Mount Jianglang - Liu Zongyuan
/江郎山 - 柳宗元/
A Contemplative Glimpse of Steep Cliffs and Far Horizons
Possible Text (Reconstructed)
江郎山
峭壁苍苍耸白云，
渔舟独系石边津。
松声入耳秋方老，
岩影当窗客未亲。
回首风尘离故国，
浮踪踪迹寄他人。
却怜层壑微茫处，
却似衡阳雁影分。
Mount Jianglang (Reconstructed Translation)
Green-gray cliffs rise steep into drifting clouds,
A lone fishing boat is moored by the rocky shoal.
Pine winds murmur of autumn’s deepening age,
While a traveler in the lodge remains a stranger to this land.
He looks back on worldly clamor and a homeland left behind,
Each footstep adrift, reliant on the kindness of others.
Far off, the layered ravines vanish into mist,
Reminiscent of geese parting at Hengyang’s skies.
Although there is no widely referenced historical poem by Liu Zongyuan titled “江郎山” in standard anthologies, this reconstructed piece reflects several hallmarks of his poetic style: vivid natural imagery, a sense of exile or distance from one’s home, and a contemplative mood.
Mount Jianglang, located in what is now Zhejiang Province, is known for its precipitous rock faces and striking scenery. In lines that evoke steep cliffs and drifting clouds, the poem underscores how imposing natural landscapes can mirror the poet’s sense of isolation. The mention of a solitary fishing boat and sighing pines amplifies the tranquility, while simultaneously hinting at unspoken loneliness.
As with many Tang-dynasty “exile poems,” the speaker’s longing for a lost homeland merges with reflections on life’s impermanence. The imagery of geese “parting at Hengyang’s skies”—a classical motif alluding to south-migrating geese—reinforces the theme of separation. Even if the poet’s body settles in this remote region, his thoughts linger on distant memories and connections that feel out of reach. By placing these contemplations in a setting of steep cliffs and layered ravines, the poem captures both the rugged majesty of China’s terrain and the introspective depth of a traveler’s heart.
Key points
1. Lofty cliffs and mist evoke both awe at nature and a mood of solitary reflection.
2. Tang-era exile themes often blend homesickness with reverent attention to remote landscapes.
3. References to drifting boats and migrating geese underscore transience and the distance from one’s roots.
4. Though not an officially documented work of Liu Zongyuan, this reconstructed poem illustrates the aesthetics and emotional resonance typical of his style.
