Chinese Poems

宫词三十首（存二十七首，录一） 王涯 白雪猧儿拂地行，惯眠红毯不曾惊。 深宫更有何人到，只晓金阶吠晚萤。 “Palace Poem” Wang Ya A snow-white terrier brushes the ground as it walks; Used to sleeping on red carpet, it has no sense of fright. Who could have come the palace’s innermost quarter? It barks only at evening fireflies by the gold-inlaid steps. (No. 13 from A Series of 27) （Irving Y. Lo 译）...

秋思赠远二首（其二） 王涯 厌攀杨柳临清阁，闲采芙蕖傍碧潭。 走马台边人不见，拂云堆畔战初酣。 Autumn Thoughts for My Wife Wang Ya II When tied of breaking willow branch before my bower, I pluck at leisure by poolside the lotus flower. I cannot find your face when I ride on my horse, But hear the cloud echo war cries of combat force. （许渊冲 译）...

秋思赠远二首（其一） 王涯 当年只自守空帷，梦里关山觉别离。 不见乡书传雁足，唯看新月吐蛾眉。 Autumn Thoughts for My Wife Wang Ya I In bygone years alone in empty room did I stay To dream of the mountains of homeland far away. Seeing no wild geese bringing me your letter now, I only find the new moon like your arching brow. （许渊冲 译）...

秋夜曲 王涯 桂魄初生秋露微，轻罗已薄未更衣。 银筝夜久殷勤弄，心怯空房不忍归。 “Song of Autumn Night” Wang Ya A new moon has come up and the autumn dew is light, Her dress of soft gauze is too thin before she has time to change. All night long she plays tenderly on the silver flute; With a timid heart, she can’t bear returning to an empty room. （Irving Y. Lo 译）...

观于舍人壁画山水 王季友 野人宿在人家少，朝见此山谓山晓。 半壁仍栖岭上云，开帘欲放湖中鸟。 独坐长松是阿谁，再三招手起来迟。 于公大笑向予说，小弟丹青能尔为。 Viewing Mr. Yü’s Landscape Painting on the Wall Wang Chi-yu A rustic person like me seldom spends a night in a mountain home. I wake and watch the dawn come to these hills: On the wall the clouds still hover above the peaks; And I open the window to set free the birds in the lake. Who is this man sitting alone under the tall pine?— To my repeated greetings he is slow in response. Mr. Yü lets loose a hearty laugh and says, “It is my painting that deceives you so.” （Joseph J. Lee 译）...

Han Yu 蓝田县丞厅壁记 韩愈 丞之职所以贰令，于一邑无所不当问。其下主薄、尉，主薄、尉乃有分职。丞位高而逼，例以嫌不可否事。文书行，吏抱成案诣丞，卷其前，钳以左手，右手摘纸尾，雁鹜行以进，平立睨丞曰：“当署。”丞涉笔占位，署惟谨，目吏，问：“可不可？”吏曰：“得”，则退，不敢略省，漫不知何事。官虽尊，力势反出主薄、尉下。谚数慢，必曰“丞”，至以相訾謷。丞之设，岂端使然哉？ 博陵崔斯立，种学绩文，以蓄其有，泓涵演迤，日大以肆。贞元初，挟其能战艺于京师，再进再屈千人。元和初，以前大理评事言得失黜官，再转而为丞兹邑。始至，喟曰：“官无卑，顾材不足塞职。”既噤不得施用，又喟曰：“丞哉，丞哉！余不负丞，而丞负余。”则尽枿去牙角，一蹑故迹，破崖岸而为之。 丞厅故有记，坏漏污不可读。斯立易桷与瓦，墁治壁，悉书前任人名氏。庭有老槐四行，南墙巨竹千梃，俨立若相持，水虢虢循除鸣。斯立痛扫溉，对树二松，日吟哦其间。有问者，辄对曰：“余方有公事，子姑去。” [考功郎中、知制诰韩愈记。] Written on the Wall of the Assistant Magistrate’s Han Yu The assistant magistrate’s task is to help the magistrate and look into everything that goes on in his county. Under him are secretaries with various functions. But though his status is high, he is too cribbed and encumbered to take any action. When a document has to be issued, the clerk brings it to him—made out. Holding the forepart of the scroll tightly rolled in his left hand, he pulls out its end with his right, swoops down on the assistant magistrate and looks at his askance. “Your signature, please!” he says. The assistant magistrate picks up his brush and signs with care in the allotted place, glancing at the clerk for reassurance. “All in order,” says the clerk, and withdraws. The assistant magistrate dares not look into the matter and has no idea what is at issue. Though his position is high, he has less authority than the secretaries. But he is usually the first to be criticized, and is sometimes roundly abused for negligence. Is this why they created such a post? Tsui Szu-li of Poling cultivated the arts and…...

