The Jade Mountain/On Climbing in Nan-king to the Terrace of Phoenixes

by Li Bai

ON CLIMBING IN NAN-KING
TO THE TERRACE OF PHŒNIXES

Phœnixes that played here once, so that the place was named for them,Have abandoned it now to this desolate river;The paths of Wu Palace are crooked with weeds;The garments of Chin are ancient dust.. . . Like this green horizon halving the Three Peaks,Like this Island of White Egrets dividing the river,A cloud has arisen between the Light of Heaven and me,To hide his city from my melancholy heart.

(6, 31)