English Rendering
My heart is like a tree burned down to ash.
My body is a floating boat fully detached.
If you wish to know the life strokes I wrote,
Just go to Huangzhou, Huizhou ’n Danzhou.
Self-inscription for a Painting of Me at Jinshan Temple
- Poetry of Su Shi
《自题金山画像》
Original Text (中文原文)
心似已灰之木，身如不系之舟。
问汝平生功业，黄州惠州儋州。
Analysis & Context
This short poem is an improvisational writing when Dongpo saw a painting of him by the famous artist Gonglin (李龙眠, 字公麟). It's a long sigh of deep despair towards his unfulfilled ambition for his country. A strong sadness and self-ridicule are woven together in the 24 simple words, but every word seems to have the power to leave you dewy-eyed if you know his story.
Reader's Companion
The Essence of the Verse
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.
Reading Between the Lines
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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