táo huā yuán jì
桃 花 源 记
Peach Blossom Spring

wèi jìn táo yuān míng
( 魏 晋 ) 陶 渊 明
(Wei and Jin Dynasties) Tao Yuanming

jìn tài yuán zhōng wǔ líng rén bǔ yú wéi yè
晋 太 元 中 ， 武 陵 人 捕 鱼 为 业 。
During the Taiyuan era of the Jin Dynasty, a man from Wuling made a living by fishing.

yuán xī xíng wàng lù zhī yuǎn jìn
缘 溪 行 ， 忘 路 之 远 近 。
He followed the stream, forgetting the distance he had traveled.

hū féng táo huā lín jiā àn shù bǎi bù
忽 逢 桃 花 林 ， 夹 岸 数 百 步 ，
Suddenly, he came upon a grove of peach blossoms, spanning hundreds of steps along the banks,

zhōng wú zá shù
中 无 杂 树 ，
with no other trees intermingled,

fāng cǎo xiān měi luò yīng bīn fēn
芳 草 鲜 美 ， 落 英 缤 纷 ，
fragrant grass and beautiful flowers, petals falling in profusion,

yú rén shèn yì zhī fù qián xíng yù qióng qí lín
渔 人 甚 异 之 。 复 前 行 ， 欲 穷 其 林 。
the fisherman was quite amazed by this scene. He continued forward, wishing to explore the end of the grove.

lín jìn shuǐ yuán biàn dé yī shān
林 尽 水 源 ， 便 得 一 山 ，
The grove ended at the source of the water, where he found a mountain,

shān yǒu xiǎo kǒu fǎng fú ruò yǒu guāng
山 有 小 口 ， 仿 佛 若 有 光 。
on which there was a small opening, as if emitting light.

biàn shě chuán cóng kǒu rù
便 舍 船 ， 从 口 入 。
He left his boat and entered through the opening.

chū jí xiá cái tōng rén
初 极 狭 ， 才 通 人 。
At first, it was very narrow, barely allowing a person to pass.

fù xíng shù shí bù huò rán kāi lǎng
复 行 数 十 步 ， 豁 然 开 朗 。
After walking several dozen steps, the scene suddenly became bright and open.

tǔ dì píng kuàng wū shè yǎn rán
土 地 平 旷 ， 屋 舍 俨 然 ，
The land was flat and vast, with houses in an orderly fashion,

yǒu liáng tián měi chí sāng zhú zhī shǔ
有 良 田 美 池 桑 竹 之 属 。
including fertile fields, beautiful ponds, mulberry trees, and bamboo.

qiān mò jiāo tōng jī quǎn xiāng wén
阡 陌 交 通 ， 鸡 犬 相 闻 。
Paths crisscrossed, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard from each other.

qí zhōng wǎng lái zhòng zuò
其 中 往 来 种 作 ，
The people coming and going, planting and working,

nán nǚ yī zhuó xī rú wài rén
男 女 衣 着 ， 悉 如 外 人 。
the clothing of men and women, all resembled that of the outside world.

huáng fà chuí tiáo bìng yí rán zì lè
黄 发 垂 髫 ， 并 怡 然 自 乐 。
The elderly with yellow hair and children with tufts of hair, all content and at ease.

jiàn yú rén nǎi dà jīng wèn suǒ cóng lái
见 渔 人 ， 乃 大 惊 ， 问 所 从 来 。
Upon seeing the fisherman, they were greatly surprised and asked where he had come from.

jù dá zhī biàn yāo huán jiā
具 答 之 。 便 要 还 家 ，
Having provided an answer, I wish to return home.

shè jiǔ shā jī zuò shí
设 酒 杀 鸡 作 食 。
They set up wine and killed chickens for a feast.

cūn zhōng wén yǒu cǐ rén xián lái wèn xùn
村 中 闻 有 此 人 ， 咸 来 问 讯 。
Upon hearing of this person in the village, everyone came to inquire.

zì yún xiān shì bì qín shí luàn
自 云 先 世 避 秦 时 乱 ，
He claimed that his ancestors fled the chaos of the Qin dynasty,

shuài qī zǐ yì rén lái cǐ jué jìng bù fù chū yān
率 妻 子 邑 人 来 此 绝 境 ， 不 复 出 焉 ，
Leading his wife, children, and fellow villagers to this secluded place, never to leave again,

suì yǔ wài rén jiàn gé
遂 与 外 人 间 隔 。
Thus becoming isolated from the outside world.

wèn jīn shì hé shì
问 今 是 何 世 ，
They asked what era it was,

nǎi bù zhī yǒu hàn wú lùn wèi jìn
乃 不 知 有 汉 ，无 论 魏 晋 。
Not knowing of the Han dynasty, let alone the Wei and Jin dynasties.

cǐ rén yī yī wèi jù yán suǒ wén jiē tàn wǎn
此 人 一 一 为 具 言 所 闻 ， 皆 叹 惋 。
This person then told them everything he had heard, and they all lamented in surprise.

yú rén gè fù yán zhì qí jiā jiē chū jiǔ shí
余 人 各 复 延 至 其 家 ， 皆 出 酒 食 。
The villagers each invited him to their homes, offering wine and food.

tíng shù rì cí qù
停 数 日 ， 辞 去 。
After staying for several days, he took leave.

cǐ zhōng rén yù yún bù zú wèi wài rén dào yě
此 中 人 语 云 ：“ 不 足 为 外 人 道 也 。”
The people of the village told him, “It’s not worth mentioning to outsiders.”

jì chū dé qí chuán
既 出 ， 得 其 船 ，
Upon leaving, he found his boat,

biàn fú xiàng lù chù chù zhì zhī
便 扶 向 路 ， 处 处 志 之 。
And followed the direction, marking the way at every turn.

jí jùn xià yì tài shǒu shuō rú cǐ
及 郡 下 ， 诣 太 守 ， 说 如 此 。
Upon reaching the district, he went to the governor and reported the situation.

tài shǒu jí qiǎn rén suí qí wǎng
太 守 即 遣 人 随 其 往 ，
The governor immediately sent people to follow him,

xún xiàng suǒ zhì suì mí bù fù dé lù
寻 向 所 志 ， 遂 迷 ， 不 复 得 路 。
Searching for the marked path, but they became lost and could not find the way again.

nán yáng liú zǐ jì gāo shàng shì yě
南 阳 刘 子 骥 ， 高 尚 士 也 ，
Liu Ziji from Nanyang, a noble scholar,

wén zhī xīn rán guī wǎng
闻 之 ， 欣 然 规 往 。
Upon hearing this, eagerly planned to go there.

wèi guǒ xún bìng zhōng hòu suì wú wèn jīn zhě
未 果 ， 寻 病 终 ， 后 遂 无 问 津 者 。
However, he passed away before he could fulfill his wish, and no one asked about it again.