To the Parrot
- Poetry of Luo Yin
《鹦鹉》
English Translation
Do not complain of golden cage and wings cut short;
The southern land is far warmer than the northwest.
Don't clearly speak if you listen to my exhort;
You will offend if clearly your complaint's expressed.
Composed during the turbulent Tang-Five Dynasties transition, this poem reflects Luo Yin's lifelong frustrations - repeated examination failures and unfulfilled ambitions. In his later years, though finding refuge with King Qian Liu of Wuyue, he remained discontent. Using a caged parrot as metaphor, the poem expresses his melancholy as an intellectual dependent on patronage, exemplifying allegorical self-expression through objects.
中文原文( Chinese )
莫恨雕笼翠羽残，江南地暖陇西寒。
劝君不用分明语，语得分明出转难。
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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.