Since olden days there is no rope to bind the sun.
How could we stop the cloud and water on the run?
I'd like to buy the vast sea from the goddess nice,
But a cup of spring dew soon turns as cold as ice.
Poem translator: Xu Yuan-chong (许渊冲)
从来系日乏长绳，水去云回恨不胜。
欲就麻姑买沧海，一杯春露冷如冰。
This poem was composed by Li Shangyin during his visit to a famous mountain. Inspired by the scenery, he laments the passage of time and the impermanence of life. Through romantic imagination, the poet imbues an age-old theme with fresh meaning, reflecting deeply on time and fate.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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