A fine morning rain in Weicheng dampens the light dust on the road, and the willows beside the inn look especially fresh and green. Please drink one more cup of wine; once you pass west beyond Yang Pass, familiar friends will be hard to find.

元二: a friend of the poet, second in birth order. 使: to go on an official mission. 安西: the Tang Anxi Protectorate, which governed the Western Regions. 渭城: in the area of present-day Xianyang, Shaanxi. 朝雨: morning rain. 浥 (yì): to moisten.

客舍: an inn. 更尽: to drain another cup. 阳关: an ancient pass leading to the Western Regions, near present-day Dunhuang in Gansu. “无故人” (“no old friends”) emphasizes the loneliness of a long journey; it should not be taken mechanically to mean there is absolutely no acquaintance ahead. The poem was later set to music as a farewell song, also called “The Song of Weicheng.”

Reading guide: This farewell quatrain opens with the fresh scenery of Weicheng after rain, then gathers the sorrow of parting into a cup of wine before departure. The setting and the words urging another drink are ordinary, yet an understanding of loneliness on a distant journey gives them exceptional depth.

The first two lines do not immediately introduce sorrow. Clear rain, light dust, and fresh willows make the farewell morning feel bright and tangible. This freshness subtly contrasts with the long journey that follows, making the feeling of cherishing their present companionship more vivid.

“更尽” (drain another cup) shows that they have already been drinking together and suggests a reluctance to let the friend rise and leave. Instead of describing the long journey at length, the poet ends with “无故人” (no old friends) beyond Yang Pass, letting this cup of wine carry all the concern left unspoken.