In My Lodge at Wang Chuan After a Long Rain
- Poetry of Wang Wei

《积雨辋川庄作 / 秋归辋川庄作》

中文原文( Chinese )

积雨空林烟火迟，蒸藜炊黍饷东菑。

漠漠水田飞白鹭，阴阴夏木啭黄鹂。

山中习静观朝槿，松下清斋折露葵。

野老与人争席罢，海鸥何事更相疑。

English Translation

The woods have stored the rain, and slow comes the smoke

As rice is cooked on faggots and carried to the fields;

Over the quiet marsh-land flies a white egret,

And mango-birds are singing in the full summer trees....

I have learned to watch in peace the mountain morningglories,

To eat split dewy sunflower-seeds under a bough of pine,

To yield the post of honour to any boor at all....

Why should I frighten sea gulls, even with a thought?

Seven-character-regular-verse

- Last updated: 2024-05-07 18:06:23

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