Analysis of "梦游天姥吟留别" - Classical Chinese Poetry

Introduction

"梦游天姥吟留别" (Mèng Yóu Tiān Mǔ Yín Liú Bié, "Dreaming of the Tianmu Mountain: A Song of Farewell") is one of the most famous poems by the legendary Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai (李白, 701–762). Known as the "Immortal Poet" (Shī Xiān), Li Bai was a master of romanticism, blending Daoist mysticism, vivid imagery, and emotional depth in his works.

This poem, written during Li Bai's exile from the imperial court, captures a fantastical dream journey to the mythical Tianmu Mountain. It reflects his longing for spiritual freedom, disillusionment with politics, and love for nature’s grandeur. The poem is celebrated for its imaginative power and remains a cornerstone of classical Chinese literature.

The Poem: Full Text and Translation

Original Text, Pinyin, and Translation

海客谈瀛洲，烟涛微茫信难求。
Hǎi kè tán Yíngzhōu, yān tāo wēi máng xìn nán qiú.
Seafarers speak of the fairy isle Yingzhou, lost in misty waves—truly hard to find.

越人语天姥，云霞明灭或可睹。
Yuè rén yǔ Tiānmǔ, yún xiá míng miè huò kě dǔ.
But the Yue folk speak of Tianmu Mountain, its clouds and rainbows now bright, now dim.

天姥连天向天横，势拔五岳掩赤城。
Tiānmǔ lián tiān xiàng tiān héng, shì bá wǔ yuè yǎn Chìchéng.
Tianmu scrapes the sky, stretching endlessly, towering over the Five Peaks, dwarfing Red Wall.

天台四万八千丈，对此欲倒东南倾。
Tiāntāi sì wàn bā qiān zhàng, duì cǐ yù dǎo dōng nán qīng.
Even Tiantai, forty-eight thousand zhang high, seems to crumble southeast before it.

我欲因之梦吴越，一夜飞度镜湖月。
Wǒ yù yīn zhī mèng Wú Yuè, yī yè fēi dù Jìng Hú yuè.
Inspired, I dreamt of Wu and Yue, flying one night under Mirror Lake’s moon.

湖月照我影，送我至剡溪。
Hú yuè zhào wǒ yǐng, sòng wǒ zhì Shàn Xī.
The moon shone on my shadow, escorting me to Shan Creek.

谢公宿处今尚在，渌水荡漾清猿啼。
Xiè Gōng sù chù jīn shàng zài, lù shuǐ dàng yàng qīng yuán tí.
Where Xie Lingyun once lodged, still there—clear waters ripple, gibbons cry.

脚著谢公屐，身登青云梯。
Jiǎo zhuó Xiè Gōng jī, shēn dēng qīng yún tī.
Strapping on Xie’s clogs, I climb the ladder of blue clouds.

半壁见海日，空中闻天鸡。
Bàn bì jiàn hǎi rì, kōng zhōng wén tiān jī.
At the cliff’s edge, I see the sea sun; in midair, hear the heavenly rooster.

千岩万转路不定，迷花倚石忽已暝。
Qiān yán wàn zhuǎn lù bù dìng, mí huā yǐ shí hū yǐ míng.
A labyrinth of crags—path uncertain, lost in flowers, leaning on rocks—suddenly, dusk.

熊咆龙吟殷岩泉，栗深林兮惊层巅。
Xióng páo lóng yín yǐn yán quán, lì shēn lín xī jīng céng diān.
Bears roar, dragons howl—echoes shake the streams; deep forests tremble, peaks shudder.

云青青兮欲雨，水澹澹兮生烟。
Yún qīng qīng xī yù yǔ, shuǐ dàn dàn xī shēng yān.
Dark clouds promise rain; pale waters exhale mist.

列缺霹雳，丘峦崩摧。
Liè quē pī lì, qiū luán bēng cuī.
Lightning splits the sky; hills crumble.

洞天石扉，訇然中开。
Dòng tiān shí fēi, hōng rán zhōng kāi.
The stone gate of a celestial grotto booms open.

青冥浩荡不见底，日月照耀金银台。
Qīng míng hào dàng bú jiàn dǐ, rì yuè zhào yào jīn yín tái.
An azure abyss, boundless and bottomless—sun and moon shine on golden towers.

