In the Courlyard
- Poetry of Anonymous

《庭中有奇树》

中文原文

庭中有奇树，绿叶发华滋。

攀条折其荣，将以遗所思。

馨香盈怀袖，路远莫致之。

此物何足贵？但感别经时。

English Translation

In the courtyard stands a tree so rare,

With leaves so green and flowers sweet and fair.

I pluck a flower from a twig above,

To offer as a token of my love.

In my laps and sleeves,sweet fragrance stays,

But flowers will not reach him who's far away.

Such a gift is not the worthy kind;

Long parting weighs alone upon my mind.

Anonymous

- Last updated: 2024-08-12 10:33:17

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.

List of Chinese poets