九(jiǔ)月(yuè)九(jiǔ)日(rì)忆(yì)山(shān)东(dōnɡ)兄(xiōnɡ)弟(dì)

王(wánɡ)维(wéi)〔唐(tánɡ)代(dài)〕

独(dú)在(zài)异(yì)乡(xiānɡ)为(wéi)异(yì)客(kè),

每(měi)逢(fénɡ)佳(jiā)节(jié)倍(bèi)思(sī)亲(qīn)。

遥(yáo)知(zhī)兄(xiōnɡ)弟(dì)登(dēnɡ)高(ɡāo)处(chù),

遍(biàn)插(chā)茱(zhū)萸(yú)少(shǎo)一(yì)人(rén)。

Explanation of Ancient Chinese Poetry

Being alone in a foreign land, one misses their distant relatives even more during festivals.

I imagine my brothers climbing high and looking far today, with zhuyu in their hair, but missing only me.

Annotations

九月九日（jiǔ yuè jiǔ rì）：The Double Ninth Festival. In ancient times, nine was considered a yang number, hence the name Double Ninth.
忆（yì）：Miss.
山东（shān dōng）：Wang Wei moved to Pu County (now Yongji City, Shanxi Province), which is east of the Hangu Pass and the Huashan Mountains, hence called “Shandong”.
异乡（yì xiāng）：A foreign land, another town.
为异客（wéi yì kè）：As a guest in a foreign land.
佳节（jiā jié）：A beautiful festival.
登高（dēng gāo）：An ancient custom to climb mountains on the Double Ninth Festival.
茱萸（zhū yú）：Refers to Evodia rutaecarpa. The nearly mature fruit of the Rutaceae plant Evodia rutaecarpa.

Creation Background

This poem was written by Wang Wei when he was seventeen years old. Wang Wei was wandering alone between Luoyang and Chang’an at that time.

He was originally from Pu Prefecture (today Yongji, Shanxi Province), which is located to the east of Mount Hua, so he referred to his brothers from his hometown as Shandong brothers.