竹里馆
Bamboo Lodge
Original
独坐幽篁里，
弹琴复长啸。
深林人不知，
明月来相照。
Translation
Sitting alone in the quiet bamboo grove,
I pluck my lute and let out long whistles.
In the deep woods, no one knows I am here,
Only the bright moon comes to shine on me.
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
The complete translation of 'Bamboo Lodge' reads: 'Sitting alone in the quiet bamboo grove, / I pluck my lute and let out long whistles. / In the deep woods, no one knows I am here, / Only the bright moon comes to shine on me.' Composed in Wang Wei’s later years when he retreated to his Wangchuan Estate, this poem encapsulates the serene, secluded allure of rural hermitage. It centers on the theme of peaceful solitude, where the poet finds profound contentment in communion with nature rather than human company. The gentle, tranquil imagery carries a distinct Zen-like calm, mirroring his escape from official chaos and pursuit of inner harmony through oneness with the natural world.
About the Poet
王维
Wáng Wéi
Wang Wei (701-761) was a prominent poet, painter, musician and politician of the High Tang Dynasty, a leading figure of the pastoral landscape poetry school, often paired with Meng Haoran as 'Wang and Meng'. He rose to the position of Assistant Minister of the Right, known posthumously as 'Wang Youcheng'. His works are celebrated for the integration of poetry and painting, with a quiet, meditative charm that reflects his deep devotion to Zen Buddhism and love for nature.
Cultural & Historical Context
1. Historical Background: Wang Wei lived through the shift from the prosperous High Tang era to the turbulent An Lushan Rebellion (755-763), a period of social upheaval that drove many literati to seek solace in nature. 2. Cultural Background: Pastoral landscape poetry thrived in the Tang Dynasty, rooted in traditional literati values of hermitage and Zen Buddhism, which emphasized inner peace and unity with the natural world. 3. Social Background: As political corruption and factional strife intensified in late High Tang, officials like Wang Wei faced moral conflicts, leading them to turn to rural seclusion to preserve their spiritual integrity. 4. Personal Experience: After being coerced into serving the rebel regime during the rebellion, Wang Wei was pardoned but endured lingering guilt, prompting him to withdraw from active politics and embrace a reclusive life at his Wangchuan Estate. 5. Artistic Features & Purpose: The poem seeks to convey the poet’s meditative detachment from worldly concerns. Using minimal, vivid imagery—quiet bamboo grove, lute, whistle, bright moon—it employs a concise sketching style, contrasting subtle movements with the stillness of the woods to create an ethereal, Zen-infused atmosphere, where solitude becomes a source of spiritual fulfillment rather than loneliness.