Waiting for the moonshine at the West Chamber
- Poetry of Yuan Zhen

《月明三五夜》

English Rendering

Waiting for the moonshine at the West Chamber,

wind blew and opened half the window.

Moonshine snuck into here and waved the flowers' shadow,

i ran outside and seemed to hear your sweet whisper.

Waiting for the moonshine at the West Chamber by Yuan Zhen -
Waiting for the moonshine at the West Chamber by Yuan Zhen

Original Text (中文原文)

待月西厢下,迎风户半开。

拂墙花影动,疑是玉人来。

Meaning & Analysis

By Yuan Zhen

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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