Su Dongpo: Writing About Myself Resembles a Painting of Mt. Jin

Writing About Myself Resembles a Painting of Mt. Jin

自 题 金 山 画 像

心 似 已 灰 之 木
身 如 不 系 之 舟。

问 汝 平 生 功 业
黄 州 惠 州 儋 州。

Zi Ti Jin Shan Hua Xiang

Xin si yi hui zhi mu
Shen ru bu xi zhi zhou.                                                                                                          Wen ru ping sheng gong ye
Huang zhou hui zhou dan zhou.

Writing About Myself Resembles a Painting of Mt. Jin

Heart-mind like wood ashes
Life like a boat that is not tied up.                                                                                      If asked about my lifetime achievements
I would reply: look to Hangzhou, Huizhou, and Danzhou.

Notes:

Jin Shan: Mt. Jin is located near Shanghai.

Huizhou: Central Guangdong Province.

Danzhou: Northwest part on the island of Hainan.