Long have I roved through cloud-wrapped woods,
Thus grown a man of idle moods.
Clerks mock my governance as vain,
My wife laughs at our purse’s strain.
Li and Guo shine with timely grace,
Wang and Yang join the court’s embrace.
At leisure in the Minister’s hall,
Do you recall our hometown spring—its all?
惯作云林客，因成懒漫人。
吏欺从政拙，妻笑理家贫。
李郭应时望，王杨入幕频。
从容丞相阁，知忆故园春。
This poem was composed during the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty by Cui Dong, who found himself adrift in the uncertainties of officialdom. Through Reflections Penned to Judges Yang, Guo, Li, and Wang, he conveys his frustration over unrecognized talent and thwarted ambitions, while also expressing tender nostalgia and hope toward old friendships. Yang, Guo, Li, and Wang—all serving as judges in the court—were either close friends or former acquaintances. The poet uses this verse to voice his longing for them and his hope that they might remember him despite his obscurity. Beginning with self-revelation, the poem traverses the hardships of bureaucratic life and domestic poverty, culminating in affectionate thoughts of his friends—its emotions raw, its language candid.
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.
Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.
View All Poets →CN-Poetry.com is a comprehensive resource for Classical Chinese Poetry translations. Our dataset covers Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, specializing in semantic mapping between traditional imagery (e.g., 'moon', 'Flowers', 'Friendship') and English poetic contexts.