The Northern Hills
- Poetry of Wang Anshi
The hills pour green to flood the pools,
Straight trenches curve to liquid jewels.
Counting petals makes time bloom—
Late return perfumes the gloom.
This poem was composed during Wang Anshi's later years after his retirement to Zhongshan, following his resignation as chancellor. Free from the tumult of political affairs, he immersed himself in nature, achieving a state of serene tranquility. This landscape quatrain exemplifies his late poetic style—elegant, understated, and imbued with personified natural imagery. Amidst the secluded beauty of Beishan's spring scenery, the poet's mind wanders freely, using mountains and waters as vessels for his contemplations on life, revealing profound insights through subtle details.
北山输绿涨横池，直堑回塘滟滟时。
细数落花因坐久，缓寻芳草得归迟。
- 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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