Evening View of a Snow Scene
- Poetry of Jia Dao
《雪晴晚望》This poem was composed by the Tang Dynasty poet Jia Dao, most likely during his period of hardship while living in Chang'an after leaving the monastic life. Jia Dao became a monk in his youth, taking the Dharma name "Wuben" (Without Origin). Later, encouraged by Han Yu, he returned to secular life, but his official career was fraught with difficulty, marked by repeated failures in the imperial examinations and a life of poverty. He often dwelled in remote mountains and ancient temples, cultivating an extraordinary sensitivity and deep affection for the secluded tranquility of such landscapes.
Cane in hand, I gaze on fine snow;
Cloud on cloud spreads over the creek.
To snow-covered cots woodmen go;
The sun sets on the frowning peak.
In the wildfire bums the grass dried;
Mid rocks and pines smoke and mist rise.
Back to the temple by the hillside,
I hear bells ring in evening skies.
倚杖望晴雪，溪云几万重。樵人归白屋，寒日下危峰。
野火烧冈草，断烟生石松。却回山寺路，闻打暮天钟。
- 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.