Original Text and Translation of "Red Cliff Ode"#
Author: Su Shi#
Original Text#
In the autumn of the year Ren Xu, on the sixteenth day of the seventh month, Su Zi and his friends took a boat trip under the Red Cliff. The gentle breeze blew, and the water remained calm. Su Zi raised his wine cup to his companions and recited a poem about the bright moon, singing a graceful chapter. Soon, the moon rose above the eastern mountain, wandering between the constellations of the Big Dipper and the Cowherd. The white dew spread across the river, and the water reflected the sky. Like a single reed floating aimlessly, it traversed the vast expanse. It was as vast as the wind carrying the phoenix, not knowing where it would stop; it was as ethereal as a transcendent being, ascending to immortality. (Feng Tong: relying on)
They drank and enjoyed themselves, singing as they tapped the side of the boat. The song went, "With cinnamon oars and orchid paddles, we strike the clear waves and sail against the flowing light. My thoughts are vast and distant, gazing at the beautiful woman in the sky." One of the guests played the dongxiao flute and harmonized with the song. The sound was mournful and longing, as if crying and lamenting. The lingering melody continued without end. They danced like hidden dragons in deep ravines and wept like widows on lonely boats.
Su Zi became solemn and sat upright, asking his guest, "Why is it so?" The guest replied, "'When the moon is sparse and the magpies fly south,' isn't this a poem by Cao Mengde? Looking west, we see Xiakou; looking east, we see Wuchang. The mountains and rivers are intertwined, and everything is lush and green. Isn't this the place where Mengde was trapped by Zhou Yu? When he captured Jingzhou and took Jiangling, he sailed downstream with his fleet, with banners covering the sky. He drank by the river, recited poems with a spear in hand, and was once a hero of his time. But where is he now? Moreover, here we are, fishing and chopping wood on the river, with fish and shrimp as companions and deer as friends. We sail on a small boat, raising cups to each other. We are like mayflies in the vastness of heaven and earth, as small as a grain of sand in the boundless sea. Alas, I lament the brevity of our lives and envy the endlessness of the Yangtze River. I want to travel with immortals, embracing the bright moon until the end. I know it cannot be achieved suddenly, so I entrust my regrets to the sorrowful wind."
Su Zi said, "Do you also understand the water and the moon? The past is gone, but it has never been there; the full and the empty are like that, and they never cease. If we observe things from their changing aspect, even the heavens and the earth cannot be captured in an instant. If we observe things from their unchanging aspect, everything is endless, including ourselves. So what is there to envy? Furthermore, between heaven and earth, everything has its master. If it is not something that belongs to us, not even a tiny bit can be taken. Only the clear wind on the river and the bright moon in the mountains, when heard, become sound, and when seen, become color. They can be taken without restriction and used without exhaustion. This is the endless treasure bestowed by the creator, which you and I can enjoy together." (共适，also written as 共食)
The guest smiled happily and poured more wine. The dishes and plates were in disarray. They lay down together on the boat, unaware that the east had already turned white.
Translation and Annotations#
Translation#
In the autumn of the year Ren Xu, on the sixteenth day of the seventh month, I and my friends took a boat trip under the Red Cliff. The gentle breeze blew, and the water remained calm. I raised my wine cup to my companions and recited a poem about the bright moon, singing a graceful chapter. Soon, the moon rose above the eastern mountain, wandering between the constellations of the Big Dipper and the Cowherd. The white dew spread across the river, and the water reflected the sky. Like a single reed floating aimlessly, it traversed the vast expanse. It was as vast as the wind carrying the phoenix, not knowing where it would stop; it was as ethereal as a transcendent being, ascending to immortality. (Feng Tong: relying on)
We drank and enjoyed ourselves, tapping the side of the boat as we sang. The song went, "With cinnamon oars and orchid paddles, we strike the clear waves and sail against the flowing light. My thoughts are vast and distant, gazing at the beautiful woman in the sky." One of the guests played the dongxiao flute and harmonized with the song. The sound of the flute was mournful and longing: it was like crying and lamenting, and its lingering melody continued without end. We danced like hidden dragons in deep ravines and wept like widows on lonely boats.
