Amusement in the Mountains

喬樹重巒石徑紆 前行迴顧後行呼

松年粉本東山趣 摹作宮中行樂圖

小坐溪亭清且紆 侍臣莫謾雜傳呼

閼氏來備九嬪列 較勝明妃出塞圖

幾閒壺裡小游紆 憑檻何須清蹕呼

詎是衣冠希漢代 丹青寓意寫為圖

瀑水當軒落澗紆 岩邊馴鹿可招呼

林泉寄傲非吾事 保泰思艱懷永圖

癸未新春御題

———

The trees were tall, the maintain peaks were numerous, and the stone pathway followed a winding course. The travellers leading the way kept looking back at the travellers behind them, who called out for their attention. In an effort to imitate the Song Dynasty painter Liu Sung-Nien and the way he found amusements in the Eastern Mountains, this painting was created based on his, depicting the amusements we had in the palace.

While I sat in a pavilion near a clear and meandering river for a little while, the courtiers behaved extremely attentively. The Empress Consort came here arranging the palace ladies to tour the mountains in a nice procession, and the sight of it exceeded that of Chaochun’s procession as depicted in the paintings. The few leisurely ladies wound around touring among the waters for a little while, needing no sedans as they leaned towards the railings. We dressed up in Han Dynasty costumes to amuse ourselves in portraits, and it does not mean we prefer their fashion over our own.

As a waterfall headed towards the ravine and the meandering river beneath it right in front of my window, the reindeer beside the rocks appeared to listen to my calls. Being carefree among forests and creeks is not a thing among my duties, and I need to preserve the peace, consider all the hardships ahead, and keep the eternal plan in my heart.

Written by the Emperor on the New Year’s Day of 1763