Song of Sunset on the River
- Poetry of Bai Juyi

《暮江吟》

English Translation

A strip of water's spread in the setting sun,

Half the river's emerald, half is red.

I love the third night of the ninth month,

The dew is like pearl; the moon like a bow.

This poem was written before Bai Juyi became the Governor of Hangzhou, around the second year of Changqing (822). At that time, he passed through Hangzhou and stood by the river, where the beautiful scenery before him touched his soul. Through this poem, the poet expresses his love for nature and the tranquility and harmony he feels in the peaceful natural environment.

中文原文( Chinese )

一道残阳铺水中，半江瑟瑟半江红。

可怜九月初三夜，露似真珠月似弓。

Pre： Sleeping on a Night of Autumn Rain

Next：Spring Sleep

Why Chinese poems is so special?: The most distinctive features of Chinese poetry are: concision- many poems are only four lines, and few are much longer than eight; ambiguity- number, tense and parts of speech are often undetermined, creating particularly rich interpretative possibilities; and structure- most poems follow quite strict formal patterns which have beauty in themselves as well as highlighting meaningful contrasts.

How to read a Chinese poem?: Like an English poem, but more so. Everything is there for a reason, so try to find that reason. Think about all the possible connotations, and be aware of the different possibilities of number and tense. Look for contrasts: within lines, between the lines of each couplet and between successive couplets. Above all, don't worry about what the poet meant- find your meaning.

Song of Sunset on the River - Poetry of Bai Juyi

Song of Sunset on the River
- Poetry of Bai Juyi