My Idle Dreams Roam Far (Gazing at the South)
- Poetry of Li Yu

《望江南·闲梦远》

English Rendering

My idle dreams roam far,

To the southern land where spring is fragrant.

Wind and strings play on a boat on the river's clear surface,

The city is full of catkins flying like light dust.

People are occupied admiring the flowers.

My idle dreams roam far,

To the southern land where autumn is clear.

For a thousand li over rivers and hills cold colours stretch far,

Deep in flowering reeds, a solitary boat is moored.

Beneath the bright moon, a flute plays in the tower.

My Idle Dreams Roam Far (Gazing at the South) by Li Yu
My Idle Dreams Roam Far (Gazing at the South) by Li Yu

Original Text (中文原文)

闲梦远,南国正芳春。

船上管弦江面渌,满城飞絮辊轻尘。

忙杀看花人!

闲梦远,南国正清秋。

千里江山寒色远,芦花深处泊孤舟,笛在月明楼。

Analysis & Context

By Li Yu

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.

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