Courtyard Full of Fragrance-Leaving My Hall of Snow
- Poetry of Su Shi

《满庭芳·归去来兮》
Courtyard Full of Fragrance-Leaving My Hall of Snow by Su Shi
中文原文

归去来兮,吾归何处?

万里家在岷峨。

百年强半,来日苦无多。

坐见黄州再闰,儿童尽楚语吴歌。

山中友,鸡豚社酒,相劝老东坡。


云何,当此去,人生底事,来往如梭。

待闲看秋风,洛水清波。

好在堂前细柳,应念我,莫剪柔柯。

仍传语,江南父老,时与晒渔蓑。


English Translation

Why not go home?

Where shall I go today?

My home in Eyebrow Mountain is thousand miles away.

Fifty years old,I have not many days to come.

Living here for four years,

My children sing the Southern song.

Villagers and mountaineers 

With meat and wine ask me to stay 

In Eastern Slope for long.


What shall I say When I've left here?

How will my life appear?

Just as a shuttle comes and goes.

At leisure I'll see autumn breeze blows 

And ripples the river clear.

I'll think of my willow tree slender.

Will you trim for me its twigs tender?

Please tell Southern villagers not to forget 

To bask my straw cloak and fishing net!

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- Last updated: 2024-01-01 13:12:13
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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