Farewell to Liu Yu
- Poetry of Li Qi

《送刘昱》
Farewell to Liu Yu by Li Qi
English Translation

In the eighth moon the weed cold grows,

The autumn waves surge with white crest.

The mast shivers as north wind blows;

Why should my guest go to the west?

The rain no longer drizzles on hilltop;

Out of the door rises the evening tide.

At night along the beach my friend should stop.

Hear lonely wild goose cry by riverside!

This poem is a farewell work by Tang dynasty poet Li Qi (李颀 Lǐ Qí). Through unique conceptualization and profound artistic conception, it portrays the noble character of his friend Chen Zhangfu (陈章甫 Chén Zhāngfǔ) while expressing the poet's own lamentations about unrecognized talents. The poem not only contains admiration and reluctant parting sentiments, but also reveals sighs over political frustrations and contemplations of reclusive life.

中文原文( Chinese )

八月寒苇花，秋江浪头白。

北风吹五两，谁是浔阳客。

鸬鹚山头微雨晴，扬州郭里暮潮生。

行人夜宿金陵渚，试听沙边有雁声。

- Last updated: 2025-10-07 15:28:32
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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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