jīn金líng陵jiǔ酒sì肆liú留bié别

This poem is usually dated to spring 726, though some say 725. Li Bai was in his twenties. He had left his home in Sichuan to travel, stayed for a while in Jinling and made many friends. That spring he was leaving for Yangzhou, and his friends gave him a farewell party at a wine shop. Li Bai wrote this poem and left it for them as a goodbye, which is why the title says "left behind at parting".

一般认为，这首诗写于唐玄宗开元十四年（726年）春天，一说是开元十三年。李白二十多岁，离开四川老家出门远游，在金陵住了一段时间，交了不少朋友。这年春天，他要离开金陵去扬州，朋友们在一家酒店里给他送行。李白写下这首诗，留给朋友们作告别，所以题目叫“留别”。

Li Bai (701 to 762) is one of the most famous Tang poets, called the Immortal of Poetry. He was bold and free, loved wine and loved making friends, and traveled across much of China. He wrote many farewell poems, but they are seldom tearful; they are warm and open-hearted. This one comes from his youthful travels in the south.

李白（701—762），唐代最有名的诗人之一，人称“诗仙”。他性格豪放，爱喝酒，爱交朋友，一生走遍了大半个中国。他写离别的诗很多，但常常不哭哭啼啼，而是写得热情、爽快。这首诗就是他年轻时漫游江南留下的作品。

This farewell poem is not lonely at all. It is lively and warm. It opens in a wine shop in spring. Willow catkins fill the air, the smell of wine fills the room, and the girl selling wine calls the guests with a smile. Catkins have no real scent, yet the poet says the whole shop smells sweet. It is the spring flowers, the wine and the happy mood all mixed together. Then the friends arrive. Those leaving and those staying drink cup after cup, and no one wants to put a cup down first. The last two lines are the best. How long is the feeling of parting? The poet does not say. He asks his friends to go and ask the Yangtze flowing east. The river rolls on and never ends, so the friendship is just as long, or even longer.

这首送别诗一点也不冷清，反而热热闹闹。开头是春天的酒店：柳絮满天飞，酒香飘满屋，卖酒的姑娘笑着招呼客人。柳絮本来没有什么香味，诗人却说“满店香”，其实是春天的花香、酒香和欢乐的气氛混在一起了。接着朋友们都来了，要走的和留下的一杯接一杯，谁也舍不得先放下酒杯。最后两句最妙：离别的情意有多长？诗人不直接说，而是请朋友去问向东流的长江。江水滔滔不绝，永远流不完，那份友情也就像江水一样长，甚至更长。