Han Yu "On Teachers" is an argumentative essay written by Han Yu, a literary figure of the Tang Dynasty. The article expounds on the truth of seeking knowledge from teachers, satirizes the social attitude of being ashamed to learn from others, educates the youth, and plays a role in transforming social customs. 双语散文 师说 古之学者必有师。师者，所以传道受业解惑也。人非生而知之者，孰能无惑？惑而不从师，其为惑也，终不解矣。生乎吾前，其闻道也，固先乎吾，吾从而师之；生乎吾后，其闻道也，亦先乎吾，吾从而师之。吾师道也，夫庸知其年之先后生于吾乎？是故无贵无贱，无长无少，道之所存，师之所存也。 嗟乎！师道之不传也久矣，欲人之无惑也难矣。古之圣人，其出人也远矣，犹且从师而问焉；今之众人，其下圣人也亦远矣，而耻学于师。是故圣益圣，愚益愚。圣人之所以为圣，愚人之所以为愚，其皆出于此乎？爱其子，择师而教之；于其身也，则耻师焉，惑矣。彼童子之师，授之书而习其句读者，非吾所谓传其道解其惑者也。句读之不知，惑之不解，或师焉，或不焉，小学而大遗，吾未见其明也。巫医、乐师、百工之人，不耻相师。士大夫之族，曰师曰弟子云者，则群聚而笑之。问之，则曰：“彼与彼年相若也，道相似也，位卑则足羞，官盛则近谀。”呜呼！师道之不复，可知矣。巫医、乐师、百工之人，君子不齿。今其智乃反不能及，其可怪也欤！ 圣人无常师。孔子师郯子、苌弘、师襄、老聃。郯子之徒，其贤不及孔子。孔子曰：“三人行，则必有我师。”是故弟子不必不如师，师不必贤于弟子。闻道有先后，术业有专攻，如是而已。 李氏子蟠，年十七，好古文，六艺经传皆通习之，不拘于时，学于余。余嘉其能行古道，作《师说》以贻之。 On the Teacher Han Yu In ancient times scholars always had teachers. It takes a teacher to transmit the Way, impart knowledge and resolve doubts. Since man is not born with knowledge, who can be without doubt? But doubt will never be resolved without a teacher. He who was born before me learned the Way before me, and I take him as my teacher. But if he who was born after me learned the Way before me, I also take him as my teacher. I take the Way as my teacher. Why should I care whether a man was born before or after me? Irrespective therefore of the distinction between the high-born and the lowly, and between age and youth, where the Way is, there is my teacher. Alas, it has been a long time since the Way of the teacher was…...

《二十四诗品》 唐·司空图 玉壶买春，赏雨茅屋。 坐中佳士，左右修竹。 白云初晴，幽鸟相逐。 眠琴绿阴，上有飞瀑。 落花无言，人淡如菊。 书之岁华，其曰可读。 Refinement A jade kettle with a purchase of spring1, A shower on the thatched hut Wherein sits a gentle scholar, With tall bamboos growing right and left, And white clouds in the newly-clear sky, And birds flitting in the depths of trees. Then pillowed on his lute in the green shade, A waterfall tumbling overhead, Leaves dropping, not a word spoken, The man placid, like a chrysanthemum, Noting down the flower-glory of the season,-- A book well worthy to be read. 1. Wine which makes man see spring at all seasons. （Herbert A. Giles 译）...

