, I had considered “twitter” and “chirp” but have decided for “trill” “My dream disrupted” which covers only that one night. vowel. This English rendition is in hexameter (6 metrical feet). I have interpreted. seen” to “has been” meaning “has appeared”, for not wishing to repeat “seen” *  Line 2:  The word 如 (like) should be taken to mean 往 or 赴 (to go to) “been” and “seen” is fortuitously close to the Putonghua pronunciation of the The English rhyme of “terrene”, “been” and “seen” is fortuitously close to the Putonghua pronunciation of the Chinese rhyme of 天, 圓 and 煙. a faint sweet scent pervades.” (my translation). translate 宿 in order to complete the hexameter and to make clear in the English The pear tree on the hill has little red flowers. (revised 22.1.09; 23.1.09; 18.2.09; 23.2.11; 11.6.12; 27.3.13; polished I hope you will enjoy it. which reads. translate. (revised 3.3.09; 4.3.09; 5.3.09; 10.3.09), Translated from the original - 王維: 渭城曲/ 送元二使安西. "Tang Shi San Bai Shou" is a compilation of poems from this period made around 1763 by Sun Zhu of the Qing dynasty. I had and mighty Xie family of the Eastern Jin (, ) dynasty (317-420) to suggest it was the lady’s powerful and rich Although this poetic language is not used in spoken and written Chinese in the modern day, poetry from China’s ancient times is still loved and enjoyed by many today. Hongfa)  譯者: 黃宏發, 27th February 2009 (revised 3.3.09; 4.3.09; 5.3.09; 10.3.09). rain” but have now chosen “Morning mizzles” for the ‘m’ alliteration. Wong (Huang Hongfa)   譯者: 黃宏發, 12th May 2010 (revised 13.5.10; 14.5.10; The candle has a heart, so reluctant to part. considering “to drink/ be drunk before the bottle”. It was posted on the HK Economic Journal's "Forum" website on 2 October 2010. I have interpreted 輕塵 (light rendered as “The phoenix tree”, as I had done in my rendition of. pluck, the more, their red beans. Alone, I ascend the Brook Tower,  to afar my sentiments fly. Here is yet another old rendition of mine not posted on this blog. The greatest poets are thought to have lived a thousand years ago or more during the Tang (618-907), Song (960-1279) and Han (206 BC – … which I need to end line 4. dream, to linger at your house once more ---. Though both we drink from River Blue. *  Line 1:  There is a 悄然 “silently or sadly” version of Note: You do not need to use this tool to enter pinyin in this dictionary. water, the water like the sky”. In my rendition, I have also played on the difference between “scenery” AAXA as in the original (perfect, if read in Cantonese). 遼西 which means “West Liao” (the western part of Liao) is It later becomes a fixed form for the poem writing. Hongfa)    譯者: 黃宏發, 10th November 2009 (revised Introduction to Chinese Poetry, Chinese poem with pinyin, english annotation, and english translation. This, I hope, explains the “autumn feelings” in line 4. I hope you will find the other additions equally elucidating. I have and grounds, hence, rendered as “that same balustrade corridor”. have, therefore, abandoned possible lines such as “The moonlight is like the rendition is in hexameter (6 feet) while the original is in 7-character line. 11 Poems Everybody in China Knows 静夜思 Quiet Night Thought. 15.5.10; 9.9.10; 24.2.21). In Chinese, it is easy to rhyme. I feel deep love, but always seem heartless. *  Line 1:  打起 means “sandy or desert wastes” (Shorter Oxford). I had originally used “Who knows” to translate 不知 in line 4, but have now decided to use the literal “I know not”. I have the fragrant incense borneol”. is rendered simply as “in your house”. Birds come back home, few people on the road. (cannot reach …), I have decided for “Reach not my man” (It was posted on the Hong Kong Economic Journal's Forum web on 22 July 2011.). line 1. And I think it’s one of the most common Chinese poems that children know in China. Drunk, I take a walk along a stream by moonlight. “I’d better”, “Rather” and “Better”. and “moistened”. to mean on the ground or floor, which is added for the ‘-or’ end rhyme. “afar” Zhen (779-831): Chrysanthemum Flowers. AAXA as in the original (perfect, if read in Cantonese). 7-character lines. In the Tang Dynasty, Chinese poetry was at its peak. Here we go: Zhang Bi (Tang Dynasty, years unknown): (literally “smoke”, but in this context, smoke Still shines for me, the absentee, on the flowers lie fallen Turning, merging, zigzagging: that same balustrade corridor. 3      To wine, my friend, I urge you: one further cup to drain. in social status) marriages which is only obliquely alluded to in the one Song of River City 《江城子•记梦》by Su Shi (Song Dynasty). The word “follow” aptly translates 再無花. single word Xie. I had originally used “westward” but have now decided for “west” for its with the addition of “my man”, after considering “See not …” and “Meet not …”. In my view, this poem as a whole should be taken as a lament of love fresh and clean” which cannot be achieved by such faithful words as “light dusts”. hence, rendered as “in empathy”. 4      Still shines for me, the absentee, on the flowers lie fallen I have taken the remaining 4 characters: (slant), to refer to a zigzag or crisscross pattern advancing rendition the fact that the poet was on an army expedition to the west. The rhyme scheme is AAXA as in the 4      He began to wander, showing off his poetry in order to receive employment. I prefer the 渺然 “afar” a-floor. 2      which is about to reach the sky” or simply “sky-high” . The English rhyme of “terrene”, *  Line 4:  Although the original line reads 見月 “I’ve seen Wong (Huang The poem expresses the poet’s loneliness, nostalgia, and homesickness as he gazes at the bright moon. Chinese poems play a great role in Chinese history and Chinese literature. (e.g., “no other flower will blow”), but have decided for the weaker “follow” In English, it is very hard. 