The complete Wang River Collection

Wang Wei's landscape masterpiece

The Wang River Collection
Wang Wei 

My estate is in the Wang River valley, and has a number of places worth visiting: the dip by Meng wall, Glory Ridge, the pavilion of rich-grained apricot wood, the bamboo loggers' forest, deer grove, magnolia grove, dogwood by a stream, scholar tree avenue, the lakeside gazebo, Lakeside South Mound, Lake Qi, the willow waves, the Luan farm rapids, Gold Dust Spring, White Boulder Shallows, Lakeside North Mound, the cabin in the bamboo, magnolia hollow, the lacquer plantation, and the pepper orchard. I holidayed there with Pei Di, and we wrote short poems about them.

The Dip by Meng Wall 
My new estate: a few old willows, dying, 
Vestiges of a park by Meng town wall. 
So strange to think of future comers sighing 
So pointlessly for what men had before. 

Glory Ridge 
The birds are leaving here in flocks unending, 
The fall has grizzled hills beyond the hills. 
First climbing Glory Ridge, and then descending, 
My soul gets no respite from autumn chills. 

Pavilion of Rich-grained Apricot Wood 
With beams from apricot's transcendent lumber, 
You're thatched with lemongrass in scented sheaves. 
I wonder: do the clouds that swirl just under 
Bestow the rain our mortal world receives? 

Bamboo Loggers' Forest  
Majestic grasses veil our winding highway,
Its surface scintillates with rippled jade.
What loggers flee along that hidden byway
To Mount Shang, to protest some tyrant's rage?

Deer Grove 
I only caught the echoes of men's voices, 
The hills were empty; no one to be seen. 
The setting sunlight enters through the branches, 
In mossy woods it shines on mossy green. 

Magnolia Grove 
The hills soak up the autumn day's last glimmers, 
And all the birds are chasing home their mates. 
How bright and fresh the green at this time shimmers! 
The mountains' evening vapour dissipates. 

Dogwood by a Stream
On fruiting dogwood, red and green are blending, 
It's like the plant has flowered a second time. 
In the hills, if you have guests attending, 
Put berries in their lotus-cups of wine.  

Scholar Tree Avenue 
Deep shade from palace scholar trees is falling 
On moss that's grown thick on the narrow trail. 
But just in case a mountain monk comes calling, 
A gateman sweeps the entrance, without fail. 

Lakeside Gazebo
The lightweight skiff so leisurely comes sailing 
To where we grandee passengers are found. 
We stand with goblets at the boathouse railing 
And watch the lotus blooming all around.

Lakeside South Mound 
Our skiff leaves Southern Mound on wide, wide waters; 
The north end comes no closer, fixed and far. 
Up past the shore, we see some living quarters, 
So distant we've no notion whose they are. 

Lake Qi 
My flute song pierced to Lake Qi's furthest quarter; 
You took your leave beneath the setting sun. 
I cast back one look, as I crossed the water, 
The purple hills and wreaths of white cloud spun.

Willow Waves 
A lacework hangs between two rows of willows, 
In glassy ripples, its reflection drifts. 
How different from their palace moat-side fellows, 
Whose twigs are stripped each spring as parting gifts.  

Rapids by the Luan Farm 
Around me, autumn rain is gently sighing, 
Before me, stony rapids' rushing roar. 
The waves are leaping, splashing, spray is flying, 
White egrets startling, settling once more.

Gold Dust Spring 
Let's drink each day from Gold Dust Spring's gold waters, 
And we shall live a thousand years or more. 
With feathered flags, we'll join the Jade King's courtiers, 
As phoenix flies and brindled dragons soar. 

White Boulder Shallows 
Beside white rocks, the silver shallows swashing, 
Green sweet flag almost long enough to pick. 
In moonlight, farm girls east and west are washing 
Their laundry, as a fatal beauty did. 

Lakeside North Mound 
A riot of trees contrast with crimson railings, 
At northern end: the mound of Lakeside North. 
While in and out of green woods, winking, trailing, 
The South Stream wends around its snakelike course. 

Cabin in the Bamboo 
Solo in this shady bamboo clearing, 
I strum and slowly trill my melody. 
I'm in the wilderness; the world's not hearing. 
The moon arrives to keep me company. 

Magnolia Hollow 
The water lilies really grow on trees here! 
Between the hills, these pink buds bloom and splay. 
A cabin stands deserted; no one sees here 
Magnolia flowers that bloomed, then fell away.
 
The Lacquer Plantation 
Pride was not why Zhuangzi spurned high office, 
He simply knew he lacked the skill to lead. 
As lowly master of the lacquer coppice, 
He lived lush days among decadent trees.

Pepper Orchard
A cinnamon cup for gods in salutation! 
Goddesses, we present you pollia blooms. 
Jade offering plate with pepper wine libation, 
Lord in the Clouds, come down, we pray, consume!
 

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Wang Wei himself painted a long landscape of his Wang River estate, with the 20 locations marked out. That painting did not survive down the centuries, but several copies and imitations were made by later painters. This painting is a copy of one version made by Guo Zhongshu in the Ming Dynasty. The original poems are actually inscribed at the side of the scroll, but I placed the translations directly onto the painting for ease of reference.