The Swordsman
- Poetry of Jia Dao
《剑客 / 述剑》
English Translation
For ten long years, a sword I whetted,
Its frosty blade, as yet, untried.
Today, I hold it unsheathed before you;
Of you, to whom was justice denied?
Translator:Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
This poem was written by Jia Dao during a period when his political ambitions remained unfulfilled. Through the image of “ten years sharpening a sword,” the poet expresses his desire to showcase his talents. The poem not only displays Jia Dao’s artistic skills in poetry but also implies his lofty aspirations. Using the sword as a metaphor, Jia Dao conveys his persistence toward ideals, ambitions, and his yearning for opportunities. This use of an object to express one’s will creates a distinctive personal style in the poem.
中文原文( Chinese )
十年磨一剑，霜刃未曾试。
今日把示君，谁有不平事？
- 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.