霓为衣兮风为马，云之君兮纷纷而来下。
Ní wéi yī xī fēng wéi mǎ, yún zhī jūn xī fēn fēn ér lái xià.
Rainbow robes, wind-steeds—the lords of clouds descend in multitudes.

虎鼓瑟兮鸾回车，仙之人兮列如麻。
Hǔ gǔ sè xī luán huí chē, xiān zhī rén xī liè rú má.
Tigers strum lutes, phoenixes draw chariots—immortals gather like hemp stalks.

忽魂悸以魄动，恍惊起而长嗟。
Hū hún jì yǐ pò dòng, huǎng jīng qǐ ér cháng jiē.
Suddenly, my soul trembles—I wake with a start, sighing long.

惟觉时之枕席，失向来之烟霞。
Wéi jué shí zhī zhěn xí, shī xiàng lái zhī yān xiá.
Only my pillow and mat remain—the misty splendor gone.

世间行乐亦如此，古来万事东流水。
Shì jiān xíng lè yì rú cǐ, gǔ lái wàn shì dōng liú shuǐ.
Life’s pleasures are like this—since ancient times, all things flow east like rivers.

别君去兮何时还？且放白鹿青崖间，须行即骑访名山。
Bié jūn qù xī hé shí huán? Qiě fàng bái lù qīng yá jiān, xū xíng jí qí fǎng míng shān.
I leave you now—when shall I return? I’ll tether my white deer among green cliffs, ride when I must to famous mountains.

安能摧眉折腰事权贵，使我不得开心颜！
Ān néng cuī méi zhé yāo shì quán guì, shǐ wǒ bù dé kāi xīn yán!
How can I bow my head and bend my knee to the mighty, stifling my joy?

Line-by-Line Analysis

1. The Unattainable vs. the Sublime:
   The poem opens with contrasting mythical places—Yingzhou (a Daoist paradise) and Tianmu. While Yingzhou is "hard to find," Tianmu’s ever-shifting clouds make it feel almost reachable, symbolizing Li Bai’s yearning for transcendence.

2. Mountain as Cosmic Pillar:
   Tianmu’s description—"scraping the sky," dwarfing sacred peaks like Tiantai—elevates it to a cosmic axis, a bridge between earth and heaven.

3. Dream as Liberation:
   The dream sequence (flying to Mirror Lake, climbing with Xie Lingyun’s clogs) merges Li Bai’s admiration for the nature-loving poet Xie with his own escapism from political strife.

4. Chaos and Revelation:
   The storm (roaring beasts, crumbling peaks) mirrors Li Bai’s inner turmoil, culminating in the grotto’s opening—a Daoist revelation where immortals dance. Yet, the dream vanishes, underscoring life’s impermanence.

5. Defiance in Farewell:
   The ending rejects servitude to "the mighty" (quánguì), championing spiritual freedom. The white deer symbolizes untamed nature and Daoist wandering.

Themes and Symbolism

• Freedom vs. Constraint: The dream journey contrasts with Li Bai’s stifling reality, advocating a life aligned with nature’s rhythms.
• Transience: The abrupt awakening echoes Daoist and Buddhist teachings on illusion (māyā) and impermanence.
• Symbols:
• Tianmu Mountain: A celestial realm beyond mortal strife.
• White Deer: A mount for transcendence, akin to the Daoist xian (immortal).

Cultural Context

Written during Li Bai’s exile (circa 745 CE), the poem channels his resentment toward court politics. Its blend of Chu Ci-style mysticism and Tang romanticism reflects the era’s Daoist revival. The "grotto heaven" (dòngtiān) motif ties to sacred geography in Chinese religion, where mountains are portals to immortality.

Conclusion

"梦游天姥吟留别" is a masterpiece of escapism and rebellion. Its vivid dreamscape—where nature dwarfs human power—resonates universally as a call to preserve one’s spirit against oppression. Today, it reminds us that joy lies not in status, but in the unshackled pursuit of wonder.

"How can I bow my head and bend my knee to the mighty, stifling my joy?"—Li Bai’s defiance remains a timeless anthem for the free soul.