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

《采桑子·残霞夕照西湖好》

By Ouyang Xiu

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.

中文原文( Chinese )

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。

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.

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