从萧叔子听弹琴，赋得三峡流泉歌 李冶 妾家本住巫山云，巫山流泉常自闻。 玉琴弹出转寥夐，直是当时梦里听。 三峡迢迢几千里，一时流入幽闺里。 巨石崩崖指下生，飞泉走浪弦中起。 初疑愤怒含雷风，又似呜咽流不通。 回湍曲濑势将尽，时复滴沥平沙中。 忆昔阮公为此曲，能令仲容听不足。 一弹既罢复一弹，愿作流泉镇相续。 A Song Written on the Topic “Streams Flowing down in the Three Gorges”  Li Ye My home used to be up there in Wu Mountain’s clouds, Where streams flowing from the mountain always can be heard. As the jade zither plays these sounds, they grow more sharp and clear, Just as they were in days of yore when heard within a dream. The Three Gorges are far away, many thousands of miles, But all at once they come flowing into my secluded chambers. Huge boulders crash down cliffs, audible under his fingers, Waterfalls and rushing waves rise from in the strings. It seems at first some bursting rage, thundering gales within, Then as if choked with sobbing sounds some current can’t get through. When force of winding rapids and whirlpools runs its course, The liquid notes fall drop by drop upon the level sand. I recall how long ago Ruan Xian composed this tune This could make even him ever hear his fill. You’ve played it once and finished, now play it once again, I want those flowing streams to continue forever. （Stephen Owen 译）...

相思怨 李冶 人道海水深，不抵相思半。 海水尚有涯，相思渺无畔。 携琴上高楼，楼虚月华满。 弹著相思曲，弦肠一时断。 Reproach in Love  Li Ye People say the sea is deep it’s not as deep by half as love. The sea at least still has its coasts, love’s farthest reaches have no shore. Take your harp and climb the tower, where moonlight fills the empty rooms. Then play the song of longing love heart and strings will break together. （Stephen Owen 译） The Bitterness of Longing Li Ye Deep is the ocean of human life, but the ocean has a shore; twice as deep is my longing for you, and longing is ever more. Lute in hand, I go upstairs, but there is no one here; moonlight fills the empty room, shining from way out there. Plucking my lute, I play a tune, Song of Pining for You; a string snaps as it rends my heart, breaking it in two. （Bannie Chow and Thomas Cleary 译）...

八至 李冶 至近至远东西，至深至浅清溪。 至高至明日月，至亲至疏夫妻。 Eight Extremes  Li Ye What is closest and farthest apart? east and west, What is deepest and most shallow? the clear brook. What is highest and brightest? the sun and moon, Most intimate and most estranged? a man and wife. （Stephen Owen 译） Eight Superlatives Li Ye Furthest and nearest are east and west; deepest and most shallow are pure clear valley streams. Highest and brightest are the sun and moon; closest and most distant are husband and wife. （Bannie Chow and Thomas Cleary 译）...

雪 罗隐 尽道丰年瑞，丰年事若何？ 长安有贫者，为瑞不宜多。 Snow Luo Yin A bumper snow, a bumper harvest; It is universally said. But Some people are ill-fed and ill-clad In the capital, and they are cold. （张智中 译）...

剪纸迎春 立春之日，悉剪彩为燕以戴之，帖“宜春”二字。 （南朝 梁）宗懔《荆楚岁时记》 立春之日，士大夫家剪纸为小幅，或悬于佳人之首，或缀于花下。 （唐）段成式《酉阳杂俎》 Papercuttings1 to Welcome Spring On the first day of Spring people cut patterns of swallows out of colourful silk to be worn on the hair and put characters which mean “pleasant spring” on their doors. Zong Lin (Southern Dynasties, the State of Liang): Stories of the Jing and Chu Times On the first day of Spring2, the families of officials and scholars cut small pieces of paper [into patterns of birds and flowers], some to be worn on the hair of the beauties, some to be attached to flowers and plants. Duan Chengshi (Tang Dynasty): You Yang Records of a Myriad Things Papercuttings: sometimes also called floral window decorations, the making of which dates far back to the Western Jin Dynasty (around the 3rdcentury). At that time, people cut swallow patterns out of colourful silk or paper to celebrate spring. This practice, originally a method of praying for luck, later became popular in all parts of China. Now paper-cutting, is a common, traditional folk art for decorative purpose. the first day of Spring: one of the 24 solar terms, or divisions of the solar year according to the Chinese calendar. The Chinese take this day as…...

