Two Lonely Isles in the Yangzi River - Written on a Picture Drawn by Li Sixun
- Poetry of Su Shi

《李思训画长江绝岛图》

- Last updated: 2023-12-19 12:44:55

Two Lonely Isles in the Yangzi River - Written on a Picture Drawn by Li Sixun by Su Shi
中文原文

山苍苍，水茫茫，大孤小孤江中央。

崖崩路绝猿鸟去⑶，惟有乔木搀天长。

客舟何处来，棹歌中流声抑扬。

沙平风软望不到，孤山久与船低昂。

峨峨两烟鬟，晓镜开新妆。

舟中贾客莫漫狂，小姑前年嫁彭郎。

English Translation

Below the mountains green 

Water runs till unseen;

In the midst of the stream two lonely isles stand high.

Fallen crags bar the way;

Birds and apes cannot stay;

Only the giant trees tower into the sky.

From where comes a sail white?

In mid-stream rises oarsmen's undulating song.

Sand bar is flat,the wind is weak,no boat in sight,

The Lonely Isles sink and swim with the sail for long,

Like mist-veiled tresses of a pretty lass 

Using the river as her looking glass.

O merchant in the boat,don't go mad for the fair!

The Lonely Isle and Gallant Hill are a well-matched pair.

The legend went that the God of Gallant Hill and the Goddess of the Lonely Isles were man and wife.

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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.

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