South Storey - The Double Ninth Festival Beyond the Great Wall
- Poetry of Nalan Xingde

《南楼令·塞外重九》
South Storey - The Double Ninth Festival Beyond the Great Wall by Nalan Xingde
中文原文( Chinese )

古木向人秋，惊蓬掠鬓稠。

是重阳、何处堪愁。

记得当年惆怅事，正风雨，下南楼。

断梦几能留，香魂一哭休。

怪凉蟾、空满衾裯。

霜落鸟啼浑不睡，偏想出，旧风流。

English Translation

Ancient trees lengthen into the autumn for man,

Floating duckweed swept past his ringlets.

It was a new Double Ninth Festival,

Curst and sad with fidgets.

I have a fund of the heart-rending arrival

In the midst of the wind and rain,

Striding down from the gable. 


How can I detain the aborted dream

Whence her sweet soil wept me out of sleep?

In such cold moon beam,

The bare bedding is destitute of her keep.

Sitting up to the raucous cries of crows in the falling frosts

Of all things, I should dream up my old fair wights.

By Nalan Xingde

- Last updated: 2024-07-12 15:24:28
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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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