(In this 3rd section of the Huangling Bei 皇陵碑, Zhu Yuanzhang and his only surviving sibling must decide how to survive the drought and plague deaths.  Click here to see the previous section.  Also – click on any line number to see complete annotations of each section.)

Line 21: 兄弟異路,哀動遙蒼.  Elder and younger, we took separate paths, with even distant Heaven moved by our sorrow.

Line 22: 汪氏老母,為我籌量  Old Mother Wang helped me prepare a temple offering,

Line 23: 遣子相送,備醴馨香.  She sent her son to accompany me, laden with sweet wine and incense.

Line 24: 空門禮佛,出入僧房.  I underwent the Buddhist rites and entered the monk’s world.

Line 25: 居未兩月,寺主封倉.  I had not lived at the temple for even two months when the abbot had to close the empty granary.

Line 26: 眾各為計,雲水飄飏  Everyone made their own plans and the wandering monks drifted apart.

Line 27: 我何作為,百無所長.  As for me, what was I to do?  I had no skills.

Line 28: 依親自辱,仰天茫茫.  Turning to my relatives would have been shameful, so I could only raise my face to boundless Heaven.

Line 29: 既非可倚,侶影相將.  With nothing to rely on, my shadow became my companion.

Line 30: 突朝煙而急進,幕投古寺以趨蹌.  In the mornings I would make my way through the mist, while in the evenings I would seek an old temple for lodging.

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