I became solemn and sat upright, asking my guest, "Why is it so?" The guest replied, "'When the moon is sparse and the magpies fly south,' isn't this a poem by Cao Mengde? Looking west, we see Xiakou; looking east, we see Wuchang. The mountains and rivers are intertwined, and everything is lush and green. Isn't this the place where Mengde was trapped by Zhou Yu? When he captured Jingzhou and took Jiangling, he sailed downstream with his fleet, with banners covering the sky. He drank by the river, recited poems with a spear in hand, and was once a hero of his time. But where is he now? Moreover, here we are, fishing and chopping wood on the river, with fish and shrimp as companions and deer as friends. We sail on a small boat, raising cups to each other. We are like mayflies in the vastness of heaven and earth, as small as a grain of sand in the boundless sea. Alas, I lament the brevity of our lives and envy the endlessness of the Yangtze River. I want to travel with immortals, embracing the bright moon until the end. I know it cannot be achieved suddenly, so I entrust my regrets to the sorrowful wind."
I said, "Do you also understand the water and the moon? The past is gone, but it has never been there; the full and the empty are like that, and they never cease. If we observe things from their changing aspect, even the heavens and the earth cannot be captured in an instant. If we observe things from their unchanging aspect, everything is endless, including ourselves. So what is there to envy? Furthermore, between heaven and earth, everything has its master. If it is not something that belongs to us, not even a tiny bit can be taken. Only the clear wind on the river and the bright moon in the mountains, when heard, become sound, and when seen, become color. They can be taken without restriction and used without exhaustion. This is the endless treasure bestowed by the creator, which you and I can enjoy together." (共适，also written as 共食)
The guest smiled happily and poured more wine. The dishes and plates were in disarray. We lay down together on the boat, unaware that the east had already turned white.
Annotations#
Selected from "Jing Jin Dong Po Wen Ji Shi Lue" Volume One (from the "Si Bu Cong Kan" edition). This prose was written in the fifth year of the Yuanfeng period of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty (1082). Prior to this, Su Shi was exiled to Huangzhou (now Huanggang, Hubei) due to the Wutai Poetry Case (in the second year of Yuanfeng). Because he later wrote another essay with the same title, he referred to this essay as the "Former Red Cliff Ode," and the one written on the fifteenth day of the tenth month as the "Later Red Cliff Ode." The Red Cliff mentioned here is actually the Chibi Peninsula in Huangzhou, not the site of the Battle of Red Cliffs in the Three Kingdoms period. Su Shi knew this, but he used the name Red Cliff to express his feelings.
Ren Xu: The fifth year of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty (1082), with the year name Ren Xu.
Ji Wang: Ji, passed; Wang, the fifteenth day of the lunar month. "Ji Wang" refers to the sixteenth day of the lunar month.
Xu: Slowly, gently.
Xing: Rise, occur.
Shu Ke: Raise a toast to the guests.
Song Ming Yue: Recite a poem about the bright moon.
Ge Yao Tiao Zhi: Sing a graceful chapter.
Shao Yan: A short while.
Dong Shan: Eastern mountain.
Pai Huai: Wander, linger.
Dou Niu: The Big Dipper.
Bai Lu: White dew.
Heng Jiang: The water reflects the sky. Heng, horizontally.
Zong Yi Wei Zhi: Like a single reed floating aimlessly. Zong: Let, allow. Yi Wei: Like a single reed.
Ling Wan Qing Zhi Mang Ran: Traverse the vast expanse. Ling: Cross over. Wan Qing: Vast expanse.
Hao Hao Hu Ru Feng: As vast as the wind carrying the phoenix.
Bu Zhi Qi Su Zhi Su Zhi: Not knowing where it would stop.
Piao Piao Yu Wei Du Li: As ethereal as a transcendent being.
Feng Tong: Relying on.
Yu: Enjoy, have fun.
Kou Xian: Tap the side of the boat.
Ge Yue: Sing a song.
Gui Zhao Xi Lan: With cinnamon oars and orchid paddles.
Ji Kong Ming Xi Su Liu Guang: Strike the clear waves and sail against the flowing light.
Miao Miao Yu Huai: My thoughts are vast and distant.
Wang Mei Ren Tian Yi Fang: Gazing at the beautiful woman in the sky.
Chui Dong Xiao Zhe: One of the guests played the dongxiao flute.
Yi Ge: Harmonize, accompany.
Wu Wu Ran: The sound of the flute was mournful and longing.
Ru Yuan Ru Mu: Like crying and lamenting.
Ru Qi Ru Su: Like crying and lamenting.
Yu Yin Niao Niao: The lingering melody continued without end.
Wu You He Qian Jiao: Dance like hidden dragons in deep ravines.
