Parting Again with Bai Juyi
- Poetry of Yuan Zhen
《重赠乐天》
English Translation
Don't let the songstress sing my songs anew!
Most of them are farewell poems for you.
Tomorrow again we'll part by riverside,
Alas! At moonset when outflows the tide.
This heptasyllabic quatrain by Yuan Zhen expresses profound affection and reluctance at parting with his friend Bai Juyi. Through vivid depictions of their present moment and premonitions of impending separation, the poet conveys deep sorrow at their farewell. The work reflects the profound friendship between the two literary giants while poignantly capturing life's impermanent reunions and partings.
中文原文( Chinese )
休遣玲珑唱我诗，我诗多是别君词。
明朝又向江头别，月落潮平是去时。
Pre： Dream and No Dream
Next：No Data
- 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
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- Spring Thoughts II
- The Arcane Celadon of Yue Kiln
- Lodging by Riverside Tower
- Along the River for Flowers Alone I
- The Cottage by the Stream
- The Lotus-Gathering Song
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