West Palace, Autumn
- Poetry of Wang Changling
《西宫秋怨》Wang Changling lived during the High Tang period, the golden age of classical Chinese poetry and a time when "palace complaint" poetry flourished. Emperor Xuanzong's harem housed thousands of beauties; many women spent their entire lives without ever catching a glimpse of the emperor. Their youth, beauty, and deep affection were locked behind the high walls of the deep palace, eventually turning into endless waiting and lament.
English Translation
The lotus, for all its hue, is less than her adorning;
The wind from the lake‑house is scented with jade at morning.
Yet she, her thought brim‑full, will lay the summer fan aside —
The bright moon hangs, and waits, with nothing left to bide.
中文原文( Chinese )
芙蓉不及美人妆，水殿风来珠翠香。
却恨含情掩秋扇，空悬明月待君王。
- 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.