I regret to be late to seek for blooming spring;
The flowers not in full bloom in years past I’ve seen.
The strong wind blows down flowers which sway and swing,
The tree will be laden with red fruit and leaves green.
It was said that the poet met with a beautiful maiden and asked for her hand, but next year when he came she was married, so he compares the maiden to a tree with fruit.
自恨寻芳到已迟，往年曾见未开时。
如今风摆花狼籍，绿叶成阴子满枝。
It was said that the poet met with a beautiful maiden and asked for her hand, but next year when he came she was married, so he compares the maiden to a tree with fruit.
This poem uses the technique of “comparison” throughout, which is vivid, subtle and natural, and intriguing.
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.