English Rendering
My boat sails down to River Town,
The Tower's bright in the moonight.
The flowers blow like cheeks that glow,
And lanterns beam as fireflies gleam.
Passing by the Triumphal Tower at Night
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)
《夜下征虏亭》
Original Text (中文原文)
船下广陵去，月明征虏亭。
山花如绣颊，江火似流萤。
Analysis & Context
Present-day Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province.
This work captures Li Bai's nighttime journey along the Yangtze River from Zhenglu Pavilion (near modern Nanjing) to Guangling (present-day Yangzhou). The poet observes the riverscape under moonlight, blending natural imagery with subtle emotion to create a vivid nocturnal tableau.
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.
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