Seated with Fangweng
- Poetry of Liu Guo
《放翁坐上》
English Translation
Woods wrapped in morning mist, chill dawn awakes,
Wild gardenias bloom—their scent spreads wide.
How blest to see worldly affairs fade away,
How strange old age makes passions magnified!
Three cups of winter ale float emerald hue,
One scroll of spring verse smoothed on pale gold.
Why not cast off all mortal constraints,
And beg rivers and lakes to drown me bold?
The poem intricately depicts morning landscapes, laments the passage of time and worldly sentiments, and ultimately advocates retreating to nature in pursuit of spiritual freedom—embodying Southern Song scholars' aspirations for ideal character and liberated living amid turbulent times.
中文原文( Chinese )
林雾霏霏晓意凉，野栀才放已传香。
幸哉世事日相远，怪底时情老更狂。
腊蚁三杯浮重碧，春膏一幅砑轻黄。
何如放浪形骸外，尽乞江湖作醉乡。
Next：Tipsy Verse
- 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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- Spring Thoughts II
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- Along the River for Flowers Alone I
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