A Visit From Su Huan in Jiangpu
苏 浣 访 江 浦 诗 序
苏 大 侍 御 涣
静 者 也， 旅 于 江 侧。
不 交 州 府 之 客
人 事 都 绝 久 矣。
肩 舆 江 浦
忽 访 老 夫 舟 楫。
已 而 茶 酒 内
余 请 诵 近 侍。
肯 吟 数 首
才 力 素 壮。
辞 句 动 人
接 对 明 日。
忆 其 涌 思 雷 出
书 箧 几 杖 之 外。
殷 殷 留 金 石 声
赋 八 韵 记 异
亦 见 老 夫
倾 倒 于 苏 至 矣。
Su Huan Fang Jiang Pu Shi Xu
Su da shi yu huan
Jing zhe ye lu yu jiang ce
Bu jiao zhou fu zhi ke
Ren shi dou jue jiu yi.
Jian yu jiang pu
Hu fang lao fu zhou ji.
Yi er cha jiu nei
Yu qing song jin shi.
Ken yin shu shou
Cai li su zhuang
Ci ju dong ren.
Jie dui ming ri
Yi qi yong si lei chu.
Shu qie ji zhang zhi wai
Yin yin liu jin shi sheng.
Yi jian lao fu qing
Dao yu su zhi yi.
A Visit From Su Huan in Jiangpu
Su used to be a part of the inner imperial retinue
Now a hermit, he travels along the riverbanks.
Does not take or accept former government officials as guests
For a long time he has been done with human affairs.
He arrived at my place in Jiangpu being carried by a shoulder carrier
Myself being old and with only small boat oars to receive this visitor.
Once inside my place, it is tea and wine
Asked him to read aloud some of his latest poems.
He agreed to chant many of them
His talents and abilities strong, yet simple and plain.
Poetic lines were moving and touching
The next day I read these works to experience them again.
Recalled yesterday how his thunder gushed out
Outside my small library, walked around with my cane and thoughts.
Ardent and eager, these treasured sounds still remain
From these you can feel the high respect I have for him.
Notes:
[This poem was written as an introduction to the works of Su Huan.]
Su Huan: He was born near the border region of Sichuan and Hubei provinces. In his energetic youth he was an outlaw like the English Robinhood. Later settled down to study for, and then passed, some of the imperial exams. Served as the second in command of the Hunan provincial government. Su died shortly after being involved with an armed revolt against the imperial government.
