A Picture of Wedding in Zhu-Chen Village
- Poetry of Su Shi

《陈季常所蓄朱陈村嫁娶图二首》

- Last updated: 2024-03-23 14:26:02

中文原文

其一

何年顾陆丹青手，画作《朱陈嫁娶图》。

闻道一村惟两姓，不将门户买崔卢。

其二

我是朱陈旧使君，劝农曾入杏花村。

而今风物那堪画，县吏催钱夜打门。

English Translation

A great master of ancient days like Gu or Lu

Painted this picture of wedding of Chen and Zhu.

Tis said the villagers bear only these two names,

They would not change their household for Cui's and Lu's fames.

I came among apricot trees to advocate

Farming in their village when I was magistrate.

But now you can find such picturesque scene no more,

For tax-collectors will nightly knock at the door.

By Su Shi

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.

List of Chinese poets