Wang Wei and rising smoke...

[timmo]

Hi to all,

I am trying to track down a poem, I think it is by Wang Wei.

In it he speaks of smoke rising up straight in the desert, sunset against a great wall.

Is the name: Zhi shi sai shang?

Can anyone point me to an English copy please.

Thank you so much.

[skylee]

《使至塞上》 - 王維

單車欲問邊

屬國過居延

征蓬出漢塞

歸雁入胡天

大漠孤煙直

長河落日圓

蕭關逢候吏

都護在燕然

OK, finally (my index finger aching), I've found an English translation from this webpage -

"My Mission To The Frontier"

My solitary carriage sent out to the border;

Through tributary states I pass Chu-yen.

A travelling tumbleweed goes out to the Han frontier;

A returning goose enters the Tartar skies.

On the great desert, a lone column of smoke straight up;

Over the long river the setting sun is round.

At the Hsiao Pass I meet a mounted patrol:

Our commander has taken Mount Yen-jan.

[timmo]

Hi Skylee, thank you so much. My girlfriend said she was able to find Chinese copies easily enough but that it is a difficult poem and there are few translations.

I am very fond of Wang Wei and this is a new one for me.

I like the stillness of the image and the sense of distance.

Thanks again

tim