— Li Bai
I, Li Bai, sit in a boat about to go,
When suddenly on shore your farewell songs overflow.
However deep the Lake of Peach Blossoms may be,
It’s not so deep, O Wang Lun, as your love for me.
Note
Li Bai (701–762 CE) was one of China’s most beloved and legendary poets of the Tang Dynasty, famed for his romantic spirit, love of wine, nature, and friendship, and his seemingly effortless poetic genius. Often called the “Immortal Poet,” he wrote with spontaneity, emotional warmth, and vivid imagination.
His short poem “To Wang Lun” (Zeng Wang Lun) captures a joyful, heartfelt moment of farewell. As Li Bai is about to set sail in a boat, he suddenly hears rhythmic singing and stomping on the riverbank – his friend Wang Lun is performing a traditional folk dance-song to see him off.
Touched by this warm, personal gesture, Li Bai compares the depth of their friendship to the famous Peach Blossom Pool, said to be a thousand feet deep. Yet even that immense depth, he declares,”cannot match Wang Lun’s affection for me.”
The poem’s charm lies in its simplicity, sincerity, and playful exaggeration. Unlike grand political or philosophical themes, it celebrates an ordinary yet profound human connection – making it one of the most accessible and endearing poems in Chinese literature.
赠汪伦
— 李白
李白乘舟将欲行，
忽闻岸上踏歌声。
桃花潭水深千尺，
不及汪伦送我情。
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