In Response to the Prince of Wei: Ode to the Wind
- Poetry of Yu Shinan
Chasing dancers, it wafts their light sleeves in flight,
Bearing songs that around the rafters take flight.
It moves branches, creating a chaos of shade,
Blows blossoms, sending their fragrance far conveyed.
This poem was composed during the early Tang Dynasty by Yu Shinan, one of the "Four Great Poets of the Early Tang," renowned for his elegant and refined literary style. Prince Li Tai of Wei once wrote "Ode to the Wind" and commanded his courtiers to compose response poems. Yu Shinan wrote this piece as an imperial court poem (应制诗). The entire poem uses the movement of the wind to depict dancing sleeves, songs, shadows of branches, and the scent of flowers. It is both a tribute to the natural wind and an evocation of the atmosphere of an elegant court banquet, reflecting the characteristics of imperial court poetry—embellished language, harmonious tone, and refined artistry.
逐舞飘轻袖，传歌共绕梁。
动枝生乱影，吹花送远香。
- 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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