Summer Nap
- Poetry of Liu Zongyuan

《夏昼偶作》

English Translation

Southern heat thick as vintage wine,

I doze by the north window—sleep divine.

Noontide wakes me to silence deep,

Through bamboo—a boy pounds tea, soft and sweet.

Composed during Liu Zongyuan's exile in Yongzhou, this poem captures the suffocating summer heat of the southern frontier. As a participant in the failed Yongzhen Reforms, Liu was demoted to Sima of Yongzhou—a political exile that shattered his career aspirations. Living in reclusion amidst mountains and rivers, he sought solace in nature while observing rural hardships. Written during the sweltering season, the poem depicts vignettes of southern summer life while subtly conveying the poet's complex emotions about reclusion and social reality.

中文原文( Chinese )

南州溽暑醉如酒，隐几熟眠开北牖。

日午独觉无馀声，山童隔竹敲茶臼。

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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.

Summer Nap - Poetry of Liu Zongyuan

Summer Nap
- Poetry of Liu Zongyuan