Visiting the Temple of the Compassionate God of Mercy on a Rainy Day
- Poetry of Su Shi

《雨中游天竺灵感观音院》

中文原文( Chinese )

蚕欲老，

麦半黄，

前山后山雨浪浪。

农夫辍末女废筐，

白衣仙人在高堂。

English Translation

Silkworms grow old, Wheat turns half gold.

On both sides of the hill the rain is pouring its fill.

Women can't weave baskets nor can men till the ground, But high in the hall sits the immortal white-gowned.

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- Last updated: 2024-03-23 17:12:21

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