South of Town II
- Poetry of Zeng Gong
《城南二首 · 其二》
English Translation
At spill-over moment of pond and rain,
Scarlet shadows flurry—petals slain.
Spring's departure weighs my infinite sigh,
Exile's arithmetic: no way to multiply.
Composed in 1077 during Zeng Gong's service as prefect of Fuzhou, this companion piece to the first "South City" poem presents a dynamic counterpart to its predecessor's meditative stillness. Written in late spring, it captures the transient beauty of petals floating on rain-swollen ponds while voicing the poet's melancholic wanderlust. Where the first poem contemplated nature's enduring truths, this sequel articulates the human predicament of displacement—a hallmark of Zeng's ability to weave personal longing into philosophical landscapes.
中文原文( Chinese )
水满横塘雨过时，一番红影杂花飞。
送春无限情惆怅，身在天涯未得归。
Next：South of Town I
- 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
- Pomegranate Blossoms at Zhang’s Lodge
- Willow Catkins Over the Pond
- Written for My Grandnephew at the Blue Pass
- South of Town I
- South of Town II
- Multi-Vista Tower at Sweet Dew Temple
- River Thoughts for Wang Anshi
- Bamboos by South Veranda
- The Condensed Incense Studio
- Ten Thousand Thoughts a Day
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