Miscellaneous Poems VII
- Poetry of Tao Yuanming
The sun and moon will not slow doom;
Four seasons press each other on.
The chilly wind strips trees away;
Fallen leaves strewn along the way.
My health turns weak with worsened fate;
My black hair has whitened of late.
Of age my head bears the pale sign,
My forward way on the decline.
My home becomes an inn for rest;
The dweller's rather like a guest.
Oh, where, oh, where can I still go?
To the graveyard 'neath southern hill.
Miscellaneous Poems VII was composed around 414 AD during Tao Yuanming's later years. Having retreated to rural life and approaching old age, he no longer resisted life's transitions or the laws of mortality, instead accepting them with transcendent serenity. Through seasonal changes and impending aging, this poem employs the metaphor of life as a journey ("sojourner's lodge") culminating in the "old abode" - the family burial ground - revealing a philosopher's detachment beyond worldly concerns, free from joy or fear.
日月不肯迟，四时相催迫。
寒风拂枯条，落叶掩长陌。
弱质与运颓，玄鬓早已白。
素标插人头，前途渐就窄。
家为逆旅舍，我如当去客。
去去欲何之？南山有旧宅。
- 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.
- Miscellaneous Poems VII
- Miscellaneous Poems VIII
- A Poor Scholar I
- Reading The Book of Mountains and Seas I
- An Elegy for Myself I
- Pale Yellow Willow: Lodging West of Red-Rail Bridge, Hefei
- Charm of a Maiden Singer: A Boat Amidst Blushing Blooms
- Hidden Fragrance: Moonlight of Bygone Days
- Early Summer: Seeking Yu Creek After Rain
- Midnight Vigil in West Garden