The Highest Tower
- Poetry of Xin Qiji

《最高楼·吾衰矣》

- Last updated: 2024-03-29 09:37:09

The Highest Tower by Xin Qiji
中文原文

吾拟乞归，犬子以田产未置止我，赋此骂之。

吾衰矣，须富贵何时？富贵是危机。暂忘设醴抽身去，未曾得米弃官归。穆先生，陶县令，是吾师。

待葺个园儿名“佚老”，更作个亭儿名“亦好”，闲饮酒，醉吟诗。千年田换八百主，一人口插几张匙？便休休，更说甚，是和非！

English Translation

I am old now.

Do I care for wealth and rank the world prizes?

Wealth and rank would lead to crisis.

Mu left the king who neglected to serve him wine,

And Tao would not bow for his stipend but resign.

Master Mu,

Prefect Tao,

I’ll learn from you.

I’ll build a garden called “Recluse”

And a pavilion where I may do what I choose.

I’ll drink at leisure

And chant with pleasure.

Land changes hands from year to year in north and south.

How many spoonfuls could one put at once in his mouth?

Stop your old song!

Do not tell me what’s right or wrong!

The poet shows how he values freedom above wealth and rank.

The lyricist uses metaphorical expressions to scold the power-that-be and the profit-seeking commoners who persecuted him, and to express his intention to return to seclusion and seek happiness in the countryside because of his political disillusionment.

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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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