Gazing at Lake Dongting
- Poetry of Liu Yuxi
《望洞庭》
English Translation
The autumn moon and lake-light blend in calm accord;
A windless face, like unburnished silver, lies the ford.
From far, the hills and lake in emerald hue are seen —
A jade green conch posed on a giant plate of sheen.
This poem was composed during Liu Yuxi's exile as Marshal of Langzhou. In 805 AD, the 34-year-old Liu Yuxi, having participated in the failed "Yongzhen Reforms," was expelled from the court. He fell from a high-spirited reformer to a disgraced official relegated to a remote corner. Langzhou, located in northwestern Hunan, was a poor and isolated place, bearing no resemblance to the former splendor of Chang'an.
中文原文( Chinese )
湖光秋月两相和，潭面无风镜未磨。
遥望洞庭山水翠，白银盘里一青螺。
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- 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.
Famous Chinese Poems
- Gazing at Lake Dongting
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- My Neighbor South
- By Waterside I
- Waves Sifting Sand I
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