Moon Over the Mountain Passes - Li Bai
/关山月 - 李白/
A Moonlit Frontier Echoing Longing
明月出天山，苍茫云海间。
The bright moon rises from the Tianshan Mountains, shining through the vast sea of clouds.
长风几万里，吹度玉门关。
A mighty wind spans thousands of miles, blowing past Jade Gate Pass.
汉下白登道，胡窥青海湾。
Han armies once marched along the White Mountain road, while the foe surveyed the Qinghai Bay from afar.
由来征战地，不见有人还。
So long has this place been a land of war, no traveler has returned once they depart.
戍客望边色，思归多苦颜。
A frontier guard gazes at the border, sorrow for home etched on his brow.
高楼当此夜，叹息未应闲。
High towers stand beneath the moonlit sky, where heavy sighs echo in the stillness of night.
In this poem, Li Bai portrays the deep yearning and sorrow that soldiers and exiles feel when stationed on distant frontiers. The moon, rising above vast mountain ranges and rolling clouds, symbolizes both a constant in the soldiers’ lives and a haunting reminder of the homes they left behind. The poem references historical campaigns, highlighting the bleakness of lands scarred by continuous warfare, where enemies lurk and few ever return home unscathed. Through evocative imagery, Li Bai weaves a landscape heavy with isolation and longing. The relentless wind, the distant Jade Gate Pass, and the watchtower at night all underscore the soldiers’ emotional burden, reminding us how conflict can alienate individuals from their loved ones. In essence, “Moon Over the Mountain Passes” is as much about physical distance as it is about emotional displacement, illuminating how the bonds of family and home persist in a soldier’s mind even under the harshest conditions. With poetic skill, Li Bai captures the universal human desire for peace, warmth, and reunion with those we hold dear, under a moon that unites faraway hearts.
Key points
• War’s relentless nature weighs heavily on both the battlefield and the human spirit.
• The moon becomes a universal symbol of hope, connection, and distant longing.
• Home remains an abiding presence, shaping the courage and sorrow of those far away.
