By riverside towers Prince Teng's Pavilion proud,
But gone are cabs with ringing bells and stirring strain.
At dawn its painted beams bar the south-flying cloud;
At dusk its uprolled screens reveal western hills' rain.
Leisurely clouds hang o'er still water all day long;
Stars move from spring to autumn in changeless sky.
Where is the prince who once enjoyed here wine and song?
Beyond the rails the silent river still rolls by.
滕王高阁临江渚，佩玉鸣鸾罢歌舞。
画栋朝飞南浦云，珠帘暮卷西山雨。
闲云潭影日悠悠，物换星移几度秋。
阁中帝子今何在？槛外长江空自流。
The Pavilion of Prince Teng (simplified Chinese: 滕王阁; pinyin: Téngwáng Gé) is a building in the North West of the city of Nanchang, in Jiangxi province, China, on the east bank of the Gan River and is one of the Three Great Towers of southern China. The other two are the Yueyang Tower and the Yellow Crane Pavilion.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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