<Song of Southern Country> Farewell to a Friend
- Poetry of Su Shi

《南乡子·送述古》

中文原文( Chinese )

回首乱山横。不见居人只见城。谁似临平山上塔，亭亭。迎客西来送客行。

归路晚风清。一枕初寒梦不成。今夜残灯斜照处，荧荧。秋雨晴时泪不晴。

English Translation

Turning my head,I find rugged mountains bar the sky,

I can no longer see you in the town.

Who can be like the hilltop tower looking down,So high?

It welcomed you from the west and bids you goodbye.

I come back at dusk in a gentle breeze.

On chilly pillow how can I dream with ease?

Where will the flickering lamp shed its lonely light Tonight?

When autumn rain no longer falls drop by drop,

Oh,will tears stop?

By Su Shi

- Last updated: 2024-03-23 17:08:51

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