<p>I think you get the gist, so just to explain the third verse a little further：</p>
<ol>
<li>寄：Instead of &quot;send&quot;, are you familiar with the word 寄托？It means &quot;entrust to the care of/leave with/place hope on&quot;.</li>
<li>明月: In Chinese culture, the moon is extremely commonly associated with nostalgia and longing for family/friends. The implication is that, no matter how far away we are sperated from  our loved ones, we can all share the same moonlight.</li>
</ol>
<p>So, 我寄愁心与明月: &quot;I entrust my worried heart to the bright moon (so it accompanies you as I would)&quot;. Just in case you missed it, 与 is combined with 寄 to mean &quot;entrust to&quot;, it does not mean &quot;and&quot;.</p>
<p>In addition, the cry of 子规 is considered sorrowful, and it is said they will cry til spewing blood. Similarly, 杨花落尽 establishes a melancholic/lonely atmosphere. Hopefully this enhances your mental imagery.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-06T02:09:44.590Z
2022-08-06T04:12:04.083Z
2022-08-06T04:12:04.083Z
EEQ
<p>I think that you have understood the meaning of the poem. In traditional Chinese poetry, it is a very common writing technique to use scenery to express emotion.
In this poem, &quot;柳絮飘零&quot; and &quot;子规啼叫&quot; represents sadness.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-07T09:20:49.877Z
2022-08-07T09:20:49.877Z
Cool
<p>Just my &quot;fun&quot; piece to while away the time, humbly in the romantic spirit of 李白.</p>
<p>杨花 none more to fall,</p>
<p>子规 a melancholic call;</p>
<p>龙标 were you sent,</p>
<p>五溪 a far off land;</p>
<p>寄愁 I do now convey,</p>
<p>明月 in full display;</p>
<p>随风 timely blow,</p>
<p>夜郎 your final goal.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-06T04:19:56.807Z
Fun indeed! I like it.
EEQ
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-06T04:28:50.987Z
@EEQ - Thanks. The discussion is getting a bit too academic and "serious" which, I believe, a romantic poet like 李白 would look for some light-hearted counter-balance.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-06T03:58:09.160Z
2022-08-06T03:58:09.160Z
Wayne Cheah
<p>[The modern interpretation of this poem]:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>杨花落尽子规啼，[在柳絮落完，子规啼鸣之时，] - Note: 子规：即杜鹃鸟，又称布谷鸟，相传其啼声哀婉凄切，甚至啼血。</p>
</li>
<li><p>闻道龙标过五溪。[得知您被贬为龙标縣尉(丞)，(上任之旅)要经过五溪。] - Note: 龙标 and 五溪 are county/location names.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我寄愁心与明月，[我把我忧愁的心思寄托给明月，]</p>
</li>
<li><p>随风直到夜郎西。[希望能随着风一直陪着你到夜郎以西。] - Note: 夜郎縣</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://so.gushiwen.cn/shiwenv_62280919c9c5.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://so.gushiwen.cn/shiwenv_62280919c9c5.aspx</a></p>
<p>-</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-06T03:05:33.850Z
2022-08-06T03:29:21.450Z
2022-08-06T03:29:21.450Z
r13
<p>This is a poem by Tang Dynasty poet 李白 in <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LAYQC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">my grade-7 语文 textbook</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》，李白</p>
<p>杨花落尽子规啼，<br />
闻道龙标过五溪。<br />
我寄愁心与明月，<br />
随风直到夜郎西。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>From what I understand, the poem laments how 李白's friend <a href="https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh/%E7%8E%8B%E6%98%8C%E9%BE%84" rel="nofollow noreferrer">王昌龄</a> has been 左迁 = 降职 = demoted and sent to 龙标 in Hunan province (away from 李白).</p>
<ul>
<li><p>杨花落尽子规啼: here 杨花 refers to 柳絮 (<a href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&amp;q=%E6%9F%B3%E7%B5%AE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">images</a>): willow seeds which cluster together during certain seasons in China; 落 refers to them falling, and 尽 refers to them being &quot;used up&quot;---so they've basically all fallen now; and 子规啼 refers to the cuckoo's (杜鹃) sound.  This first part seems to indicate how or when 李白 learned of 王昌龄's travels (although I'm not sure; maybe it just refers to time elapsing).</p>
</li>
<li><p>闻道龙标过五溪: here 闻道 means something like &quot;learned of&quot;; my book says 龙标 refers to his friend 王昌龄, but the custom at the time was to refer to officials by where they are stationed, in this case 龙标; and 过<a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%94%E6%BA%AA/8855229" rel="nofollow noreferrer">五溪</a> refers to 王昌龄 going to 五溪, a region of west Hunan and east Guizhou where five rivers meet.  So this line refers to 李白 learning of his friend being stationed elsewhere.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我寄愁心与明月: here 我寄 literally means &quot;I send&quot;, although I'm accustomed to this referring to posting things by mail, but maybe it should be non-literally interpreted; here 愁心 means &quot;my worries&quot; and 明月 means &quot;bright moon&quot; (maybe a bright moon makes travel safer).  I'm a bit confused about this line.</p>
</li>
<li><p>随风直到夜郎西: here 随风 (or 随君 in my textbook), which I think means &quot;愁心与明月 travels with the wind&quot;; and 夜郎西 seems to be another name for where 龙标 is going.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>So maybe I'd translate it to:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The willow seeds have fallen, the cuckoo crows,<br />
I learned Wang Changling has gone to the five creeks,<br />
I send my worries and a bright moon,<br />
On the wind, to west Yelang.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: How is my understanding of 李白’s poem 《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-15T07:17:13.623Z
About the last two verses, could this be a prop3er translation, too? "I entrust my worried hart to the moonlight, let the wind bring it to west Yelang".
Starnuto di topo
<poetry>
How is my understanding of 李白’s poem 《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》?
# How is my understanding of 李白’s poem 《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-06)

