The Great Summons

青春受谢，白日昭只。

Green spring takes over from the departing winter, and the white sun shines bright.

春气奋发，万物遽只。

The breath of spring bursts forth, and all living things race to grow.

冥凌浃行，魂无逃只。

Xuanming, the spirit of the north, rides through all heaven and earth, and the soul has nowhere to hide.

魂魄归来！无远遥只。

Hun and po souls, come back! Do not drift far away.

魂乎归来！无东无西，无南无北只。

Soul, come back! Go not east nor west, go not south nor north.

东有大海，溺水浟浟只。

In the east lies the boundless ocean, whose engulfing waters rush along in a swift flood.

螭龙并流，上下悠悠只。

Chi dragons swim along with the current, rising and sinking, drifting up and down without end.

雾雨淫淫，白皓胶只。

Fog and rain stream down without ceasing, and in winter it all freezes into a hard white glaze.

魂乎无东！汤谷寂寥只。

Soul, go not east! Tanggu, where the sun rises, is desolate and empty, with nothing to see or hear.

魂乎无南！南有炎火千里，蝮蛇蜒只。

Soul, go not south! In the south blazing fire stretches a thousand li, and vipers wind their long bodies.

山林险隘，虎豹蜿只。

The mountains and forests are perilous and narrow, where tigers and leopards creep low, lying in wait for men.

鰅鳙短狐，王虺骞只。

There lurk the yuyong and the short fox, shadow-shooting demons, and the great king serpent wanghui rears its head to stare.

魂乎无南！蜮伤躬只。

Soul, go not south! The yu lurking in the water will wound your body.

魂乎无西！西方流沙，漭洋洋只。

Soul, go not west! The west is drifting sand, a flat and boundless expanse.

豕首纵目，被发鬤只。

The monster there has a pig's head and upright eyes, and its loose hair hangs in a tangle.

长爪踞牙，诶笑狂只。

It has long claws and jutting fangs, and at the sight of a man it breaks into forced, wild laughter.

魂乎无西！多害伤只。

Soul, go not west! The harms there are too many.

魂乎无北！北有寒山，趠龙赩只。

Soul, go not north! In the north stands a mountain cold all year, called Chuolong, bare red rock where no plant grows.

代水不可涉，深不可测只。

The Dai River of the north cannot be forded; it is bottomless and its depth cannot be sounded.

天白颢颢，寒凝凝只。

The sky is one glaring sheet of white, and the cold freezes the ice and snow solid.

魂乎无往！盈北极只。

Soul, do not go! The northern pole is a void that can never be filled; go there and you will surely fall.