At Tashan Weir, a spectacle so grand,
A million thunders roar across the land.
Who wields the scissors sharp from Bingzhou's hand,
To shear the waves in two with one command?
Deep in Siming Mountains, waters flow from far,
Where countless streams converge, a torrent bizarre.
The swelling floods, sky-high, refuse to stay,
And rush into the Long River, break away.
How wise the Tang official, surnamed Wang,
Who planned for lasting good, his vision strong.
I think of his hard work in days of yore,
Surveying hills and streams from shore to shore.
A thousand western peaks in chains extend,
Only this eastern hill stands as a friend.
So here he built the weir across the tide,
To cut the streams' wild force with steadfast pride.
He weighed the gains and losses, took not all,
The weir's height staggered, answering nature's call.
When floods are great, seven-tenths to the river go,
Three-tenths drawn gently, making farmlands grow.
Through the city streets, the branching currents glide,
Their veins connected, flowing calm and wide.
In drought, reversed, the water still suffices,
Forgetting dry spells for a thousand crises.
Endless temple rites repay his deed,
His statue stern, no one dares mislead.
The plum-wood beam, with divine aid, curves high,
Guarding against great floods beneath the sky.
The works of ancients often hold a sacred might,
Their sincere hearts shine through like sun's pure light.
Later men's petty wisdom tries to change the plan,
Wasting all effort, ruin spreads again.
When rivers silt, no dredging plans unite,
Broken banks bring floods with savage might.
The rich stand by, the common folk bear pain,
Looking to the ancients, sighing in disdain.
Old trees howl in the wind, waves gleam deep green,
Like a painted screen, the view's a vibrant scene.
When heavy rains swell torrents, more to see,
Wetting feet, lifting robes, what fear for me?
Not far from home, I come here now and then,
A short boat, fishing line, to stir the stream again.
If in eighth month a fairy raft appears,
I'd ride it up the Milky Way, beyond the spheres.