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Li Pai (701–762) enjoyed a brief period of fame at court but was expelled in 744 and spent the rest of his life wandering, mostly along the Yangtze, looking for patrons and hoping to be recalled to the capital. He wrote this poem in 754 while saying goodbye to a friend in Hsuancheng. Chinese cities were usually protected by two sets of walls: an inner wall of brick or stone and an outer rampart of rammed earth. Between them was enough farmland to supply the town with food during a siege. It was customary for friends to say goodbye at the outer rampart, and there were usually inns capable of supplying farewell fare for every budget. The Shuiyang River still circles what remains of the city’s east wall.

Seeing Off a Friend

LI PAI

Dark hills stretch beyond the north rampart

clear water circles the city’s east wall

from this place where farewell begins

a tumbleweed leaves on a thousand-mile journey

drifting clouds in a traveler’s thoughts

the setting sun in an old friend’s heart

as we wave and say goodbye

our parting horses neigh