Elegy on Abe Nakamaroo
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《哭晁卿衡》
Elegy on Abe Nakamaroo by Li Bai (Li Po)
中文原文( Chinese )

日本晁卿辞帝都，征帆一片绕蓬壶。

明月不归沉碧海，白云愁色满苍梧。

English Translation

My Japanese friend Abe left the imperial shore,

His single sail turned round for the three Fairy Isles.

The moon has sunk in the sea to return no more,

The land's overspread with gloomy clouds for miles and miles.

Abe Nakamaro came to China(referred to as the imperial shore in this poem)in 717at the age of 20 and did not return to Japan (referred to as the three Fairy Isles)till the winter of 753.It was rumoured that he(referred to as the moon)was drowned in the sea and Li Bai wrote this poem.

- Last updated: 2023-12-20 15:19:36
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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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