The Far-off Milky Way

Hello friends and family. I've finally gotten around to creating a blog to record my experiences of living and working in China. Since I've already been here for a few weeks, the first few posts will simply be recapping my experience so far. If you already know about my situation at the moment, you will just have to use your imagination and create some dramatic suspense. But, before we get started with all that, I present a poem by the famous Li Bai (李白):

月下独酌：

花间一壶酒，独酌无相亲。
举杯邀明月，对影成三人。
月既不解饮，影徒随我身。
暂伴月将影，行乐须及春。
我歌月徘徊，我舞影零乱。
醒时同交欢，醉后各分散。
永结无情游，相期邈云汉。

Drinking Under the Moon:
In amongst the flowers with a jug of booze, drinking alone without family or friends.
I raise my glass and toast the moon--Including my shadow, that makes three of us!
Sadly, the moon doesn't understand drinking, and my shadow just follows me around,
but for a time, I have their company, and we make merry, waiting for the spring to come.
As I sing, the moon rocks to and fro; when I dance, my shadow scatters 'cross the ground.
Still sober, we drink as friends together; once drunk, we go our separate ways,
returning to our endless, inexorable travels, until we meet again in the far-off Milky Way.


I learned this poem in my classical Chinese class with Professor Zhao. I liked it so much, I decided to name my blog after the final bit (邈云汉 = miaoyunhan = the far-off milky way). So, thanks Zhao, and I hope you all enjoy the blog!


-Peter