Parting from My Children at Nanling for the Capital
- Poetry of Li Bai (Li Po)

《南陵别儿童入京》

中文原文( Chinese )

白酒新熟山中归，黄鸡啄黍秋正肥。

呼童烹鸡酌白酒，儿女嬉笑牵人衣。

高歌取醉欲自慰，起舞落日争光辉。

游说万乘苦不早，著鞭跨马涉远道。

会稽愚妇轻买臣，余亦辞家西入秦。

仰天大笑出门去，我辈岂是蓬蒿人。

English Translation

I come to hillside home when wine is newly brewed,

And yellow chicken feed on grains which autumn's strewed.

I call my lad to boil the fowl and pour the wine,

My children tug me by the sleeve,their faces shine.

I sing away to show my joy when wine is drunk;

I dance to vie in splendor with the sun half sunk.

Though it is late to offer service to the crown,

Still I will spur my horse on my way to renown.

The silly wife despised the talent not yet blest,

I'll leave my family and journey to the west.

Looking up at the sky,I laugh aloud and go.

Am I a man to crawl amid the brambles low?

By Li Bai (Li Po)

- Last updated: 2024-03-20 14:55:50

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