Yellow Crane Tower
- Poetry of Cui Hao

《黄鹤楼》
#Nostalgia #Clouds

English Rendering

The yellow crane has long since gone away,

All that here remains is yellow crane tower.

The yellow crane once gone does not return,

White clouds drift slowly for a thousand years.

The river is clear in Hanyang by the trees,

And fragrant grass grows thick on parrot isle.

In this dusk, I don't know where my homeland lies,

The river's mist-covered waters bring me sorrow.

-- Poem translator: Kiang Kanghu

Yellow Crane Tower by Cui Hao #Nostalgia #Clouds
Yellow Crane Tower by Cui Hao #Nostalgia #Clouds

Original Text (中文原文)

昔人已乘黄鹤去,此地空余黄鹤楼。

黄鹤一去不复返,白云千载空悠悠。

晴川历历汉阳树,芳草萋萋鹦鹉洲。

日暮乡关何处是?烟波江上使人愁。

Analysis & Context

Seven-character-regular-verse

Yellow Crane Tower (simplified Chinese: 黄鹤楼) is a traditional Chinese tower located in Wuhan.

Numerous legends surround the tower, with the most famous being that the immortal Zi'an once rode a yellow crane and flew away from the tower, making it a place associated with immortals and divine presence. Standing atop the tower, Cui Hao gazed into the distance, stirred by the scene before him, evoking memories of ancient figures and lamenting the passage of time, while also expressing a deep yearning for his distant homeland. Through a seamless blend of scenery and emotion, this poem became a renowned masterpiece among Tang Dynasty poems that express nostalgia and longing for home.

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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