望庐山瀑布
wàng lú shān pù bù
Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu
李白 (Li Bai) · Tang Dynasty · 701–762
Original Text
日照香炉生紫烟，
rì zhào xiāng lú shēng zǐ yān,
遥看瀑布挂前川。
yáo kàn pù bù guà qián chuān.
飞流直下三千尺，
fēi liú zhí xià sān qiān chǐ,
疑是银河落九天。
yí shì yín hé luò jiǔ tiān.
English Translation
Sunlight on Incense Burner Peak produces purple haze; from afar I see the waterfall hanging over the river. Its torrent plunges straight down three thousand feet — as if the Milky Way were falling from the ninth heaven.
Historical Background
Li Bai wrote this poem while visiting Mount Lu (庐山) in Jiangxi province, one of China's most famous mountains. The "Incense Burner Peak" (香炉峰) is a summit whose mist, when lit by sunlight, resembles incense smoke. The waterfall described is likely the Kai先 Waterfall (开先瀑布), one of several at Mount Lu.
Literary Analysis
This poem showcases Li Bai's trademark hyperbole and cosmic imagination. The progression builds from realistic observation (sunlight on mist) to increasingly fantastical description — the waterfall "hangs" like a curtain, plunges "three thousand feet," and finally becomes the Milky Way itself falling from heaven. The number "nine" in Chinese cosmology represents the highest, making "ninth heaven" the ultimate height.
Details
Form
Seven-character Quatrain (七言绝句)
Theme
Nature & Landscape
About Li Bai (李白)
Li Bai is one of the most celebrated poets in Chinese history, known as the "Immortal Poet" (诗仙). Born in Central Asia and raised in Sichuan, he was famous for his romantic imagination, love of wine, and Daoist-influenced worldview. His poetry combines grandeur with effortless elegance.
5 poems by Li Bai in our collection
Traditional Chinese
日照香爐生紫煙，遙看瀑布掛前川。飛流直下三千尺，疑是銀河落九天。