Orioles sing midst iris-green,
Dawn welcomes trysts with loves unseen.
By woods and pools, words fade away—
Where mandarin ducks preen wings at play.
Spring-warmed springs nurse healing herbs,
Sunlit hours stretch blooms’ slow verbs.
This meeting begs unmeasured wine—
Such perfect hours won’t realign.
莺鸣蕙草绿，朝与情人期。
林沼忘言处，鸳鸿养翮时。
春泉滋药暖，晴日度花迟。
此会无辞醉，良辰难再追。
This poem was composed by Qian Qi during the High Tang period as an inscription for a small pond in the residence of his friend Xiao Cheng, a local official and literary connoisseur. Through describing the scenery of a friend's dwelling, the poet expresses the joy of reunion and his lingering attachment to spring's beauty. Set against a morning pondscape in springtime, the verses weave friendship, nature, and life's reflections into a tapestry that is both vivid with daily charm and tinged with wistfulness for fleeting moments.
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.
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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