On the death of my husband Zhao Mingcheng, the governor of Huzhou
- Poetry of Li Qingzhao

《祭赵湖州文》
On the death of my husband Zhao Mingcheng, the governor of Huzhou by Li Qingzhao
中文原文( Chinese )

白日正中，叹庞翁之机捷。

坚城自堕，怜杞妇之悲深。

English Translation

Your life journey is just half way, like the dazzling sun at midday. 

Then you’re gone, leaving me alone to a world sinking astray. 

You’re the elite of the Song, but nothing gold can stay. 

I remember the daughter of Monk Pang, who ended her life before he passed away, --a relieve from such grief faithful to a heart of pain. 

Li Qingzhao's husband Zhao Mingcheng (1081 - 1129, epigrapher, poet, and politician) died of disease after he was appointed to be Huzhou's governor of the New Southern Song dynasty. His sudden death left his wife to a world under the siege of the Jin invaders.

- Last updated: 2024-09-16 15:31:16
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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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