English Rendering
Vaporless is the Southern Lake on autumn night.
Could we be borne to Heaven by the rising tide?
If we could borrow from Lake Dongting the moonlight
To guide us skyward,we'd drink with clouds by our side.
On Lake Dongting (One of Five Poems)
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
《陪族叔刑部侍郎晔及中书贾舍人至游洞庭(五首选一)》
Original Text (中文原文)
南湖秋水夜无烟，耐可乘流直上天？
且就洞庭赊月色，将船买酒白云边。
Analysis & Context
By Li Bai
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
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.
Reading Between the Lines
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.
- The Song of a Southern Maid V
- Observing the Moon
- Su Wu
- Ancient Air: A Northern Belle
- Awaiting the Wine That Doesn’t Come
- Consoling Myself
- The Summit Temple
- <Prelude to Water Melody> Sent to Ziyou on Mid-autumn Festival
- Invitation to Wine
- Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Cold sheet
- Coming Home ( Returning Home )
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