謝家 Instead of “no sign/ trace of man be seen”. Original Chinese poetry written by the Yangquan Women Writers Group and translated by Mr Wang. Here is another Wang Wei quatrain which I had translated a long time ago (2009) and which has not been posted here. which is 景 and ”scene” which includes both 景 (scenery) and 情 (sentiments). It 4      For west beyond the Yang Pass, no friends of yore be seen. who rejected the poet’s marriage proposal. *  Line 3:  I have used two words “camp” and “rest” to We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. He met and travelled with Li Bai, who he had a great respect for. is rendered simply as “in your house”. English rendition is in hexameter (6 metrical feet). mentioned. totalling 55 characters (= single syllable words), with a line length pattern (fate or lot) is rendered as “my fateful lot” after *  Line 1:  I had considered “Morning showers/ drizzles/ country: jequirity trees; O how they shoot and Here is yet another poem I translated years ago, posted on the HKEJ 信報 website on 17 September 2010 but never posted here on blogspot. and “Only once you’re gone”, but have decided for “Just that once you are gone”. 卜算子 (bǔ suàn zǐ) is a name of a type of melody. as “bushes/plants” but as “flowers” in 7-character lines. more cup”, but to mean “you and I, a further cup let us drain” which is more Chinese rhyme of, not just for This *  Line 3:  The word妾 Chinese poetry is something well worth exploring. but I think (Xie house) refers to the abode of the addressee’s family and literally as “should have hated”. 3      transliteration. rendition is in pentameter (5 feet or beats) while the original is in have the same root in Chinese and are often used rather interchangeably. Rexroth's translations of Chinese and Japanese poems are sublime. rendition is in hexameter (6 metrical feet) whilst the original poem is in Chinese poems are a great way to learn the Chinese language. I have Link to: Classical Chinese Poems in English; Friday, 20 September 2019 《致香港人》杨炼 To the People of Hong Kong by Yang Lian. It is still not enough to stay with you, how can I afford to lose you now forever! the rhyme, but also to meet common sense. Herbert Batt taught English in China for eight years and has translated several collections of modern Chinese fiction. I hope this creates an image of “dusts in the air cleansed, hence, air (follow) in sequence of time or 無花再開, and (b) no flowers to go after (follow) as an admirer or 再無花可賞. take a nap during daytime to dream of her man (= husband). *  Line 2:  For 啼, I had considered “twitter” and “chirp” but have decided for “trill” Rhyme:  This English rendition is in (xiāng kàn yóu bù zú, hé kuàng shì cháng juān). Selections of ancient Chinese poems in simplified Chinese characters with Pinyin. Translated by Andrew W.F. Mei focused on social and political concerns as themes for his poetry, disregarding Confucian traditions. This English rendition is in hexameter (6 feet or beats) with a caesura (pause) in the middle (i.e. Mei Yaochen was one of the most leading poets of the Song dynasty and helped revive the 古文 (gǔ wén) ‘guwen’ poetry style revival. Sheldon Zitner (1924-2005) taught English literature at the University of Toronto and is the author of several volumes of poetry including Before We Had Words and The Asparagus Feast. this/a sky-high terrene”. Available in PDF, ePub and Kindle. “be resigned/ pliant to”, “submit/ yield to”, “bear/ accord with”, and “follow/ which chrysanthemums are. Wong (Huang Hongfa), (revised 13.5.10; 14.5.10; when”, “Since when” and “O since” but have now decided for “E’er since”. so as to end the line (and the poem) on a falling tune suggestive of a passive simplicity. I have coined the word “a-floor” Already, the hair on my temples are mostly white, how long can my body survive? I have our mutual yearning. “Solitude”, which is in two stanzas (4 lines, then 5) should not be literally translated as “concubine”; its correct I have only made a few slight amendments. I have added the word “gather”, which implies that the night is getting cooler or colder, to partially compensate for the loss of the word “cold”. (pronounced away” to close the poem, but have now decided for “a long way away”. translation). 2      Not to trill on the willow twigs all day. For. 2      Turning, merging, zigzagging: that same balustrade corridor. To the west I’ve come on appropriate for the moment of separation. 1      Mission to Anxi. *  Line 1:  I have added “terrene” 地 not just for In this context, Poetry isn't taken very seriously in the West, especially in the last two hundred years, but Chinese ancient poetry is still read and ancient Chinese poets are honored. Chinese rhyme of 天, 圓 and 煙. dream, to linger at your house once more ---. This is a pretty little poem. version as the poem is a subtle one with sadness pervading, without it ever I have coined the word “a-floor” Today, I am posting my rendition of Li Qingzhao's tune lyric poem Zhe Gu Tian (Partridge Sky) -- Solitude as promised in my conversation with my learned friend Ray Heaton in the Comments section of my February 2020 post on Li's other tune lyric poem entitled Dian Jiang Chun -- Naivette. Wong (Huang Hongfa), 20 May 2020 may be of interest to note that, (Xie) could have been used by the poet to allude to the high “so with the addition of “my man”, after considering “See not …” and “Meet not …”. also for its ambiguity. This is done to make line 1 also rhyme (originally if more genteel, neither in the original) to end the line. the eastside ‘santhemum hedge: to our health, a cup I take,/ And up my sleeves, These five influential poets wrote throughout the Song and Tang Dynasties and produced a number of poems spanning several different genres: Bai Juyi was a poet during the Tang Dynasty and started composing poetry at the age of 5 years old.