早发白帝城
zǎo fā bái dì chéng
Early Departure from White Emperor City
李白 (Li Bai) · Tang Dynasty · 701–762
Original Text
朝辞白帝彩云间，
zhāo cí bái dì cǎi yún jiān,
千里江陵一日还。
qiān lǐ jiāng líng yī rì huán.
两岸猿声啼不住，
liǎng àn yuán shēng tí bú zhù,
轻舟已过万重山。
qīng zhōu yǐ guò wàn chóng shān.
English Translation
At dawn I depart White Emperor City among the colorful clouds; a thousand miles to Jiangling, I'll return in a single day. From both banks, the monkeys' cries never cease — my light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains.
Historical Background
Li Bai wrote this poem in 759 AD after being pardoned from exile. He had been sentenced to banishment in remote Guizhou for his involvement in a political rebellion, but an amnesty was declared while he was traveling upriver. This poem captures his joy as he races back downstream through the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The exuberance is palpable.
Literary Analysis
The poem surges with speed and elation. "Colorful clouds" frame the departure in beauty; "a thousand miles in one day" conveys breathtaking velocity. The monkey cries — a traditional symbol of sorrow in Chinese poetry — are transformed here: they cannot slow him down. The final line's past tense ("has already passed") creates a feeling of effortlessness, as if the mountains flew by while we weren't looking. It's Li Bai at his most jubilant.
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
朝辭白帝彩雲間，千里江陵一日還。兩岸猿聲啼不住，輕舟已過萬重山。