Beneath the Moon, Before the Steps (Gratitude for New Bounties)
- Poetry of Li Yu

《谢新恩·樱花落尽阶前月》

English Translation

Beneath the moon, before the steps, all cherry blossom has fallen,

Enwreathed in smoke, she looks sorrowful lying in bed.

She feels the same regret today as one long year ago.

Both braids like cloud in disarray, her face is wan and sallow,

The crimson corset wet from wiping tears.

But what's the reason why she suffers so?

She lies in a drunken dream before the window.

By Li Yu

中文原文( Chinese )

樱花落尽阶前月，象床愁倚薰笼。

远似去年今日，恨还同。

双鬟不整云憔悴，泪沾红抹胸。

何处相思苦？纱窗醉梦中。

- Last updated: 2025-06-07 07:55:12

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.

List of Chinese poets