52 Pr e - q i n t i m e s
“lady” who has eluded him in his previous journeys. This introduces the last sha-
manistic flight of the poem:Since Ling Fen had given me a favorable oracle, 靈氛既告余以吉占兮 (líng fēn jì gào yú yĭ jí zhān xi)
I picked an auspicious day to start my journey on. 歷吉日乎吾將行 (lì jí rì hū wú jiāng xíng)
335 I broke a branch of jasper to take for my meat, 折瓊枝以為羞兮 (zhé qióng zhī yĭ wéi xiū xi)
And ground fine jasper meal for my journey’s provisions. 精瓊爢以為粻 (jīng qióng mí yĭ wéi zhāng)
Harness winged dragons to be my coursers, 為余駕飛龍兮 (wèi yú jià fēi lóng xi)
Let my chariot be of fine work of jade and ivory! 雜瑤象以為車 (zá yáo xiàng yĭ wéi chē)
How can I live with men whose hearts are strangers to me? 何離心之可同兮 (hé lí xīn zhī kĕ tóng xi)
340 I am going on a far journey to be away from them. 吾將遠逝以自疏 (wú jiāng yuăn shì yĭ zì shū)
I took the way toward the Kun-lun Mountain, 邅吾道夫崑崙兮 (zhān wú dào fú kūn lún xi)
A long, long road with many a turning in it. 路脩遠以周流 (lù xiū yuăn yĭ zhōu liú)
The cloud-embroidered banner flapped its great shade
above us, 揚雲霓之晻藹兮 (yáng yún ní zhī yăn ăi xi)
And the jingling jade yoke-bells tinkled merrily. 鳴玉鸞之啾啾 (míng yù luán zhī jiū jiū)
345 I set off at morning from the Ford of Heaven,42 朝發軔于天津兮 (zhāo fā rèn yú tiān jīn xi)
At evening I came to the world’s western end. 夕余至乎西極 (xī yú zhì hū xī jí)
Phoenixes followed me, bearing up my pennants, 鳳皇翼其承旂兮 (fèng huáng yì qí chéng qí xi)
Soaring high with majestic wing-beats. 高翱翔之翼翼 (gāo áo xiáng zhī yì yì)
Suddenly my route took me to the Flowing Sands, 忽吾行此流沙兮 (hū wú xíng cĭ liú shā xi)
350 Warily I drove along the banks of the Red Waters. 遵赤水而容與 (zūn chì shuĭ ér róng yŭ)
Then, beckoning the water-dragon to make a bridge for me, 麾蛟龍使梁津兮 (huī jiāo lóng shĭ liáng jīn xi)
I summoned the God of the West to take me over.43 詔西皇使涉予 (zhào xī huáng shĭ shè yú)
So long the road had been and full of difficulties, 路脩遠以多艱兮 (lù xiū yuăn yĭ duō jiān xi)
I sent word to my escort to take another route, 騰眾車使徑待 (téng zhòng chē shĭ jìng dài)
355 To wheel around leftward, skirting Bu-zhou Mountain,44 路不周以左轉兮 (lù bù zhōu yĭ zuŏ zhuăn xi)
On the shore of the Western Sea we would reassemble. 指西海以為期 (zhĭ xī hăi yĭ wéi qī)
When we had mustered there, all thousand chariots, 屯余車其千乘兮 (tún yú chē qí qiān shèng xi)
Jade hub to jade hub we galloped on abreast. 齊玉軑而并馳 (qí yù dài ér bìng chí)
My eight dragon steeds flew on with writhing undulations, 駕八龍之婉婉兮 (jià bā lóng zhī wăn wăn xi)
360 My cloud-embroidered banners flapped on the wind. 載雲旗之委蛇 (zài yún qízhī wĕi yí )
In vain I tried to curb them, to slacken the swift pace, 抑志而弭節兮 (yì zhì ér mĭ jié xi)
The spirits soared high up, far into the distance, 神高馳之邈邈 (shén gāo chí zhī miăo miăo)
We played the Nine Songs and danced to the Shao music,45 奏九歌而舞韶兮 (zòu jiŭ gē ér wŭ sháo xi)
Borrowing the time to make a holiday. 聊假日以媮樂 (liáo jià rì yĭ yù lè)
365 But when I had ascended the splendor of the heavens, 陟升皇之赫戲兮 (zhì shēng huáng zhī hè xì xi)
I suddenly caught a glimpse of my old home. 忽臨睨夫舊鄉 (hū lín nì fú jiù xiāng)
My groom’s heart was heavy and the horses for longing 僕夫悲余馬懷兮 (pú fū bēi yú mă huái xi)
Arched their heads back and refused to go on. 蜷局顧而不行 (quán jú gù ér bù xíng)
The purpose of this “far journey,” the poet informs us, is “to be away from” the
blinded world and its benighted people. For a moment, the poet seems to have