At an Inn in Xinshi
- Poetry of Yang Wanli

《宿新市徐公店》

English Translation

The fence is thinly built, the path leads far away;

The trees have new leaves but provide not yet shade.

A chased yellow butterfly seeks refuge among rape flowers,

Leaving the children puzzled where to find and catch it.

Composed in 1192 during Yang Wanli's tenure as Jiangdong Transport Deputy, this quatrain captures a fleeting moment between late spring and early summer in rural Zhejiang. Written during a stopover in Xinshi (modern Deqing), the poem crystallizes the "Chengzhai Style" aesthetic—finding profundity in rustic simplicity through keen observation and unadorned language.

中文原文( Chinese )

篱落疏疏一径深，树头新绿未成阴。

儿童急走追黄蝶，飞入菜花无处寻。

Pre： Rising Early

Next：In Reply to Fu Junyu: On Choosing a Neighbor

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.

At an Inn in Xinshi - Poetry of Yang Wanli

At an Inn in Xinshi
- Poetry of Yang Wanli