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

《青哥儿·八月》

中文原文( Chinese )

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

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

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