Song of Flirtation
- Poetry of Su Shi

《调笑令·渔父》

中文原文( Chinese )

渔父，渔父，江上微风细雨。

青蓑黄箬裳衣，红酒白鱼暮归。

归暮，归暮，长笛一声何处。

English Translation

Fisherman,

On the river in gentle wind and rain,

In blue straw cloak,broad-brimmed hat on the head.

He comes back late at dusk with fish white and wine red.

Come late with ease,

He plays his flute,but who knows where he is?

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- Last updated: 2023-12-31 16:48:04

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