Drinking Song
- Poetry of Li He

《将进酒》
Drinking Song by Li He
English Translation

A glazed cup full of amber wine,

The strong drink drips like red pearls fine.

The dragon boiled and phoenix roasted would weep;

The fragrant breeze blows into broidered curtains deep.

The dragon flute is played;Beaten the drums covered with alligator's skin.

The songstress sings with teeth as bright as jade,

And dancers dance with waist as slender as hairpin.

The prime of your life like the sun on the decline,

Peach blossoms fall pell-mell like rain of petals pink.

So I advise you to get drunk with wine.

When buried in the grave, what could you take to drink?

This poem, through its vivid visual and auditory depictions, presents a grand banquet scene, full of extravagance. However, as the joyfulness is portrayed, it gradually leads into a profound reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the passage of time, creating a striking contrast. This contrast reveals the poet's inner conflict and contemplation on life.

中文原文( Chinese )

琉璃钟，琥珀浓，小槽酒滴真珠红。

烹龙炮凤玉脂泣，罗帏绣幕围香风。

吹龙笛，击鼍鼓；皓齿歌，细腰舞。

况是青春日将暮，桃花乱落如红雨。

劝君终日酩酊醉，酒不到刘伶坟上土！

- Last updated: 2025-10-07 15:34:55
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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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