Song of the Lute
- Poetry of Su Shi

《琴诗》
Song of the Lute by Su Shi
中文原文( Chinese )

若言琴上有琴声，放在匣中何不鸣？

若言声在指头上，何不于君指上听？

English Translation

If you say music from the lute does rise,

Why in its case will not vibrate its string?

If you say the sound in the fingers lies,

Why have we never heard the fingers sing?

Here’s an allegory of the pre-eminence of the subjective, specifically the artistically apprehended reality – the music, over the objective things of wood and fingers. The way that   philosophical messages were imbedded in art is often seen as the embraced style of the Song writings and paintings. There’s likely an influence from his father Su Xun a famous essayist known for his bold but sophisticated comments supported with carefully constructed theories. He knew very well how the two worlds of art and actualities require each other.

- Last updated: 2024-10-01 13:40:55
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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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