The Lakeside Temple at Dawn
- Poetry of Yang Wanli
《晓出净慈寺送林子方》
English Translation
The uncommon West Lake in the midst of sixth moon
Displays a scenery to other months unknown.
Green lotus leaves outspread as far as boundless sky;
Pink lotus blossoms take from sunshine a new dye.
Composed circa 1180 during a summer morning at Jingci Temple, this quatrain—the second in a series—captures Yang Wanli's parting gaze upon West Lake's lotus-filled splendor. Written while seeing off friend Lin Zifang, the poem transmutes farewell melancholy into radiant natural imagery, where botanic grandeur becomes emotional subtext.
中文原文( Chinese )
毕竟西湖六月中，风光不与四时同。
接天莲叶无穷碧，映日荷花别样红。
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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.
Famous Chinese Poems
- Song of the Mountain Goddess
- Leave Me Not
- Complaint of Parting
- Successful at the Civil Service Examinations
- Farewell in the Evening Rain to Li Cao
- Greeting on the Huai River to My Old Friends from Liangchuan by
- An Autumn Night Message to Qiu
- For Kinsfolk and Friends at Guangling
- For My Brothers in the Capital on Cold Food Day
- On Hearing Homing Wild Geese
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