Question and Answer in the Mountains
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《山中问答》
Question and Answer in the Mountains by Li Bai (Li Po)
中文原文( Chinese )

问余何意栖碧山,笑而不答心自闲。

桃花流水窅然去,别有天地非人间。


English Translation

They ask me why I live in the green mountains.

I smile and don't reply; my heart's at ease.

Peach blossoms flow downstream, leaving no trace -

And there are other earths and skies than these.

By Li Bai (Li Po)

- Last updated: 2024-09-15 09:55:56
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.

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