Returning Late on the Road from Pingquan on a Winter's Day
- Poetry of Bai Juyi

《冬日平泉路晚归》

- Last updated: 2024-03-19 13:20:15

中文原文

山路难行日易斜，烟村霜树欲栖鸦。

夜归不到应闲事，热饮三杯即是家。

English Translation

The mountain road is hard to travel, the sun now slanting down,

In a misty village, a crow lands on a frosted tree.

I'll not arrive before night falls, but that should not concern me,

Once I've drunk three warm cups, I'll feel as if at home.

By Bai Juyi

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