English Rendering
The envoy gave a silken gown
To one on whom he looked down,
Mistaking the prime minister
For a poor plain-clothed commoner.
On Reading History
- Poetry of Gao Shi
《咏史》
Original Text (中文原文)
尚有綈袍赠，应怜范叔寒。
不知天下士，犹作布衣看。
Analysis & Context
By Gao Shi
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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