Listen to this article《秋兴八首》是唐代宗大历元年（766）秋杜甫在夔州时所作的一组七言律诗，因秋而感发诗兴，故曰“秋兴”。杜甫自唐肃宗乾元二年（759）弃官，至当时已历七载，战乱频仍，国无宁日，人无定所，当此秋风萧瑟之时，不免触景生情。持续八年的安史之乱，至广德元年（763）始告结束，而吐蕃、回纥乘虚而入，藩镇拥兵割据，战乱时起，唐王朝难以复兴了。此时，严武去世，杜甫在成都生活失去凭依，遂沿江东下，滞留夔州。诗人晚年多病，知交零落，壮志难酬，在非常寂寞抑郁的心境下创作了这组诗。
杜甫·《秋兴·其五》
蓬莱宫阙对南山，承露金茎霄汉间。
西望瑶池降王母，东来紫气满函关。
云移雉尾开宫扇，日绕龙鳞识圣颜。
一卧沧江惊岁晚，几回青琐点朝班。
Reflections in the Autumn V
Du Fu
Facing the Zhongnan Mountain the Penlai Palace rises high,
With brazen poles upholding the dew-plates to sky.（1）
One may descry the Grandmother descending her Fairy Pond,
And Lao Zi passing Hanggu Pass with purple mist around.（2）
When pheasant-tail-fans move like clouds rolling away,
In a shining dragon-scaled-robe appears His Majesty.（3）
Now it’s only a riverrain dream in deep autumn-tide—
The days I waited for the levee by Blue Chains side.（4）
（1）. In the Palace of the emperor of the Han Dynasty there had been built very tall brazen poles with plates on the tops for accepting dews for the emperor to drink. He thought it was something divine.
（2）. The Grandmother is a Goddess in legendary tales. She lives in far west. Lao Zi was an ancient philosopher. It was said that when he came from east to the Hangu Pass there could be seen a purple mist with him. In these lines Penglai Palace that from there one could see things far away.
（3）. An emperor used to wear a robe embroidered with dragon scales. There were big fans made of pheasant tail put before his throne as a screen. Whenever the emperor took his seat, the big fans were moved aside.
（4）. Blue chains was the name of the gate of a palace. The gate was carved with chain-work and painted blue.
（吴钧陶 译）
Eight Octaves on Autumnal Musings V
Du Fu
The Penlai palatial mansions face the South Mounts;
A Golden Pillar reseth upright toward the sky.
High up from Gem Pool in the west, descendeth Dame Wang;
From th’ east a purple aura the Han Pass doth sanctify.
Like clouds the fans of pheasant-tail plumes move to ope;
Dawn beams on the dragon robe reveal His mien.—
Lying by neath the flood, I am surprised ‘tis so late;
How oft I was roll-called at the portal carved in green.
（孙大雨 译）
