Alas, the road to Shu is exceedingly precipitous! It is more arduous than ascending to the blue sky! Through the silkworms and the fish and wild geese, how vast was the founding of this nation! For forty-eight thousand years since the Lord Qin, no human smoke has risen from the border. To the west of the White Water one sees a road of birds, which crosses the Emei Peak in the sky. When the earth collapses and the mountains crumble, brave men die, and then stone ladders link the cliffs together. Above are the lofty peaks where the six dragons circle the sun, below are the swirling waves and the rushing rapids. Even the flight of the yellow crane fails to surmount, and the apes and monkeys are troubled as they climb. The winding road of the Qing Ni is like a coiled dragon, and the cliffs and crags wind nine times around the mountain. Feeling the wells and looking up at the sky, one sits and sighs with a hand on the chest. When will you return from your journey to the west? The fearsome cliffs are unscalable. Hearing only the sorrowful birds in the ancient woods, the males fly while the females circle among the trees. And again one hears the cuckoo crying in the night moon, the sorrowful sound echoing in the empty mountains. The road to Shu is exceedingly precipitous, more difficult than ascending to the blue sky, causing people to listen with a withered expression! The continuous peaks do not reach the heavens, and the withered pines lean against the precipices. The rushing torrents and cascading waterfalls contend noisily, and the cliffs and rocks thunder in the myriad ravines. Such perils are to be found here, and I sigh—why do people come from afar? The Jin Ge is steep and lofty, and one man guards the pass—ten thousand men cannot open it. Those who defend it may not be relatives, but they are transformed into wolves and jackals. In the morning they avoid fierce tigers, in the evening they avoid long snakes; they grind their teeth and suck blood, killing people like hemp. Although the splendid city may be joyful, it is not as good as an early return home! The road to Shu is exceedingly precipitous, more arduous than ascending to the blue sky—turning to the west, I sigh deeply!