My Sick Recovery to Early Spring
- Poetry of Su Shi

《一丛花·初春病起》
My Sick Recovery to Early Spring by Su Shi
English Translation

This spring comes early to a world of snow,

Hard to see but her east wind starts to blow.

She gives subtle signs with pussy willows,

And gentle grace even on drums and bells.

Only one quilt can keep me warm in bed,

Tho’ the night feels like winter long n cold.


When the town’s still dreaming in misty air,

A new sun rises, biting the tip of the hill.

Peach and apricot boughs will sprout out there.

The juice for spring outings will boil bubbles.

There’ll be nothing for me, sick and weak.

I’ll keep the bed from running away at home.

This poem offers a unique perspective to appreciate the coming of a new spring from a 40-year-old man recovering in his sickbed. A cheerful vibe dances in the air as a new sun rises, bringing new hope for himself after enduring a long illness, and for the townspeople who embrace the traditional spirit of spring outings to the countryside after a long and cold winter.

中文原文( Chinese )

今年春浅腊侵年，冰雪破春妍。

东风有信无人见，露微意、柳际花边。

寒夜纵长，孤衾易暖，钟鼓渐清圆。

朝来初日半衔山，楼阁淡疏烟。

游人便作寻芳计，小桃杏、应已争先。

衰病少悰，疏慵自放，惟爱日高眠。

- Last updated: 2025-04-20 20:53:06
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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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