To the Tune of a Teenager - August
- Poetry of Ma Zhiyuan

《青哥儿·八月》

- Last updated: 2024-06-26 11:01:51

To the Tune of a Teenager - August by Ma Zhiyuan
中文原文

铜壶半分更漏，散秋香桂娥将就。

天远云归月满楼。

这清兴谁教庾江州，能消受？

English Translation

Water clock tolls in the dead of night,

Fragrance of bay fills the air.

In the clear sky the moon shines bright,

In the moon-lit villa how can I bear,

Such a charming night?

By Ma Zhiyuan

· Pre： Composed in the Rainy Compound at the Beginning of Autumn
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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