Inscribed on Assistant Xiao’s Small Pond
- Poetry of Qian Qi
Orioles sing midst iris-green,
Dawn welcomes trysts with loves unseen.
By woods and pools, words fade away—
Where mandarin ducks preen wings at play.
Spring-warmed springs nurse healing herbs,
Sunlit hours stretch blooms’ slow verbs.
This meeting begs unmeasured wine—
Such perfect hours won’t realign.
This poem was composed by Qian Qi during the High Tang period as an inscription for a small pond in the residence of his friend Xiao Cheng, a local official and literary connoisseur. Through describing the scenery of a friend's dwelling, the poet expresses the joy of reunion and his lingering attachment to spring's beauty. Set against a morning pondscape in springtime, the verses weave friendship, nature, and life's reflections into a tapestry that is both vivid with daily charm and tinged with wistfulness for fleeting moments.
莺鸣蕙草绿，朝与情人期。
林沼忘言处，鸳鸿养翮时。
春泉滋药暖，晴日度花迟。
此会无辞醉，良辰难再追。
- 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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- Seeking the Hermitage of the Reverend Yong
- Dedicated to Yuan Danqiu’s Mountain Home
- The Temple on the Summit
- The orchid
- After Rain at the River Crossing
- Dawn Visit to Yu Pool with Hermit Xie
- To Censors Li and Yuan, with a Message for Wu Wuling
- On Hearing of the Imperial Plowing Ceremony
- Summer Nap