Amid Autumn Rains in the Countryside
- Poetry of Geng Wei

《秋中雨田园即事》
Amid Autumn Rains in the Countryside by Geng Wei
English Translation

Layered clouds loom dull and deep,

Silent rains in threads hang steep.

Floods drown ancient pathways bare,

Days of deluge swamp the lair.


When will crops be ripe to glean?

Few chimneys smoke in hamlets lean.

Torrents burst through gardens wide,

Rotting leaves on boughs abide.


Damp new firewood fuels dusk's fare,

Dawn's fishers shift their old haunt's lair.

Last year's chrysanthemums remain -

Lonely blooms by eastern fence plain.

Likely composed during Geng Wei's retirement to rural life or travels, this poem captures the agricultural hardships caused by prolonged autumn rains. Tang poets often used pastoral themes to express their sentiments, and Geng Wei, as one of the "Ten Literary Masters of the Dali Era," excelled in quiet yet profound depictions of nature. Here, through the lens of relentless rains over village fields, he reflects on farming struggles and rural decline, blending scene, event, and emotion to reveal how Tang pastoral poetry extended its gaze toward real-world concerns.

中文原文( Chinese )

漠漠重云暗，萧萧密雨垂。

为霖淹古道，积日满荒陂。

五稼何时获，孤村几户炊。

乱流发通圃，腐叶著秋枝。

暮爨新樵湿，晨渔旧浦移。

空馀去年菊，花发在东篱。

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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.

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