Qing Ming
- Poetry of Wang Anshi

《清明》

English Rendering

The drinking ended on the east side of town,

the sun sets slow,

in southern fields a swing dangles

empty, alone. 


Someone lies on fragrant grass

with a tall jug

as winds whistle through green twigs

like high-pitched pipes.

Qing Ming by Wang Anshi
Qing Ming by Wang Anshi

Original Text (中文原文)

东城酒散夕阳迟,南陌秋千寂寞垂。

人与长瓶卧芳草,风将急管度青枝。

Analysis & Context

By Wang Anshi

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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