After the Lotus Flowers Have Opened (Picking Mulberries)
- Poetry of Ouyang Xiu

《采桑子·荷花开后西湖好》

- Last updated: 2024-03-24 17:05:10

中文原文

荷花开后西湖好，载酒来时。

不用旌旗。

前后红幢绿盖随。

画船撑入花深处，香泛金卮。

烟雨微微。一片笙歌醉里归。

English Translation

After the lotus flowers have opened- West Lake is good.

Come for a while and bring some wine,

There's no need for flags and pennants,

Before and behind, red curtains and green canopies follow.

The painted boat is punted in to where the flowers are thick.

Fragrance floats round golden cups,

Mist and rain are so, so fine,

In a snatch of pipes and song I drunkenly return.

By Ouyang Xiu

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