A Mooring on the Qin Huai River
- Poetry of Du Mu
Mist veils the cold stream, and moonlight the sand,
As I moor in the shadow of a river-tavern,
Where girls, with no thought of a perished kingdom,
Gaily echo A Song of Courtyard Flowers.
Seven-character-quatrain
This poem was written around 850 AD during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. At the time, Du Mu was serving as a local official and, while traveling, moored his boat on the Qinhuai River at night. The Qinhuai River was once a gathering place for the nobility of the Southern Dynasties, where the last ruler of the Chen Dynasty indulged in pleasure and composed the song "Jade Tree, Backyard Flowers," which became a symbol of national decline and eventual collapse. As Du Mu observed the scene before him, he was reminded of this historical tragedy and used it to satirize the rulers of the late Tang Dynasty, who, like their predecessors, ignored the lessons of history and indulged in decadence.
烟笼寒水月笼沙，夜泊秦淮近酒家。
商女不知亡国恨，隔江犹唱后庭花。
- 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.