History & Politics

The Temple of Su Wu

by Wen T’ing-yün c. AD 850

Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu (1929) · From The Jade Mountain (1929)

History & Politics

Though our envoy, Su Wu, is gone, body and soul,
This temple survives, these trees endure . . .
Wildgeese through the clouds are still calling to the moon there
And hill-sheep unshepherded graze along the border.
. . . Returning, he found his country changed
Since with youthful cap and sword he had left it.
His bitter adventures had won him no title . . .
Autumn-waves endlessly sob in the river.

MLA

T’ing-yün, Wen. “The Temple of Su Wu.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wen-ting-yun/4/.

Chicago

T’ing-yün, Wen. “The Temple of Su Wu.” Translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kang-hu. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wen-ting-yun/4/.

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