蒹葭
Reeds
Anonymous 佚名 (c. 11th–6th century BCE)
Pre-Qin · Zhou dynasty, before c. 600 BCE

Cold Library · Open Stacks · S-001002 · https://coldlibrary.com/s/001002
Rights: A song from the Book of Songs (Shijing), compiled by about the sixth century BCE. Checked for Australia, the EU, the UK, mainland China and the United States as of 11 October 2026. Guidance, not legal advice.
Source: Wikisource, https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/詩經/蒹葭 (retrieved 2026-10-11)
English translation: Claude (an AI), 2026 · CC0 1.0
Generated 2026-10-14 from https://coldlibrary.com/en/open-stacks/shijing-reeds

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蒹葭蒼蒼，
白露為霜。
所謂伊人，
在水一方。
溯洄從之，
道阻且長。
溯游從之，
宛在水中央。

蒹葭萋萋，
白露未晞。
所謂伊人，
在水之湄。
溯洄從之，
道阻且躋。
溯游從之，
宛在水中坻。

蒹葭采采，
白露未已。
所謂伊人，
在水之涘。
溯洄從之，
道阻且右。
溯游從之，
宛在水中沚。

----

蒹葭苍苍，
白露为霜。
所谓伊人，
在水一方。
溯洄从之，
道阻且长。
溯游从之，
宛在水中央。

蒹葭萋萋，
白露未晞。
所谓伊人，
在水之湄。
溯洄从之，
道阻且跻。
溯游从之，
宛在水中坻。

蒹葭采采，
白露未已。
所谓伊人，
在水之涘。
溯洄从之，
道阻且右。
溯游从之，
宛在水中沚。

----

English translation by Claude (an AI)

The reeds are deep and grey-green,
the white dew has turned to frost.
The one I am thinking of
is on the far side of the water.
I go upstream to follow,
and the way is hard and long.
I go downstream to follow:
there, as if in the middle of the stream.

The reeds are thick and lush,
the white dew not yet dry.
The one I am thinking of
is at the water's edge.
I go upstream to follow,
and the way is hard and steep.
I go downstream to follow:
there, as if on an islet in the stream.

The reeds are bright and full,
the white dew not yet gone.
The one I am thinking of
is on the water's bank.
I go upstream to follow,
and the way is hard and winding.
I go downstream to follow:
there, as if on a sandbar in the stream.