A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian

《春泛若耶溪》

A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake by Qiwu Qian

English Translation

Thoughtful elation has no end:

Onward I bear it to whatever come.

And my boat and I, before the evening breeze

Passing flowers, entering the lake,

Turn at nightfall toward the western valley,

Where I watch the south star over the mountain

And a mist that rises, hovering soft,

And the low moon slanting through the trees;

And I choose to put away from me every worldly matter

And only to be an old man with a fishing-pole.

This refined pastoral landscape poem was composed during Qiwu Qian's excursion to Ruoye Stream (located southeast of modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), renowned since antiquity for its serene beauty. As a leading figure of the High Tang pastoral school, the poet masterfully blends natural observation with philosophical contemplation, expressing both his devotion to nature and yearning for reclusion.

中文原文( Chinese )

幽意无断绝，此去随所偶。

晚风吹行舟，花路入溪口。

际夜转西壑，隔山望南斗。

潭烟飞溶溶，林月低向后。

生事且弥漫，愿为持竿叟。

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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.

A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake - Poetry of Qiwu Qian

A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian