FISHING IN THE WEI RIVER

Today I share prose composed by Po Chu-i (see his pic); he writes of a most carefree of fishermen.

Now, his light hearted story of this fisherman was written in China over1400 years ago, yet it describes me today!

FISHING IN THE WEI RIVER

by Po Chu-i (772 - 846)

composed ~ A.D. 811

"In waters still as a burnished mirror's face,

In the depths of Wei, carp and grayling swim.

Idly I come with my bamboo fishing-rod
And hang my hook by the banks of Wei stream.

A gentle wind blows on my fishing-gear
Softly shaking my ten feet of line.


Though my body sits waiting for fish to come,
My heart has wandered to the Land of Nothingness.

Long ago a white-headed man (note 1)
Also fished at the same river's side;

A hooker of men, not a hooker of fish,
At seventy years, he caught Wen Wang. (note 1)

But , when I come to cast my hook in the stream,
Have no thought either of fish or men.

Lacking the skill to capture either prey,
I can only bask in the autumn water's light.

When I tire of this, my fishing also stops;
I go to my home and drink my cup of wine.

Note 1: Reference is made to the Sage T'aiJkung who sat still till he was seventy, apparently fishing, but really waiting for a Prince who would employ him. At last Wen Wang, Prince of Chou, happened to come that way and at once made him his counsellor."

Note 2: Po Chu-i is also known as Bai Juyi

Reference: Waley, A., & Bai, J. (1919). More translations from the Chinese. New York: Knopf.

More Translations from the Chinese

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