Lang Tao Sha

Introducion:

The poem presents a spectacular scene of the Yellow River rolling in towering torrents against the vast sandy riverbed.   

Text:

Làng Táo Shā

  浪     淘    沙

（唐）刘禹锡 (Táng)Liú Yǔxī

 

Jiǔ qǔ huáng hé wàn lǐ shā

九  曲      黄     河  万  里  沙，

làng táo fēng bǒ zì tiān yá

 浪     淘    风  簸 自 天 涯。

rú jīn zhí shàng yín hé qù

如今   直     上     银 河 去，

tóng dào qiān niú zhī nǚ jiā

  同     到     牵    牛 织 女 家。

 

Lang Tao Sha

(Tang) Liu Yuxi

With a myriad twists of sandy beach the River Yellow,

In towering torrents roll as if falling from Heaven.

And now the surging waves straight to the Galaxy go,

Towards the abode of the Cowboy and the Weaving Maiden.

 

Comment:

The poem presents a spectacular scene of the Yellow River rolling in towering torrents against the vast sandy riverbed. The mighty river winds along from the remote source with its turbulent waves roaring down as if falling from the skies. They sweep away all the obstacles along the river course and shake the heaven and earth, striking awe into the hearts of the people. However, in the third and fourth lines the poet suddenly changes his tone, and sounds easy, relaxed and romantic by imagining his riding the waves upstream and visiting the Cowboy and the Weaving Maiden in the Galaxy. The poem fully demonstrates the poet's indomitable spirit of defying difficulty and pursuing a lofty goal.