 years today, I am not sure I can climb a mountain…well i guess I’d give it a try. And I like the idea of poetry Friday…Many great Chinese poets too…

    stay adventurous,
    Craig

  • http://stayadventurous.wordpress.com stayadventurous

    I might prefer the chinese proverb of walking 100 steps after each meal and live for 99 years today, I am not sure I can climb a mountain…well i guess I’d give it a try. And I like the idea of poetry Friday…Many great Chinese poets too…

    stay adventurous,
    Craig

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  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Confucius also said “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” So I think you can climb a mountain. You just have to take it one step at a time. :)

    I like the poetry Friday idea too. I wish I could translate that poem though.

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Confucius also said “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” So I think you can climb a mountain. You just have to take it one step at a time. :)

    I like the poetry Friday idea too. I wish I could translate that poem though.

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  • http://www.theaussienomad.com/ Chris

    When you get this translated I’d love to know what it says.

  • http://www.theaussienomad.com Chris

    When you get this translated I’d love to know what it says.

  • Erica Johansson

    Same here! Such beautifully carved poems.

  • Erica Johansson

    Same here! Such beautifully carved poems.

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    I’m looking for a translator right now. I’m really curiously to find out what it says too. The calligraphy is beautiful.

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    I’m looking for a translator right now. I’m really curiously to find out what it says too. The calligraphy is beautiful.

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Will do…if you know someone fluent in reading Chinese, please send them this link. :)

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Will do…if you know someone fluent in reading Chinese, please send them this link. :)

  • darrickjlee

    from: http://www.mount-tai.com.cn/3792.shtml
    google translations a miss…
    some of the characters are like 2nd or 3rd meanings which make it harder. also, some words were not allowed to be used due to laws and superstitions, so they had to use uncommon characters…

    朝阳洞

    迥峦抱深凹，曦光每独受。
    所以朝阳名，名山率常有。
    是处辟云关，坦区得数亩。
    结构寄幽偏，潇洒开窗牖。
    历险欣就夷，稍憩复进走。
    即景悟为学，无穷戒株守

  • darrickjlee

    from: http://www.mount-tai.com.cn/3792.shtml
    google translations a miss…
    some of the characters are like 2nd or 3rd meanings which make it harder. also, some words were not allowed to be used due to laws and superstitions, so they had to use uncommon characters…

    朝阳洞

    迥峦抱深凹，曦光每独受。
    所以朝阳名，名山率常有。
    是处辟云关，坦区得数亩。
    结构寄幽偏，潇洒开窗牖。
    历险欣就夷，稍憩复进走。
    即景悟为学，无穷戒株守

  • darrickjlee

    a friend converted to pinyin
    http://www.nciku.com/ is more helpful than zhongwen.com or google translator…

    乾隆皇帝, Qian Long Hong Di

    回峦抱深凹， Hui Luan Bao Shen Ao,
    曦光每独受。 Xi Guang Mei Du Shou.
    所以朝阳名， Suo Yi Zhao Yang Ming,
    名山率常有。 Ming Shan Lu Chang You.
    是处辟云关， Shi Chu Bi Yun Guan,
    坦区得数亩。 Tan Qu De Shu Mu.
    结构寄幽偏， Jie Gou Ji You Pian,
    潇洒开窗牖。 Xiao Sa Kai Chuang Shan.
    历险欣就夷， Li Xian Xi Jiu Yi,
    稍息复进走。 Shao Xi Fu Jing Zou.
    即景悟为学， Ji Jing Wu Wei Xue,
    无穷戒株守。 Wu Qiong Jie Zhu Shou.

  • darrickjlee

    a friend converted to pinyin
    http://www.nciku.com/ is more helpful than zhongwen.com or google translator…

    乾隆皇帝, Qian Long Hong Di

    回峦抱深凹， Hui Luan Bao Shen Ao,
    曦光每独受。 Xi Guang Mei Du Shou.
    所以朝阳名， Suo Yi Zhao Yang Ming,
    名山率常有。 Ming Shan Lu Chang You.
    是处辟云关， Shi Chu Bi Yun Guan,
    坦区得数亩。 Tan Qu De Shu Mu.
    结构寄幽偏， Jie Gou Ji You Pian,
    潇洒开窗牖。 Xiao Sa Kai Chuang Shan.
    历险欣就夷， Li Xian Xi Jiu Yi,
    稍息复进走。 Shao Xi Fu Jing Zou.
    即景悟为学， Ji Jing Wu Wei Xue,
    无穷戒株守。 Wu Qiong Jie Zhu Shou.

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Thank you SO much Darrick! You’re awesome! Tell your friend I said thanks too. I really appreciate it. :D

  • http://apairofpantiesandboxers.wordpress.com/ Monica

    Thank you SO much Darrick! You’re awesome! Tell your friend I said thanks too. I really appreciate it. :D

  • http://www.theaussienomad.com/ Chris

    thats awesome, nice work darrick

  • http://www.theaussienomad.com Chris

    thats awesome, nice work darrick

  • cuzzo

    I got u wong.

  • darrickjlee

    my mandos still a work in progress, so i have to say the pinyin and then guess the closest canto word… which gets me a handful of words… (i find it fascinating to see the contrast of middle Chinese w/modern chinese)
    The above friend briefly summarized the poem, but couldn’t figure out about a third of the characters. These characters definitely belong to the upper echelon of Chinese characters that are rarely used…

    A different scholarly friend informs me that the inscriptions at Tai Shan are also found in Robert E Harrist’s The Landscape of Words: Stone Inscriptions from Early and Medieval China book, specifically chapter four.
    amazon
    A photograph of Qianlong’s inscription is included as plate 20.

    so im adding that to my list of books for my china tour…

    He also offers this translation…

    Meandering peaks embrace deep vales;
    Twilights are often received exclusively.
    That’s why the name Early Morning Sun,
    Is used to name many a famous mount.
    [Middle verse harder to translate...]
    Having faced danger, it’s pleasing to find peace.
    Having rested, it’s time to resume proceeding.
    The current scenery is enlightening me to learn,
    That the infinite sky forbids procrastinating.

  • darrickjlee

    my mandos still a work in progress, so i have to say the pinyin and then guess the closest canto word… which gets me a handful of words… (i find it fascinating to see the contrast of middle Chinese w/modern chinese)
    The above friend briefly summarized the poem, but couldn’t figure out about a third of the characters. These characters definitely belong to the upper echelon of Chinese characters that are rarely used…

    A different scholarly friend informs me that the inscriptions at Tai Shan are also found in Robert E Harrist’s The Landscape of Words: Stone Inscriptions from Early and Medieval China book, specifically chapter four.
    amazon
    A photograph of Qianlong’s inscription is included as plate 20.

    so im adding that to my list of books for my china tour…

    He also offers this translation…

    Meandering peaks embrace deep vales;
    Twilights are often received exclusively.
    That’s why the name Early Morning Sun,
    Is used to name many a famous mount.
    [Middle verse harder to translate...]
    Having faced danger, it’s pleasing to find peace.
    Having rested, it’s time to resume proceeding.
    The current scenery is enlightening me to learn,
    That the infinite sky forbids procrastinating.

  • cuzzo

    I got u wong.