In a Retreat Among Bamboos
- Poetry of Wang Wei

《竹里馆》

English Translation

Leaning alone in the close bamboos,

I am playing my lute and humming a song

Too softly for anyone to hear --

Except my comrade, the bright moon.

Five-character-quatrain

Composed around 750 AD during Wang Wei's reclusive years at his Wangchuan estate, this poem belongs to his celebrated Wangchuan Collection. Written after experiencing political disillusionment, it captures a moment of nocturnal solitude in a bamboo grove, embodying the poet's serene detachment from worldly concerns and his harmonious communion with nature.

中文原文( Chinese )

独坐幽篁里，弹琴复长啸。

深林人不知，明月来相照。

Pre： Deer-park Hermitage

Next：A Parting

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.

In a Retreat Among Bamboos - Poetry of Wang Wei

In a Retreat Among Bamboos
- Poetry of Wang Wei