Song of Eastern Expedition of Prince Yong (One of Eleven Poems)
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《永王东巡歌(十一首选一)》

- Last updated: 2023-12-20 15:22:16

中文原文

三川北虏乱如麻，四海南奔似永嘉。

但用东山谢安石，为君谈笑净胡沙。

English Translation

Three River Valleys overrun by Northern foes,

People within four seas flee to the Southern land.

If Master Xie again from Eastern Mountain rose,

He'd quell with ease the rebels as he'd sprinkle sand.

Xie An fought against heavy odds and won victory in 382.Here the poet alluded to himself.

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