The Myriad Visions of Mount Lu

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

I walk through Mount Lu

Along the way, the mountains' shapes change without end

Seen from the front, it is a mountain ridge

Yet from the side, it rises sheer and craggy

Seen from far and near, from high and low

Its many forms, changing without end

[Pre-Chorus]

I want to paint this Mount Lu

I painted for ages, but could not give it form

[Chorus]

横看成岭侧成峰 — Seen across, a ridge; from the side, a peak

远近高低各不同 — From near or far, high or low, each view is different

I cannot recognize Mount Lu, its true face

只缘身在此山中 — Only because I am here within this mountain

Standing within it, I cannot see it clearly

Only by stepping outside can you see, the scenery of the whole mountain

[Verse 2]

I ask the woodcutter at the mountain's foot

He smiles and shakes his head, saying he does not understand either

Then I went to ask the white clouds

White clouds drift past, without a sound

The mountaintop is right before my eyes

The closer I come, the hazier it seems

[Pre-Chorus]

Mount Lu, oh Mount Lu

In which layer, do you hide your true face

[Chorus]

横看成岭侧成峰 — Seen across, a ridge; from the side, a peak

远近高低各不同 — From near or far, high or low, each view is different

I cannot recognize Mount Lu, its true face

只缘身在此山中 — Only because I am here within this mountain

Standing within it, I cannot see it clearly

Only by stepping outside can you see, the scenery of the whole mountain

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]

不识庐山真面目 — I cannot see Mount Lu's true face

Within the mountains, I cannot see the mountains' course

I took a few more steps back

The mountain is still there, utterly unmoving

Suddenly I understand

It is not that the mountain refuses, to let me see clearly

[Bridge]

When someone becomes absorbed in what they are doing

Often I cannot see clearly, what matters most in the whole

Take a step back, and sea and sky open wide

Only by stepping outside it can you see its intricate beauty

So it is with seeing mountains, and with seeing people too

Those who look on, instead, see clearly

So we must often step outside

Borrow a gust of mountain wind, to blow my eyes open

[Verse 4]

It is time to descend the mountain

At the mountain pass, an old pine greets me

Across a stream

All of Mount Lu, at last made whole

So it has been this way all along

Clouds slowly billow halfway up the mountain

[Final Chorus]

横看成岭侧成峰 — Seen across, a ridge; from the side, a peak

远近高低各不同 — From near or far, high or low, each view is different

I cannot recognize Mount Lu, its true face

只缘身在此山中 — Only because I am here within this mountain

Standing within it, I cannot see it clearly

Only by stepping outside can you see, the scenery of the whole mountain

[Outro]

只缘身在此山中 — Only because I am here within this mountain

Those descending the mountain, hear the evening bell