Drinking at the Lake First in Sunny and then in Rainy Weather
- Poetry of Su Shi

《饮湖上初睛后雨》

中文原文( Chinese )

水光潋滟睛方好，

山色空濛雨亦奇。

欲把西湖比西子，

淡妆浓抹总相宜。

English Translation

The brimming waves delight the eye on sunny days;

The dimming hills give a rare view in rainy haze.

The West Lake looks like the fair lady at her best;

Whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed.

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- Last updated: 2024-03-23 17:18:38

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