「海漫漫－戒求仙也」白居易

海漫漫，直下无底傍无边。云涛烟浪最深处，

人传中有三神山。山上多生不死药，服之羽化为天仙。

秦皇汉武信此语，方士年年采药去。蓬莱今古但闻名，

烟水茫茫无觅处。海漫漫，风浩浩，眼穿不见蓬莱岛。

不见蓬莱不敢归，童男丱女舟中老。徐福文成多诳诞，

上元太一虚祈祷。君看骊山顶上茂陵头，毕竟悲风吹蔓草。

何况玄元圣祖五千言，不言药，不言仙，不言白日升青天。

MAGIC 

Boundless, the great sea. 

Straight down, — no bottom: sideways, — no border. 

Of cloudy waves and misty billows down in the uttermost depths 

Men have fabled, in the midst there stand three sacred hills. 

On the hills, thick growing, — herbs that banish Death. 

Wings grow on those who eat them and they turn into heavenly "hsien." 

The Lord of Ch'in ' and Wu of Han ^ believed in these stories: 

And magic-workers year by year were sent to gather the herbs. 

The Blessed Islands, now and of old, what but an empty tale? 

The misty waters spread before them and they knew not where to seek. 

Boundless, the great sea. 

Dauntless, the mighty wind. 

Their eyes search but cannot see the shores of the Blessed Islands. 

They cannot find the Blessed Isles and yet they dare not return : 

Youths and maidens that began the quest grew grey on board the boat. 

* The " First Emperor," 259-210 B.C. 

» Wu Ti, 156-87 B.C. 

They found that the writings of Hsü Fu ^ were all boasts and lies: 

To the Lofty Principle and Great Unity in vain they raised their prayers. 

Do you not see 

The graves on the top of Black Horse Hill and the tombs at Mo-ling?' 

What is left but the sighing wind blowing in the tangled grasses? 

Yes, and what is more, 

The Dark and Primal Master of Sages in his five thousand words ' 

Never spoke of herbs, 

Never spoke of Immortal, 

Nor spoke of soaring in broad daylight up to the blue heaven.