Artificial Mountain
At the beginning of the Tianbao Reign my maternal[1] uncle, the Vice-Director of the Bureau of Appointments, piled earth into a mountain by the hall of my [step-]grandmother. It was a basketful of dirt a full foot high, to take the place of the dried wood [of an incense[2] burner stand], and it held all the crockery[3] bowls for burning incense. The bowls were quite steady indeed. Beside it he planted “loving bamboo.” These several peaks, the craggy[4] heights, and lithe[5] grace [of bamboo] convey[6] perfectly the quality of transcending[7] this dusty world. Then, not realizing how far my own elation[8] had gone, I wrote this poem.
One basketful, a full foot of merit[9],
three peaks, his conception not ordinary.
As I gaze, it seems I am in the wilderness[10],
a secluded[11] spot ready to bring forth clouds.
The loving bamboo will cover it with spring shade,
Incense Burner’s dawn form is discerned[12].
It is a South Mountain to wish her long life,
with auspicious[13] vapors curling up daily.
单词释义
[1] maternal [məˈtɜːnl] adj. 母亲的; 母亲般慈爱的; 作为母亲的; 母系的; 母亲方面的;
[2] incense [ˈɪnsens , ɪnˈsens] n. 香(尤指宗教礼仪用的); v. 激怒; 使大怒;
[3] crockery [ˈkrɒkəri] n. 陶器; 瓦器; (烤箱用的) 碟,盘,杯,碗;
[4] craggy [ˈkræɡi] adj. 多峭壁的; 峻峭的; 轮廓分明有皱纹的;
[5] lithe [laɪð] adj. 优美柔软的; 易弯曲的,柔韧性好的;
[6] convey [kənˈveɪ] v. 表达,传递(思想、感情等); 传送; 运送; 输送;
[7] transcend [trænˈsend] v. 超出,超越(通常的界限);
[8] elation [iˈleɪʃn] n. 兴高采烈; 欢欣鼓舞; 喜气洋洋;
[9] merit [ˈmerɪt] n. 优点; 美德; 价值; 值得赞扬(或奖励、钦佩)的特点; 功绩; 长处; (学校或大学考试或作业的) 良好;
[10] wilderness [ˈwɪldənəs] n. 未开发的地区; 荒无人烟的地区; 荒野; 荒芜的地方; 杂草丛生处;
[11] seclude [sɪˈkluːd] v. (使) 与…隔离,与…隔绝; (使) 隐居,独处;
[12] discerned [dɪˈsɜːnd] v. 觉察出; 识别; 了解; (依稀) 看出,分辨出,听出;
[13] auspicious [ɔːˈspɪʃəs] adj. 吉利的; 吉祥的;