Congratulations to the Bridegroom-The Beauty and the Pomegranate Flower
- Poetry of Su Shi

《贺新郎·乳燕飞华屋》

- Last updated: 2024-01-07 12:09:45

Congratulations to the Bridegroom-The Beauty and the Pomegranate Flower by Su Shi
中文原文

乳燕飞华屋。

悄无人、桐阴转午，

晚凉新浴。

手弄生绡白团扇，扇手一时似玉。

渐困倚、孤眠清熟。 

帘外谁来推绣户，枉教人、梦断瑶台曲。

又却是，风敲竹。

 

石榴半吐红巾蹙。

待浮花、浪蕊都尽，伴君幽独。

秾艳一枝细看取，芳心千重似束。

又恐被、秋风惊 绿。

若待得君来向此，花前对酒不忍触。

共粉泪，两簌簌。

English Translation

Young swallows fly along the painted eave,

Which none perceive.

The shade of plane trees keeps away 

The hot noonday

And brings an evening fresh and cool 

For the bathing lady beautiful.

She flirts a round fan of silk made,

Both fan and hand as white as jade.

Tired by and by,

She falls asleep with lonely sigh 

Who's knocking at the curtained door 

That she can dream sweet dreams no more?

It's again the breeze who 

Is swaying green bamboo.


The pomegranate flower opens half her lips 

Which look like wrinkled crimson strips;

When all the wanton flowers fade,

Alone she'll be the beauty's maid.

How charming is her blooming branch,behold!

Her fragrant heart seems wrapped a thousand fold.

But she's afraid to be surprised by western breeze 

Which withers all the green leaves on the trees.

The beauty comes to drink to the flower fair;

To see her withered too she cannot bear.

Then tears and flowers 

Would fall in showers.

By Su Shi

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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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