ARRIVING AT HSUN-YANG 

(Two Poems) 

(I) 

「望江州」白居易

江回望见双华表，知是浔阳西郭门。

犹去孤舟三四里，水烟沙雨欲黄昏。

A BEND of the river brings into view two triumphal arches ; 

That is the gate in the western wall of the suburbs of  Hsün-yang. 

I have still to travel in my solitary boat three or four leagues — 

By misty waters and rainy sands, while the yellow dusk thickens. 

(2) 

「初到江州」白居易

浔阳欲到思无穷，庾亮楼南湓口东。

树木凋疏山雨后，人家低湿水烟中。

菰蒋喂马行无力，芦荻编房卧有风。

遥见朱轮来出郭，相迎劳动使君公。

We are almost come to Hsün-yang: how my thoughts are stirred 

As we pass to the south of Yü Liang's ^ tower and the east of P'en Port. 

The forest trees are leafless and withered, — after the mountain rain ; 

The roofs of the houses are hidden low among the river  mists. 

The horses, fed on water grass, are too weak to carry their load ; 

The cottage walls of wattle and thatch let the wind blow on one's bed. 

In the distance I see red-wheeled coaches driving from the town-gate ; 

They have taken the trouble, these civil people, to meet their new Prefect ! 

' Died A.D. 340. Giles, 2526.