The Village Tavern
- Poetry of Liu Guo
《村店》
English Translation
Where woods grow deep and road winds, noon crows cry,
Beyond the stream a cottage I descry.
A vale of riotous blooms proclaims spring's cheer—
There hangs the tavern sign 'mid apricots sheer.
Composed during Liu Guo's travels, this poem titled Spring Excursion reflects his contemplation of rural life amidst wandering. Though unappointed to office yet deeply concerned for his country, Liu here departs from his typical impassioned style to capture subtle pastoral moments. The work reveals his appreciation for ordinary existence through delicate scenery, embodying a rare idyllic quality in his oeuvre. With natural imagery and unadorned language, it conveys quiet introspection within simplicity.
中文原文( Chinese )
林深路转午鸡啼，知有人家住隔溪。
一坞闹红春欲动，酒帘正在杏花西。
Next：The Ferry at Yiyang
- 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.