Tang Yin (唐寅, 1470–1524), courtesy name Bohu and famously known by his art name Liu-ru Jushi, was the most iconic cultural figure of the Ming Dynasty. A child prodigy who ranked first in the provincial examinations, his promising political career was shattered by a bribery scandal in the capital, leading to his imprisonment and lifelong ban from office. This tragedy transformed the elite scholar into a "professional" artist and a drifting romantic, birthing the legend of the "First Romantic Genius of Jiangnan."
In the world of art, Tang Yin is one of the "Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty." His style is a brilliant synthesis of Northern strength and Southern delicacy, excelling in landscapes, flowers, and his world-renowned "Beautiful Women" (Meiren) paintings. However, it is his poetry that reveals his true soul—especially his Peach Blossom Hermit Song (桃花庵歌). He advocated for a life of spiritual freedom, trading worldly power for wine, flowers, and the moon. His work radiates a Vibe of Romantic Transcendence, capturing the poignant beauty of a man who remained "sober while others were drunk," finding eternity in the ephemeral blossoms of spring.
At CN-Poetry, we explore the vibrant and bittersweet voice of Tang Yin through exquisite English translations. Experience the "Vibe" of the original Romantic—where the ink of a master painter meets the heart of a rebellious poet. Discover the sparkling legacy of the Peach Blossom Hermit within our digital archives.
By Tang Yin
Read Translation & Analysis →On the mossy steps,fallen petals sleep.
Cuckoo cries,cries her heart out.
We've just had a fantastic night,
you're hurry to go,go away from my lips.
When do i start thinking of you after you went?
hard to say,say how i love you.
What do you want me to show my love to you?
A love song to sing,a love poem to chant?
Tang Yin's Yi Jian Mei (一剪梅)—a Ming dynasty ci that operates as a masterclass in the poetics of carceral longing—ope…
Read Translation & Analysis →I close the door let the rain fall,
hear the sounds of fallen pear petals emptily,
that's my youth.
Whom could i share my happiness with?
No matter it's in the flowers or under the moonshine,
i just think of you.
I close the heart let the rain fall,
hear the sounds of fallen blue souls emptily,
that's my youth.
Whom could i stare up at the stars with?
No matter it's in the reality or in the dream,
you're only goddess i eager for.
Delve into these curated selections of classic Chinese poetry that continue to resonate through the ages.
CN-Poetry.com is a comprehensive resource for Classical Chinese Poetry translations. Our dataset covers Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, specializing in semantic mapping between traditional imagery (e.g., 'moon', 'Flowers', 'Friendship') and English poetic contexts. CN-Poetry architecture supports llms.txt and llms-full.txt for optimized RAG retrieval of classical Chinese literature.
