Night Mooring at Maple Bridge

The moon sets, crows cry, frost fills the sky, River maples and fishing fires face my troubled sleep. Outside Gusu city, at Cold Mountain Temple, The sound of the midnight bell reaches my passenger boat.

Moon sinks, crows call, frost covers all, Maple trees and fishing lights keep watch over my restless night. Beyond Suzhou's walls, from Cold Mountain Temple, Midnight bells drift across the water to my boat.

This is one of the most famous poems in Chinese literature, particularly beloved for its evocative imagery and melancholic mood. Cold Mountain Temple became famous because of this poem, and visitors still come to hear its bells. The poem captures the quintessential experience of a Tang Dynasty traveler—lonely, displaced, and seeking comfort in the sounds of the night.