Upon Ziyou’s Departure on a Mission to Qidan
- Poetry of Su Shi

《送子由使契丹》
Upon Ziyou’s Departure on a Mission to Qidan by Su Shi
中文原文( Chinese )

云海相望寄此身，哪因远适更沾巾。

不辞驿骑凌风雪，要使天骄识凤麟。

沙漠回看清禁月，湖山应梦武林春。

单于若问君家世，莫道中朝第一人。

English Translation

A broad sea of clouds will set us apart, north and south.

But don’t shed tears over the shared distance, near or far.

After a rough ride braving frost and snow in desert wind,

You’re yet to outbeat the ‘God’s Elites’ with your wisdom.

When you look back at the moon on the Forbidden City,

Keep your dreams alive around the hills and lakes of spring.

Should the Chief wish to know your family status in Court,

Don’t respond it’s renowned as the first in Middle Kingdom.

1089 saw Su Shi governing Hangzhou for the 2nd time amid his second rise in political status after his first banishment to Huangzhou. He was 58 years old then, still the same man with the same character and eloquence, but touched with more confidence and caution. As the Senior Scholar of Hanlin Academy( 翰林大学士), similar to today’s Secretary General of State, Su Zhe was sent by the Emperor to Qidan to celebrate the birthday of the Huns’ Chief of state. It was a humiliating period in history where the Song, an old Empire, had to pay tribute to a new nation of barbarian tribes.

- Last updated: 2024-10-17 10:45:26
· Pre： Crossing the Strait in June on the 20th Day
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

© 2024 CN-Poetry.com Chinese Poems in English