Flower isn't flower
- Poetry of Bai Juyi

《花非花》

中文原文( Chinese )

花非花，雾非雾。夜半来，天明去。

来如春梦几多时，去似朝云无觅处。

English Translation

Flower isn't flower,fog isn't fog.

you come in night and leave at dawn.

Like a dream,too beautiful to catch,

when i try to hug you,only the morning glow smiles at me.

By Bai Juyi

- Last updated: 2024-03-25 14:10:28

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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.

List of Chinese poets