The River Traffic by Yan’s Fishing Pavilion
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao

《钓台》

The River Traffic by Yan’s Fishing Pavilion by Li Qingzhao

English Translation

Look at all the boats coming for a token of fame,

and the ships sail away for silver and gold.

I can’t help feeling ashamed of my escape,

so we sneaked passed in midnight’s cold.

(translated by Julia Min)

Yan’s Fishing Pavilion: Legend has it that this is the riverbank spot where Yan Zilin used to do fishing when he chose to live in seclusion rather than living for fame and money in a high official position offered by Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty ( Liu Xiu 5-57 AD). He is respected for his courage in pursuing the value in his heart rather than the social value of the chaotic world, the heroic integrity Li Qingzhao failed to see in the Southern Song’s Court officials.

中文原文( Chinese )

巨舰只缘因利往，扁舟亦是为名来。

往来有愧先生德，特地通宵过钓台。

Pre： No sooner the jade buds are turned to rosy lips

Next：Writing to my Friends from my Hotel at Chang-le

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.

The River Traffic by Yan’s Fishing Pavilion - Poetry of Li Qingzhao

The River Traffic by Yan’s Fishing Pavilion
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao