The dynasties rise and fall in the fate
- Poetry of Nalan Xingde

《蝶恋花》

- Last updated: 2024-03-24 15:36:31

中文原文

今古河山无定据，画角声中，牧马频来去。

满目荒凉谁可语？西风吹老丹枫树。

从来幽怨应无数？铁马金戈，青冢黄昏路。

一往情深深几许？深山夕照深秋雨。

English Translation

The dynasties rise and fall in the fate,

in the horns of warriors,

horse run here and there.

Who could i speak to in this forlorn battlefield?

only the west wind blows the maple trees.

There were too much sorrow in the past,

in the swords of warriors,

girls ran here and there.

Do you know how deeply i love you?

just like the rain drizzles in the mountain after twilight.

By Nalan Xingde

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