Gazing at Mount Lu Waterfall

Sunlight streaming on Incense Burner Peak produces purple mist, From afar I watch the waterfall hanging before the stream. The torrent flies straight down three thousand feet, One suspects the Milky Way has fallen from the ninth heaven.

Sunlight strikes Incense Peak, wreathing purple haze, I gaze at the distant falls suspended like a curtain. The cascade plunges three thousand feet sheer— As if the Milky Way tumbled from the sky.

This is Li Bai's most famous nature poem, showcasing his romantic style and bold imagination. Mount Lu in Jiangxi province has been celebrated for its natural beauty for centuries. Li Bai's comparison of the waterfall to the Milky Way exemplifies the Tang Dynasty romantic poetry tradition of using hyperbole and cosmic imagery. The poem has inspired countless paintings and remains one of the most memorized poems in Chinese education.