This is a poem by Tang Dynasty poet 李白 in [my grade-7 语文 textbook](https://i.sstatic.net/LAYQC.jpg):

> 《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》，李白
>
> 杨花落尽子规啼，  
> 闻道龙标过五溪。  
> 我寄愁心与明月，  
> 随风直到夜郎西。

From what I understand, the poem laments how 李白's friend [王昌龄](https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/zh/%E7%8E%8B%E6%98%8C%E9%BE%84) has been 左迁 = 降职 = demoted and sent to 龙标 in Hunan province (away from 李白).

* 杨花落尽子规啼: here 杨花 refers to 柳絮 ([images](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&q=%E6%9F%B3%E7%B5%AE)): willow seeds which cluster together during certain seasons in China; 落 refers to them falling, and 尽 refers to them being "used up"---so they've basically all fallen now; and 子规啼 refers to the cuckoo's (杜鹃) sound. This first part seems to indicate how or when 李白 learned of 王昌龄's travels (although I'm not sure; maybe it just refers to time elapsing).
* 闻道龙标过五溪: here 闻道 means something like "learned of"; my book says 龙标 refers to his friend 王昌龄, but the custom at the time was to refer to officials by where they are stationed, in this case 龙标; and 过[五溪](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%94%E6%BA%AA/8855229) refers to 王昌龄 going to 五溪, a region of west Hunan and east Guizhou where five rivers meet. So this line refers to 李白 learning of his friend being stationed elsewhere.
* 我寄愁心与明月: here 我寄 literally means "I send", although I'm accustomed to this referring to posting things by mail, but maybe it should be non-literally interpreted; here 愁心 means "my worries" and 明月 means "bright moon" (maybe a bright moon makes travel safer). I'm a bit confused about this line.
* 随风直到夜郎西: here 随风 (or 随君 in my textbook), which I think means "愁心与明月 travels with the wind"; and 夜郎西 seems to be another name for where 龙标 is going.

So maybe I'd translate it to:

> The willow seeds have fallen, the cuckoo crows,  
> I learned Wang Changling has gone to the five creeks,  
> I send my worries and a bright moon,  
> On the wind, to west Yelang.

**Question**: How is my understanding of 李白’s poem 《闻王昌龄左迁龙标遥有此寄》?

**Tags:** poetry

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: About the last two verses, could this be a prop3er translation, too? "I entrust my worried hart to the moonlight, let the wind bring it to west Yelang".  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-08-06. Score: 6

I think you get the gist, so just to explain the third verse a little further：

1. 寄：Instead of "send", are you familiar with the word 寄托？It means "entrust to the care of/leave with/place hope on".
2. 明月: In Chinese culture, the moon is extremely commonly associated with nostalgia and longing for family/friends. The implication is that, no matter how far away we are sperated from our loved ones, we can all share the same moonlight.

So, 我寄愁心与明月: "I entrust my worried heart to the bright moon (so it accompanies you as I would)". Just in case you missed it, 与 is combined with 寄 to mean "entrust to", it does not mean "and".

In addition, the cry of 子规 is considered sorrowful, and it is said they will cry til spewing blood. Similarly, 杨花落尽 establishes a melancholic/lonely atmosphere. Hopefully this enhances your mental imagery.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-08-07. Score: 2

I think that you have understood the meaning of the poem. In traditional Chinese poetry, it is a very common writing technique to use scenery to express emotion.
In this poem, "柳絮飘零" and "子规啼叫" represents sadness.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2022-08-06. Score: 1

Just my "fun" piece to while away the time, humbly in the romantic spirit of 李白.

杨花 none more to fall,

子规 a melancholic call;

龙标 were you sent,

五溪 a far off land;

寄愁 I do now convey,

明月 in full display;

随风 timely blow,

夜郎 your final goal.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Fun indeed! I like it.  
> **username_4**: @username_2 - Thanks. The discussion is getting a bit too academic and "serious" which, I believe, a romantic poet like 李白 would look for some light-hearted counter-balance.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2022-08-06. Score: 0

[The modern interpretation of this poem]:

* 杨花落尽子规啼，[在柳絮落完，子规啼鸣之时，] - Note: 子规：即杜鹃鸟，又称布谷鸟，相传其啼声哀婉凄切，甚至啼血。
* 闻道龙标过五溪。[得知您被贬为龙标縣尉(丞)，(上任之旅)要经过五溪。] - Note: 龙标 and 五溪 are county/location names.
* 我寄愁心与明月，[我把我忧愁的心思寄托给明月，]
* 随风直到夜郎西。[希望能随着风一直陪着你到夜郎以西。] - Note: 夜郎縣

<https://so.gushiwen.cn/shiwenv_62280919c9c5.aspx>

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