Leisure Days, Sent to Bao He
- Poetry of Qian Qi
Fame renounced, I dwell at ease—
Why must one chase Canglang’s seas?
Herbs I plant in deep shade thrive,
Closed gates make noise forget to strive.
Woods’ slumber teems with dawn’s faint dreams,
Crows scatter, startled by sunbeams.
A flake of snow with dark clouds sails,
Whirlwinds steal fruit-scent from the vales.
Our next meet waits where blue skies end—
Yet wistful, I scent orchids bend.
This poem was composed during the Mid-Tang period when Qian Qi was living in reclusion, dedicated to his friend Bao He. Bao, a literary companion of similarly refined and reclusive temperament, shared the poet's ideals. Through depicting the serene simplicity of hermetic life, the poem expresses Qian's aspiration to transcend worldly clamor and commune with nature, while also conveying longing and spiritual resonance with his friend. The verses, understated yet profound, blend scene and sentiment seamlessly, embodying the quintessential mountain-forest ethos and spiritual pursuits of High Tang literati.
去名即栖遁，何必归沧浪。
种药幽不浅，杜门喧自忘。
林眠多晓梦，鸦散惊初阳。
片雪幽云至，回风邻果香。
佳期碧天末，惆怅紫兰芳。
- 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.
- The Trader’s Joy
- 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