Scraps of Cloud in Rosy Dusk (Picking Mulberries)
- Poetry of Ouyang Xiu

《采桑子·残霞夕照西湖好》

- Last updated: 2024-03-24 17:04:08

中文原文

残霞夕照西湖好，花坞苹汀，十顷波平，野岸无人舟自横。

西南月上浮云散，轩槛凉生。

莲芰香清。

水面风来酒面醒。

English Translation

Scraps of cloud in rosy dusk- West Lake is good.

Flowers on the bank, duckweed on sand,

A hundred acres of peaceful ripples,

On the overgrown bank, no man- just the stroke of a boat.

South-west, across the moon, scattered clouds are drifting.

Cool rises at the terrace rail,

Lotus flowers' scent is clear,

Wind from the water's face makes the wine face sober.

By Ouyang Xiu

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