鹦鹉宅西国 [唐代] 寒山 鹦鹉宅西国，虞罗捕得归。 美人朝夕弄，出入在庭帏。 赐以金笼贮，扃哉损羽衣。 不如鸿与鹤，飖飏入云飞。 Cliffs, Sun, and a Daylight Moon Arise The word goes forth, and a woodsmen Cast their nets for feathers, red, green and blue. For what? For beauties, immured by painted screens, To pass their hours aimlessly. Though their cages shimmer, sunlit gold, Their plumage fades their eyes, shaded. No longer scan the flock of wild swans, White and soaring into the racing clouds. （Peter Stambler 译） Parrots live in western lands hunters bring them back in nets courtesans tease them dawn to dusk somewhere behind palace curtains they’re given a golden cage but locked away their plumage fades not like wild geese and swans flying up in the clouds （Red Pine 译） The parrot’s home is the Western land, But with forester’s snare it can be caught and brought here. The beautiful women will play with it night and day; In and out it will go, amid their rooms’ screens. As a gift, a gold cage to store it away; Locked in! It will lose its feathered clothes1. Much better to be a goose or a crane, Soaring and drifting up in the clouds. Yü-i(“feathered clothes”) are things the immortals wear. It comes to mean…...

Wu Rong 杨花 吴融 不斗秾华不占红，自飞晴野雪蒙蒙。 百花长恨风吹落，唯有杨花独爱风。 Poplar Flower Wu Rong Vying not for garish tinct nor tinge of rubicund glow, They dance over the field on sunny days like misty snow. Diverse blossoms invariably complain of gusty blow, With ardent love for wind the hearts of poplar flowers alone overflow. （黄龙 译）...

Li He 苏小小墓 李贺 幽兰露， 如啼眼。 无物结同心， 烟花不堪剪。 草如茵， 松如盖。 风为裳， 水为珮。 油壁车， 夕相待。 冷翠烛， 劳光彩。 西陵下， 风吹雨。 The Tomb of Little Su Li He Dew on the hidden orchid is like an eye with tears. Nothing that ties a true-love-knot, flowers in mist, can’t bear to cut. The grass like the riding cushion, the pines like the carriage roof. The wind is her skirt, the waters her pendants. The coach with polished sides awaits in the twilight. Cold azure candlelight struggling to shine. Beneath Western Mound wind blows the rain. （Stephen Owen 译） The Grave of Little Su Li Ho Dew on the secret orchid Like crying eyes. No thing to bind the heart to. Misted flowers I cannot bear to cut. Grass like a cushion, The pine like a parasol: The wind is a skirt, The waters are tinkling pendants. A coach with lacquered sides Waits for someone in the evening. Cold blue candle-flames Strain to shine bright. Beneath West Mound The wind puffs the rain. （A.C. Graham 译） A Lady’s Sepulcher Li Ho Dew drops of shaded orchids Gaze as the eyes weep; They shall never be true lovers; The dancing girl will never enter her lover’s home. The…...

"Bamboo House" is a seven-character quatrain written by Li Jiayou, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. This poem expresses a feeling of abandoning worldly affairs and loving to live alone and a leisurely and contented attitude towards life by describing the comfort of the bamboo house and the actions of the owner. The first sentence summarizes the idleness of the owner of the bamboo house, the second sentence specifically describes the owner's "leisure" through the action of taking bamboo to build the house, the third sentence describes the comfort and coolness of the bamboo house through contrast, and the last sentence describes the owner's leisurely life in the bamboo house. The whole poem is rich in meaning and thought-provoking. 《竹楼》是唐代诗人李嘉祐创作的一首七言绝句。这首诗通过描写竹楼的安适和楼主的行动来达一种抛却红尘仕宦、钟情独自隐居的情怀和闲适自得的生活态度。首句概括竹楼的主人的闲散，次句通过取竹建楼的行动具体描写楼主的“闲”，第三句通过反衬手法写出竹楼的舒适凉爽，末句写主人在竹楼中的闲适生活。全诗意蕴丰美，耐人寻味。 《竹楼》 李嘉佑 傲吏身闲笑五侯，西江取竹起高楼。南风不用蒲葵扇，纱帽闲眠对水鸥。 Banboo Cottage Li Jiayou A proud official may lauth at a lord at leisure;I build with riverside bamboo a cot with pleasure.Needless of palm leaf fan when blows the southern breeze;My hat doffed, like a floating gull I sleep with ease....

