To a Fair Lady Encountered on the Road
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《陌上赠美人》

中文原文( Chinese )

骏马骄行踏落花，垂鞭直拂五云车。

美人一笑褰珠箔，遥指红楼是妾家。

English Translation

I trample fallen flowers on a steed so proud,

And flick my whip at a cab of five-colored cloud.

The jeweled curtain drawn reveals a lady fair.

Smiling,she points to a mansion red,"My house is there."

By Li Bai (Li Po)

- Last updated: 2024-03-24 20:41:59

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