Qi Gu Zhou Zhi Li Fu: Weep like widows on lonely boats.
Su Zi: Su Shi.
Qiang Jin Wei Zuo: Became solemn and sat upright.
Wen Ke: Ask a guest.
He Wei Qi Ran Ye: Why is it so?
Ke: Guest.
Yue Ming Xing Xi: "When the moon is sparse and the magpies fly south," isn't this a poem by Cao Mengde?
Xi Wang Xia Kou: Looking west, we see Xiakou.
Dong Wang Wu Chang: Looking east, we see Wuchang.
Shan Chuan Xiang Miu: The mountains and rivers are intertwined.
Yu Hu Cang Cang: Everything is lush and green.
Zhou Lang: Zhou Yu.
Meng De: Cao Cao.
Fang Qi: Trapped.
Kun Yu Zhou: Mengde was trapped by Zhou Yu.
Fang Jing Zhou: When he captured Jingzhou.
Xia Jiang Ling: Took Jiangling.
Shun Liu Er Dong Ye: Sailed downstream.
Zhu Lu Qian Li: With banners covering the sky.
Shai Jiu Lin Jiang: He drank by the river.
Heng Shuo Fu Shi: Recited poems with a spear in hand.
Gu Yi Shi Xiong Ye: Was once a hero of his time.
Er Jin An Zai Zai: But where is he now?
Kuang Zhi Yu Zi: Moreover, here we are.
Yu Jiang Zhong Xiao: Fishing and chopping wood on the river.
Lai Yu Xia Wei: With fish and shrimp as companions.
Yu Mi Lu Wei You: And deer as friends.
Jia Yi Ye Zhi Bian Zhou: We sail on a small boat.
Ju Yi Bei Zhan: Raising cups to each other.
Ji Fu You Tian Di: We are like mayflies in the vastness of heaven and earth.
Miao Cang Hai Zhi Yi Su: As small as a grain of sand in the boundless sea.
Ai Wu Sheng Zhi Xu Yu: Alas, I lament the brevity of our lives.
Xian Chang Jiang Zhi Wu Qiong: And envy the endlessness of the Yangtze River.
Jie Fei Xian Yi Ao You: I want to travel with immortals.
Bao Ming Yue Er Chang Zhong: Embracing the bright moon until the end.
Zhi Bu Ke Huo: I know it cannot be achieved suddenly.
Tuo Yi Xiang Yu Bei Feng: So I entrust my regrets to the sorrowful wind.
Su Zi: Su Shi.
Ke Yi Zhi Shui Yu Yue Hu: Do you also understand the water and the moon?
Shi Zhe Ru Si: The past is gone.
Er Wei Chang Ye: But it has never been there.
Ying Xu Zhe Ru Bi: The full and the empty are like that.
Er Zu Mo Xiao: And they never cease.
Gai: If.
Zi Qi Bian Zhe Er Guan Zhi: If we observe things from their changing aspect.
Ze Tian Di Ceng Bu Neng Yi Yi Shun: Even the heavens and the earth cannot be captured in an instant.
Zi Qi Bu Bian Zhe Er Guan Zhi: If we observe things from their unchanging aspect.
Ze Wu Yu Wo Jie: Everything is endless, including ourselves.
Er You He Xiang Yu: So what is there to envy?
Qi Chang Tian Di Zhi Jian: Furthermore, between heaven and earth, everything has its master.
Gou Bu Shi Wo Zhi Suo You: If it is not something that belongs to us, not even a tiny bit can be taken.
Wei Jiang Shang Qing Feng: Only the clear wind on the river.
Yu Shan Jian Ming Yue: And the bright moon in the mountains.
Er De Zhi Er Cheng Se: When heard, become sound.
Mu Yu Zhi Er Cheng Se: And when seen, become color.
Qu Zhi Wu Jin: They can be taken without restriction.
Yong Zhi Bu Jie: And used without exhaustion.
Shi Zao Wu Jin Cang: This is the endless treasure bestowed by the creator.
Er Wu Yu Zi Zhi Suo Gong Shi: Which you and I can enjoy together. (共适，also written as 共食)
Ke Xi: The guest.
Xi: Happy.
Xiao Zhan: Pour more wine.
Yao He Ji: The dishes and plates were in disarray.
Xiang Yu Zhe Hu Zhong: We lay down together on the boat.
Bu Zhi Dong Fang Zhi Ji Bai: Unaware that the east had already turned white.