A Parting
- Poetry of Wang Wei

《山中送别》

中文原文( Chinese )

山中相送罢，日暮掩柴扉。

春草明年绿，王孙归不归？

English Translation

In hills I saw you off today quite late;

At dust I came back and closed my wood gate.

When in next spring the grass turn green again,

Would you, my lord, return, too, from the plain?

By Wang Wei

- Last updated: 2024-04-18 10:44:24

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