To the Willow by the River
- Poetry of Yu Xuanji

《赋得江边柳》

English Rendering

The vendure of willows spread the riverbank,

i seem to see the tall attic through the mist.

In the river,the shadow of willow leaves dances.

i go fishing alone,willow catkins fall on my shoulders.

The roots of willow in the river become fish's nest,

the twigs of willow by the river clench transient's boat.

In this rainy night,wind breezes me coldly,do you know

how wishful i'm to wait for you come back to my pillow?

To the Willow by the River by Yu Xuanji
To the Willow by the River by Yu Xuanji

Original Text (中文原文)

翠色连荒岸,烟姿入远楼。

影铺秋水面,花落钓人头。

根老藏鱼窟,枝低系客舟。

萧萧风雨夜,惊梦复添愁。

Analysis & Context

Yu Xuanji: 鱼玄机(AD844-871),she is a talented female poet in Tang poems.But because she got married with a bad boy.After she left her bad husband,she became a whore who lived in Xianyi nunnery( 咸宜观) where the cherry flowers bloomed.There she asked men to sleep with her.One day,her bondmaid Lv Qiao(绿翘) seized men with her.Because Lv Qiao grew up and also wanted men to sleep with her.Yu Xuanji went crazy and killed Lv Qiao.Finally,she was sentenced to death.

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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