Jeffrey Tao has had a career as conference interpreter at the United Nations and has written many travelogues chronicling his impressions of international destinations. His literary work includes haikus on a variety of subjects and translations of poems from the Tang and Song dynasties, some of which have been published in magazines such as Adelaide, Belle Ombre, and Washington Square Review.
Autumn Sunset at Mountain Retreat Wang Wei
Fresh after the rain, the mountain is tranquil.
With dusk comes the chill of autumn.
The radiant moon casts its dappled rays on the pines,
and the crystal spring gurgles over rocks.
Emanating from the bamboo forest
is the laughter of returning washer women.
The lotus leaves quiver when fishermen step off their boats.
Be not nostalgic about the fragrance of spring—
The mountains in autumn are perfect for a long stay.
山居秋暝 王维
空山新雨后，天气晚来秋。
明月松间照，清泉石上流。
竹喧归涣女，莲动下渔舟。
随意春芳歇，王孙自可留。
Response to Zhang Shao Fu Wang Wei
In my old age I like peace and quiet,
without a care in the world.
I admit I have no better plan
than a reclusive existence in the forest.
The wind in the pines blows open my sash,
and I play the lute by moonlight in the mountains.
You ask me about the meaning of life,
the answer may lie in the fisherman’s song wafting from the bay.
酬张少府 王维
晚年惟好静，万事不关心。
自顾无长策，空知返旧林。
松风吹解带，山月照弹琴。
君问穷通理，渔歌入浦深。
