31

Climbing the Stork Pavilion

Wang Chih-huan (688–742)

The white sun leaning on the mountain disappears,

The Yellow River flows on into the sea;

To stretch your gaze a thousand leagues,

Climb up still another story.

Translated by Richard W. Bodman

 

The author was born into a family of officials. He himself served as a county magistrate and held other minor posts. Most of his poetic works have been lost, only six quatrains surviving. These, however, have been sufficient to establish him as a significant figure in discussions of T’ang period literature.