Night at Longxing Temple
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian

《宿龙兴寺》

English Translation

From the wild temple, bells fade deep,

A cold lamp’s shadow grows more steep.

Thatched hall—an ancient Buddha sleeps,

Mountain path—autumn’s whisper creeps.

Pines hold the void in emerald hue,

Dawn’s first light stains the clouds anew.

My heart, serene, sheds worldly care—

Night’s stillness births moon’s silver glare.

This poem was composed by Qiwu Qian during a night spent lodging at or passing by Longxing Temple. Using the temple's serene environment as a backdrop, the poet expresses his feelings of detachment from worldly clamor and inner tranquility. The temple's rustic antiquity, the quietude of nature, and the crisp chill of an autumn night collectively underscore the poet's peaceful and contented state of mind, reflecting his yearning for reclusive living and transcendence over mundane troubles.

中文原文( Chinese )

荒寺钟声远，寒灯影更清。

草堂眠古佛，山路宿秋声。

松色含空翠，云光入晓明。

心闲无俗虑，夜静月华生。

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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.

Night at Longxing Temple - Poetry of Qiwu Qian

Night at Longxing Temple
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian