Picture
In May this year I went to Wuhan, Hubei to visit a client. I took the opportunity to visit the famous Yellow Crane Pavilion (黄鹤楼 pinyin: Huáng Hè Lóu), which is a structure of about 7 storeys built on a slightly elevated land at the bank of the famous Yangtze River. The history of the pavilion dated back to the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). When I stepped onto the terrace on the top floor of the pavilion, I had a fine of the Yangtze River and the entire city of Wuhan. I was overwhelmed with emotion and proud of the long history of China. 

Picture
The building is said to be named after a fairy tale that a fairy once passed here riding on a yellow crane. The building is regarded as on of the three most famous ancient terraces in China. There were many poems using this pavilion as the subject and below are the two most famous ones (sources of the translations of the two poems: Wikipedia)

Poem by Cui HaoYellow Crane Tower was made famous by an 8th century poem written by Cui Hao called "Yellow Crane Tower" (黄鹤楼). The original text of the poem is shown below:

昔人已乘黄鹤去,此地空余黄鹤楼。
黄鹤一去不复返,白云千载空悠悠。
晴川历历汉阳树,芳草萋萋鹦鹉洲。
日暮乡关何处是? 烟波江上使人愁。

A modern English translation of the poem may follow as such:

Long ago a man rode off on a yellow crane, all that remains here is Yellow Crane Tower.
Once the yellow crane left it never returned, for one thousand years the clouds wandered without care.
The clear river reflects each Hangyang tree, fragrant grasses lushly grow on Parrot Island.
At sunset, which direction lies my home town? The mist covered river causes one to feel distressed.

[edit]Poem by Li BaiThere is another famous poem about it by Li Bai called "Seeing off of Meng Haoran for Guangling at Yellow Crane Tower" (黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵). The original poem is shown below:

故人西辞黄鹤楼,
烟花三月下扬州。
孤帆远影碧空尽,
唯见长江天际流

A modern English translation of the poem may follow as such:

My old friend's said goodbye to the west, here at Yellow Crane Tower,
In the third month's cloud of willow blossoms, he's going down to Yangzhou.
The lonely sail is a distant shadow, on the edge of a blue emptiness,
All I see is the Yangtze River flow to the far horizon.
My dear friends, please make a translation of the two poems. You may post it at "the comments" or send to me at [email protected]
 
Picture
Yellow River
This is another famous poem written about the Yellow Crane Pavilion, by the poe王之涣 Wang zhihuan (669-742) of the Tang Dynasty. At the time the pavilion was known the Stork Tower, hence the title of the poem.

登鹳雀楼
白日依山尽,黄河入海流,
欲穷千里目,更上一层楼。


On the stork tower
The sun along the mountain bows;
The yellow river seawards flows.
You will enjoy a grander sight;
By climbing to a greater height.
 



Ascenso por la torre de Guánqué

El sol blanco acercándose al borde del monte, 
el río Amarillo entra en el flujo del mar,
deseo agotarme por una vista inmensa,
asciendo una planta por dentro de la torre.