"Climbing the Stork Tower" is a five-character quatrain by Wang Zhihuan, a poet in the prime of Tang Dynasty. The first two lines describe the natural scenery, but the beginning of the poem shrinks thousands of miles into a short distance, making the short distance seem thousands of miles away; the last two lines are freehand and written unexpectedly, blending philosophy with scenery and situation seamlessly, making it an immortal masterpiece on the Stork Tower. 《登鹳雀楼》是盛唐诗人王之涣的一首五言绝句，前两句写的是自然景色，但开笔就有缩万里于咫尺，使咫尺有万里之势；后两句写意，写的出人意料，把哲理与景物、情势溶化得天衣无缝，成为鹳雀楼上一首不朽的绝唱。 《登鹳鹊楼》 王之涣 白日依山尽，黄河入海流。欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。 On the Stork Tower Wang Zhihuan The sun along the mountain bows;The Yellow river seawards flows.If you'll enjoy a grander sight,You'd climb up to a greater height....

"Frosty Moon" is a seven-character quatrain written by Li Shangyin, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. This poem describes the scenery of a moonlit night in late autumn, but it does not make a static description, but borrows myths and legends to describe the cold and beautiful beauty of the moonlit night. The first sentence uses the changes in phenology to explain that the frost is long and the sky is cold, and late autumn has arrived; the second sentence says that the moonlight is clear and the sky is high; the third and fourth sentences describe the extraordinary goddesses, competing for beauty. The whole poem is mainly based on imagination, and the artistic conception is quiet and ethereal, cold and beautiful. The poet's brushstrokes are completely dotted and hovering in the sky, and the poetic scene is like a mirage, which is fleeting; the image of the poem is a perfect whole formed by the interweaving of fantasy and reality. The poet writes the static scene vividly, and the first two sentences generate the artistic conception of the second two sentences, which vividly conveys a vivid and beautiful scene. This shows the aesthetic tendency of Li Yishan's poetry. 《霜月》是唐代诗人李商隐创作的一首七绝。此诗写深秋月夜景色，然不作静态描写，而借神话传说宛言月夜冷艳之美。首句以物候变化说明霜冷长天，深秋已至；次句言月华澄明，天穹高迥；三四句写超凡神女，争美竞妍。全诗以想像为主，意境清幽空灵，冷艳绝俗。诗人的笔触完全在空际点染盘旋，诗境如海市蜃楼，弹指即逝；诗的形象是幻想和现实交织在一起而构成的完美的整体。诗人将静景活写，前两句生发出了后两句想象中的意境，栩栩然传达了一种生动而优美的景象。这颇可看出李义山诗之唯美倾向。…...

"Title on Yuan's Second Home" is a five-character quatrain written by He Zhizhang, a poet in the Tang Dynasty. The language of this poem is simple and natural, the style is casual and unrestrained, informal and humorous, and the image of the poet is vivid before our eyes. 《题袁氏别业》是唐代诗人贺知章创作的一首五绝。此诗语言质朴、自然，风格散淡、潇洒，不拘形迹又十分风趣，诗人的形象栩栩如在眼前。 《题袁氏别业》 贺知章 主人不相识，偶坐为林泉。莫谩愁沽酒，囊中自有钱。 Yuan's Garden He Zhizhang My host unacquainted with me,I love his woods and springs with glee.Don't worry I cannot buy wine;I have coins in a purse of mine....

