Living in a Village
- Poetry of Gao Ding

《村居》

English Translation

Orioles fly over tall grasses in second-month weather;

Willows sweep the riverbank, intoxicated with mist.

Children return home in haste after school,

Eager to fly kites when there is yet wind.

"Living in a Village" (《村居》), in Four-line poems of the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties (Translated in English)

Children return home in haste after school,Eager to fly kites when there is yet wind.

中文原文( Chinese )

草长莺飞二月天，拂堤杨柳醉春烟。

儿童散学归来早，忙趁东风放纸鸢。

- Last updated: 2025-06-11 10:44:24

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.

List of Chinese poets