Cooler Weather
- Poetry of Han Wo

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- Last updated: 2024-05-15 11:06:47

中文原文

碧阑干外绣帘垂，猩血屏风画折枝。

八尺龙须方锦褥，已凉天气未寒时。

English Translation

Her jade-green alcove curtained thick with silk,

Her vermilion screen with its pattern of flowers,

Her eight- foot dragon-beard mat and her quilt brocaded in squares

Are ready now for nights that are neither warm nor cold.

Seven-character-quatrain

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