Song of Gaixia
- Poetry of Xiang Yu

《垓下歌》
Song of Gaixia by Xiang Yu
中文原文( Chinese )

力拔山兮气盖世，时不利兮骓不逝。

骓不逝兮可奈何，虞兮虞兮奈若何！

English Translation

My strength plucked up the hills,

My might shadowed the world;

But the times were against me,

And Dapple runs no more;

When Dapple runs no more,

What then can I do?

Ah, Yu, my Yu,

What will your fate be?

The "Song of Gaixia" (垓下歌) was a song composed by Xiang Yu while he was trapped by Liu Bang's forces at Gaixia.

Xiang Yu's might and prowess in battle has been glorified in Chinese folk tales, poetry, and novels, and he has been the subject of films, television, plays, Chinese operas, video games and comics. His classic image is that of a heroic and brave, but arrogant and bloodthirsty warrior-king. His romance with his wife Consort Yu and his suicide have also added a touch of a tragic hero to his character.

- Last updated: 2024-08-06 14:44:36
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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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