A Lofty Mansion
- Poetry of Anonymous

《西北有高楼》
A Lofty Mansion by Anonymous
中文原文

西北有高楼，上与浮云齐。

交疏结绮窗，阿阁三重阶。

上有弦歌声，音响一何悲！

谁能为此曲？无乃杞梁妻。

清商随风发，中曲正徘徊。

一弹再三叹，慷慨有余哀。

不惜歌者苦，但伤知音稀。

愿为双鸿鹄，奋翅起高飞。

English Translation

A lofty mansion towers in the northwest,

Its pointed roof with drifting clouds abreast.

O'er latticed windows hangs a satin blind;

Three stairways lead to spacious halls behind.

From upstairs come the sounds of lute and song;

How the music echoes sad and long!


Who on earth can play such painful tunes?

Has Qi Liang's widow been reborn so soon?

The Clear Shang tune resounds in evening breeze;

Half way through,it lingers o'er the trees.


One strike on the chord,then come three sighs 

In depressed remorse and sobbing cries.

It's not her bitter lot that I regret;

I'm sad that bosom friends are rare to get.

Oh that we are a couple of wild swans,

Soaring to the skies ever on and on.

Anonymous

- Last updated: 2024-08-11 11:26:32
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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.

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