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。
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.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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