Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian

《过融上人兰若》

Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage by Qiwu Qian

English Translation

On the hilltop, a monk’s robe hangs in the cell,

Outside the window, stream birds fly—none to tell.

Dusk descends halfway down the mountain road,

When temple bells chime through emerald abode.

This seven-character quatrain, composed during Qiwu Qian’s journey to visit his friend, the monk Rong Shangren, captures the quiet beauty of a mountain monastery and the poet’s meditative state of mind. Though the intended meeting does not occur, the poet finds solace in the serene surroundings, crafting a scene where absence becomes presence, and silence speaks louder than words.

中文原文( Chinese )

山头禅室挂僧衣，窗外无人溪鸟飞。

黄昏半在下山路，却听钟声连翠微。

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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.

Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage​​ - Poetry of Qiwu Qian

Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage
- Poetry of Qiwu Qian