Crossing River Han
- Poetry of Song Zhiwen
《渡汉江》
English Translation
I longed for news on the frontier
From day to day, from year to year.
Now nearing home, timid I grow;
I dare not ask what I would know.
This poem was composed during the early Tang Dynasty when the poet Song Zhiwen, plagued by political misfortunes and repeated exiles, endured profound life turbulence. It was written as he crossed the Han River during his banishment, nearing his homeland. With homecoming in sight, he was overwhelmed by nostalgia yet seized with apprehension, fearing unwelcome news. These four concise lines perfectly capture a disheartened traveler’s boundless longing for home and his trepidation about returning.
中文原文( Chinese )
岭外音书断，经冬复历春。
近乡情更怯，不敢问来人。
Pre：No Data
- 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.