Song of the Twelve Months: December
- Poetry of Li He
《河南府试十二月乐词》This poem was composed by the mid-Tang poet Li He and is one piece from a series of poems. Li He's life was brief; he died young at the age of twenty-seven, yet with his uniquely extraordinary and magnificent poetic style, he carved a distinct niche in the poetic world, earning the name "Ghost of Poetry." This series was written for the Henan Prefectural Examination; it consists of twelve poems celebrating each month, depicting the seasonal changes throughout the year.
O faint and ruddy light, that from the sun’s low foot doth spill
In a moist, trembling sprinkle, while — beneath the laurel’s bough —
A thin frost, undissolved, upon the chilly branches lies still.
Yet a dim warmth, a breath almost, begins to disallow
The Winter’s rigid frown; and now the lengthening Day has won
His leave from the long Night — their ancient, silent treaty done.
日脚淡光红洒洒，薄霜不销桂枝下。
依稀和气排冬严，已就长日辞长夜。
- 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.