Ten Thousand Thoughts a Day
- Poetry of Zeng Gong
A day's algebra of thoughts,
A night's calculus of oughts.
Daymath plus nightcount—
Seasons compound without amount.
My friend governs that far county,
Goujian's coastal exile bounty.
Does he still recall the way
To parse absence from delay?
I'm but roadside dust awaiting chariots,
How dare eye Mount Song's summits?
Or claim my creek's thin melody
Matches the sea's eternity?
Peak of Virtue, Ocean of Lore—
I dredge them dry to the core.
Yet this sorrowful arithmetic,
Does it reach his politic?
Likely composed during Zeng Gong's early career transitions or provincial postings, this introspective work addresses an unnamed "old friend"—possibly a fellow examination candidate or reform-minded colleague. Written when physical separation compounded professional uncertainties, the poem's stark emotional directness breaks from Zeng's typically measured style, revealing vulnerability beneath his public persona as a model bureaucrat. Its recursive structure and aquatic metaphors trace a psychological journey from anxious attachment to self-affirmation through scholarly devotion.
一昼千万思，一夜千万愁。
昼思复夜愁，昼夜千万秋。
故人远为县，海边勾践州。
故人道何如，不间也与周。
我如道边尘，安能望嵩丘。
又若涧与溪，敢比沧海流。
景山与学海，汲汲强自谋。
愁思虽尔勤，故人得知不。
- 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.
- 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