The Moon at the Mid-Autumn Night
- Poetry of Yan Shu

《中秋月》

English Rendering

The pale moon shadow moves past the yard's phoenix tree,

On this night the sojourner alone is sad as sad could be;

The Moon Goddess Chang-e must have the same feeling:

She has only toad and osmanthus to keep her company.

The Moon at the Mid-Autumn Night by Yan Shu
The Moon at the Mid-Autumn Night by Yan Shu

Original Text (中文原文)

一轮霜影转庭梧,此夕羁人独向隅。

未必素娥无怅恨,玉蟾清冷桂花孤。

Analysis & Context

By Yan Shu

Reader's Companion

The Essence of the Verse

Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.

Reading Between the Lines

Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.

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