To One Unnamed I
- Poetry of Li Shangyin

《无题·来是空言去绝踪》

English Translation

You said you would come, but you did not, and you left me with no other trace

Than the moonlight on your tower at the fifth-watch bell.

I cry for you forever gone, I cannot waken yet,

I try to read your hurried note, I find the ink too pale.

...Blue burns your candle in its kingfisher-feather lantern

And a sweet breath steals from your hibiscus-broidered curtain.

But far beyond my reach is the Enchanted Mountain,

And you are on the other side, ten thousand peaks away.

Seven-character-regular-verse

This poem by Li Shangyin, a renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty, is a love poem expressing a man’s profound longing for his distant beloved. The poem is marked by delicate emotions and a masterful structure. By intertwining dreams with reality, it portrays the pain of separation and the steadfastness of love. The references to Liu Lang and Mount Penglai enrich the poem with cultural depth, adding a touch of melancholy and depth.

中文原文( Chinese )

来是空言去绝踪，月斜楼上五更钟。

梦为远别啼难唤，书被催成墨未浓。

蜡照半笼金翡翠，麝熏微度绣芙蓉。

刘郎已恨蓬山远，更隔蓬山一万重。

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Next：To One Unnamed II

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.

To One Unnamed I - Poetry of Li Shangyin

To One Unnamed I
- Poetry of Li Shangyin