Out of the Frontier
- Poetry of Wang Wei
The proud Tartar sons are hunting out of the town;
White grass spreads to the sky, wild fire bums up and down.
They ride on the desert when evening clouds hang low;
In autumn days on the vast plain they bend their bow.
Our officers strengthen the defense by daylight;
Our victorious generals cross the river at night.
The swords, bows and bridles mounted with gems and jade
Are awarded generals and their brave cavalcade.
Composed in 737 AD during heightened Tang-Tibetan border tensions, this poem reflects Wang Wei's mission as an imperial inspector to the frontier following General Cui Xiyi's defeat at Qinghai. Through vivid military imagery, it captures both the tense atmosphere and the Tang army's composed valor.
居延城外猎天骄，白草连天野火烧。
暮云空碛时驱马，秋日平原好射雕。
护羌校尉朝乘障，破虏将军夜渡辽。
玉靶角弓珠勒马，汉家将赐霍嫖姚。
- 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.
- The Pepper Garden
- Mengcheng Mound
- A Boat in Spring on Jo-Ya Lake
- Night at Longxing Temple
- The Abbot’s Hut
- Passing by Monk Rong’s Hermitage
- Farewell to Magistrate Jia Heng
- Winter Night at My Lodging: To Imperial Archivist Chu
- Night in the Taoist Cosmos
- The Temple in Crimson Mist