English Rendering
"Yes, I live here, by the river;
I have sailed on it many and many a time.
Both of us born in Changgan, you and I!
Why haven't we always known each other?"
-- Poem translator: Kiang Kanghu
A Song of Changgan II
- Poetry of Cui Hao
《长干行二首之二》
Original Text (中文原文)
家临九江水，来去九江侧。
同是长干人，生小不相识。
Analysis & Context
Folk-song-styled-verse
This poem describes a conversation between a young man and a young woman who meet by chance in a riverside town. Through their exchange, the poem conveys the warmth and familiarity that can arise from shared origins, while also subtly hinting at an unspoken sentiment. The emotions expressed are sincere, and the language is simple, reflecting both a deep nostalgia for home and a sense of helplessness in the face of life's drifting nature.
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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