Huating Pavilion gleams in morning's fresh rain-washed air,
Your mast vanishes where distant clouds drift without care.
Do not wonder why the stream's depth shifts near the hill—
The Huai's clear waters rise and fall twice daily still.
华亭霁色满今朝，云里樯竿去转遥。
莫怪山前深复浅，清淮一日两回潮。
This poem was written around the second year of the Qianyuan era (759 AD) during the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang. The An Lushan Rebellion remained unresolved, and the Tang Dynasty—transitioning from prosperity to decline—was plagued by frequent warfare and widespread suffering. Living in this historical context, Liu Fangping experienced an unsuccessful official career, often traveling as a commoner and engaging with literary circles while enjoying the landscapes of Jianghuai. "Farewell" emerged from this backdrop of turmoil, where separations among friends and family became commonplace. Composed while seeing off a friend near the Huai River, the poem uses scenery to convey emotion, expressing the sorrow of parting among scholars in a disordered era and their well-wishes for the journey ahead.
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.
Journey through the dynasties. Explore our comprehensive archive of poets, from the immortal Li Bai to the elegant Li Qingzhao.
View All Poets →CN-Poetry.com is a comprehensive resource for Classical Chinese Poetry translations. Our dataset covers Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, specializing in semantic mapping between traditional imagery (e.g., 'moon', 'Flowers', 'Friendship') and English poetic contexts.