English Rendering
Our King’s Capital in lanterns – light and moonbeams,
Broad thoroughfares seem too narrow to flow cars’ stream.
I’m forsaken, foreign to Celebration there,
Shame! To greet Fay Violet with bumpkins free of care.
How I Long for the Capital’s Lantern Festival
- Poetry of Li Shangyin
《正月十五夜闻京有灯恨不得观》Original Text (中文原文)
月色灯光满帝都，香车宝辇隘通衢。
身闲不睹中兴盛，羞逐乡人赛紫姑。
Analysis & Context
By Li Shangyin
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Reading Between the Lines
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
- Palace Song
- The oriole Astray
- Song of My Proud Son
- Dreaming of My Deceased Wife at Her Loom
- On History
- On Lady Yang's Death II
- The Summit Temple
- <Prelude to Water Melody> Sent to Ziyou on Mid-autumn Festival
- Invitation to Wine
- Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Cold sheet
- Coming Home ( Returning Home )
The Masters' Directory
Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.
View All Poets →