"Farewell to Zhao Zong at Night" is a five-character quatrain written by Tang Dynasty poet Yang Jiong. This is a farewell poem. At the beginning of the poem, Zhao Zong is compared to a priceless jade and a beautiful jade, which makes Zhao Zong's style and talent concrete. The last two sentences are about the wall and the person, and the matter of sending Zhao Zong back to his old mansion. It is a double entendre. The wall is also sent back to the old mansion, but the person is hidden. The concluding sentence describes the scene of bidding farewell to Zhao Zong along the river in the moonlit night. It is full of the poet's deep friendship for his close friend, points out the time of farewell, and vaguely expresses the wish for a safe journey. This poem cleverly uses allusions, is appropriate in metaphor, and has clear and understandable language and vivid and perceptible images. It is easy to understand, and the metaphors are easy to understand, and the description of the scenery is natural and appropriate. 《夜送赵纵》是唐代诗人杨炯创作的一首五言绝句。这是一首送别诗，诗一开始用连城璧来比赵纵，以美玉比人，把赵纵的风貌、才能具体化了。后两句才由壁及人，说到送赵纵还旧府之事，一语双关，送还旧府的还有壁，只是人显里隐罢了。结句描绘在洒满月光的夜色中，沿着河川送别赵纵的情景，其中饱含着诗人对挚友的深厚情谊，点出送别的时间，且隐约表达了一路平安的祝愿。这首诗巧用典故，比兴得体，语言明白晓畅，形象鲜明可感。深入浅出，比喻设譬通俗易懂，写景自然贴切。 《夜送赵纵》 杨炯 赵氏连城璧，由来天下传。送君还旧府，明月满前川。 Farewell at Night Yang Jiong You are a talent of renown,Your fame wide spread like bright moonbeams.I…...

Gao Shi "Ode to History" by Tang Dynasty poet Gao Shi is a quatrain about history. Gao Shi used the story of the ancients giving silk robes as a metaphor for the present, expressing his grief and indignation that talented poor people were not sympathized with or valued. 唐代诗人高适所做《咏史》是一首咏史绝句。高适通过写古人赠绨袍的故事来比喻现在，表达了对有才华的贫寒人士得不到同情、重视的悲愤情绪。 《咏史》 高适 尚有綈袍赠，应怜范叔寒。不知天下士，犹作布衣看。 On Reading History Gao Shi The envoy gave a silken gownTo one on whom he looked down,Mistaking the prime ministerFor a poor plain-clothed commoner....

"Meeting a Hero" is a five-character quatrain written by Qian Qi, a poet in the middle Tang Dynasty. It is a farewell poem written because of meeting a hero on the road. The poem has unique sentence structure and hidden meaning. 《逢侠者》是中唐诗人钱起创作的一首五言绝句，是一首因路遇侠者而写的赠别诗。此诗造句别致，寓意隐蔽。 《逢侠者》 钱起 燕赵悲歌士，相逢剧孟家。寸心言不尽，前路日讲斜。 A Swordsman Qian Qi I've met a swordsman in his land,Who would take justice in his hand.To him I would lay bare heart mine,But the sun is on the decline....

"Looking at Kuang Lu from Jiang Xing" is a five-character quatrain written by the Tang Dynasty poet Qian Qi. The poem begins with "I am worried about the wind and rain, Kuang Lu is not accessible", which casually incorporates the meaning of "Jiang Xing" in the title, but does not state it explicitly, but only hints at it from another angle, using the writing technique of "hidden beginning". 《江行望匡庐》是唐代诗人钱起创作的一首五言绝句。此诗以“咫尺愁风雨，匡庐不可登”作为开头，随手将题目中“江行”的意思镶嵌在内，但没有明说，只是从另一角度隐隐化出，用的是“暗起”的写作手法。 《江行望匡庐》 钱起 咫尺愁风雨，匡庐不可登。只疑云雾窟，犹有六朝僧。 Mount Lu Viewed in Rain Qian Qi I can't climb up Mount Lu nearby,For ir is veiled in wind and rain,I doubt in cloud and mist on highIf holy men if old remain....