Farewell to Magistrate Qi Departing for Dongyang
- Poetry of Han Hong
With emerald sails and cassia-oared grace,
You’ll trace long rivers past each mountain’s face.
A thousand leagues, your household drifts from spring,
One magistrate’s barge bears east its king.
A connoisseur of wine’s refined art,
Yet bold enough to mock street lads’ heart.
When we part, keep our bond bright in view—
Gibbons wail through mists where trees stand blue.
This poem was composed by Han Hong upon bidding farewell to his friend Magistrate Qi, who was departing to assume office in Dongyang. Located in the Jiangnan region, Dongyang was renowned for its picturesque landscapes and prosperity. Through depicting his friend's journey and their shared emotions, the poet expresses both heartfelt wishes for his future career and the reluctance of parting. The poem interweaves scenic beauty with personal charm, blending heroic spirit with tender sentiment, exemplifying the refined depth characteristic of Tang literati's farewell poetry.
绿丝帆繂桂为樯，过尽淮山楚水长。
万里移家背春谷，一官行府向东阳。
风流好爱杯中物，豪荡仍欺陌上郎。
别后心期如在眼，猿声烟色树苍苍。
- 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.