The Zither of the Xiang River Spirits
- Poetry of Qian Qi

《省试湘灵鼓瑟》

English Rendering

Her zither pierces clouds with tones divine,

Where drowned princesses haunt the misty brine.

The River God dances with futile zeal,

While exiled Chu souls choke on grief too real.


Bitter strains out-cry metal and stone,

Pure notes rise where dark stars alone.

From Cangwu mounts drifts endless woe,

White blooms breathe scent through winds that blow.


Xiao's waves bear melodies away,

Dongting's gales weep through reed beds grey.

The song ends—no form in sight,

Just jade-green peaks in fading light.

The Zither of the Xiang River Spirits by Qian Qi -
The Zither of the Xiang River Spirits by Qian Qi

Original Text (中文原文)

善鼓云和瑟,常闻帝子灵。

冯夷空自舞,楚客不堪听。

苦调凄金石,清音入杳冥。

苍梧来怨慕,白芷动芳馨。

流水传潇浦,悲风过洞庭。

曲终人不见,江上数峰青。

Meaning & Analysis

Composed in 751 for the imperial civil service examination, this regulated verse established Qian Qi's literary reputation and became the most celebrated examination poem of the Tang dynasty. Drawing from the Chuci tradition where Xiang River goddesses play zithers to mourn the legendary Emperor Shun, the poem transforms a mythological motif into profound meditation on art's transcendent power to connect human emotion with cosmic forces.

Related Themes

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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