The Recumbent Green Pavilion of Fahui Temple
- Poetry of Su Shi

《法惠寺横翠阁》

- Last updated: 2024-03-23 17:18:59

The Recumbent Green Pavilion of Fahui Temple by Su Shi
中文原文

朝见吴山横，

暮见吴山纵。

吴山故多态，

转折为君容。

幽人起朱阁，

空洞更无物。

惟有千步冈，

东西作帘额。

春来故国归无期，

人言秋悲春更悲。

已泛平湖思灌锦，

更看横翠忆峨帽。

雕栏能得几时好，

不独凭栏人易老。

百年兴废更堪哀，

悬知草莽化池台。

游人寻我旧游处，

但觅吴山横处来。

English Translation

At dawn I see the hills recumbent lie; At dusk I see them towering high.

It is true these green hills are full of grace, Trying to please you by changing their face.

A recluse has built a pavilion here, With nothing round but solitude far and near And this ridge with its thousand-pace-high crest Extending curtain-like from east to west.

Spring comes but brings for me not a home-coming dream; If autumn is sad, then spring is much sadder still.

On the lake I recall the Brocade-washing Streaml; And of Mount Brows ? 

reminds me the recumbent hill. How long can the carved railings be good to behold?

The man who leans on them will easily grow old.

More lamentable is dynastic rise and fall!

We can foretell briers will grow in this painted hall. If a rambler looks for the place where have rambled I, 

He' ll but find the recumbent hills before his eye.

1073

· Pre： Lament of a Peasant Woman Living in the South of the River
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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