Pomegranate Blossoms at Zhang’s Lodge
- Poetry of Han Yu
《题张十一旅舍三咏榴花》
English Translation
May’s pomegranates blaze with crimson light,
First fruits peep through leaves, small and bright.
No carriage dust stains this lonely place—
Only scarlet petals kiss moss in grace.
Composed during Han Yu's exile to Yangshan (806-807 CE) after his remonstrance incurred imperial wrath, this poem transforms a courtyard pomegranate into a double portrait of disgraced scholars—both the poet and his host Zhang Shiyi suffered southern banishment. Through floral allegory, Han Yu articulates the paradox of intellectual brilliance flourishing in political wilderness, where nature's vibrancy underscores human neglect.
中文原文( Chinese )
五月榴花照眼明，枝间时见子初成。
可怜此地无车马，颠倒青苔落绛英。
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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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