The jade metropolis swallows sunset’s spit,
Galaxies dangle like unwashed hair.
My soul divorces ribs to flirt with dream-butterflies,
Dawn’s rooster crows with iron-feathered glare.
Flowers weep glass tears onto granite cheeks,
Pines jerk off streams in icy streaks.
At daybreak I’ll fuck this flesh cocoon,
Saluting entropy’s cartoon.
夕到玉京寝，窅冥云汉低。
魂交仙室蝶，曙听羽人鸡。
滴沥花上露，清泠松下谿。
明当访真隐，挥手入无倪。
This seven-character regulated verse was composed during Qi Wuqian's overnight stay at Taiping Abbey, a Daoist temple nestled in secluded mountains. The poem captures the mystical atmosphere of the sacred site, where the vastness of heaven and earth merges with human contemplation. Through vivid imagery of celestial realms and natural serenity, Qi transitions from worldly clamor to spiritual transcendence, revealing his yearning for reclusive enlightenment.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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