柳宗元江雪 translation: River Snow, by Liu Zongyuan (Jiang Xue)

This is a very rough translation and annotation of the poem 江雪 (Jiāng Xuě), ‘River Snow’, by the Tang Dynasty Chinese poet 柳宗元 (Liǔ Zōngyuán).

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江雪 Jiāng Xuě [river] [snow] River Snow

千山鳥飛絕 Qiān shān niǎo fēi jué [thousand] [mountain] [bird] [fly] [disappear] In a thousand mountains, the flight of birds is not seen;

萬徑人蹤滅 Wàn jìng rén zōng miè [ten thousand] [path] [person] [footprints] [extinguish] on ten thousand paths, human footprints have vanished.

孤舟簑笠翁 Gū zhōu suō lì wēng [lonely] [boat] [straw cloak] [bamboo hat] [old man] On a lonely boat, in straw cloak and bamboo hat, an old man,

獨釣寒江雪 Dú diào hán jiāng xuě [alone] [to fish] [cold] [river] [snow] fishing alone, in the cold river snow.

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