Sighs of Autumn Rain (2)
- Poetry of Du Fu

《秋雨叹三首 (二)》

- Last updated: 2024-03-25 10:24:21

Sighs of Autumn Rain (2) by Du Fu
中文原文

阑风长雨秋纷纷，四海八荒同一云。

去马来牛不复辨，浊泾清渭何当分。

禾头生耳黍穗黑，农夫田妇无消息。

城中斗米换衾绸，相许宁论两相直。

English Translation

Ceaseless wind and lengthy rain swirl together this autumn,
The four seas and eight deserts are covered by one cloud.
A horse going, an ox coming, cannot be distinguished,
How now can the muddy Jing and clear Wei be told apart?
The standing grain begins to sprout, the millet's ears turn black,
Farmers and the farmers' wives have no hopeful news.
In the city, a bucket of rice can cost a silken quilt,
And both the buyer and seller have to agree the bargain is fair.

By Du Fu

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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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