For Those Who Happily Remained After the Rain
- Poetry of Xue Tao

《酬人雨后玩竹》
For Those Who Happily Remained After the Rain by Xue Tao
中文原文( Chinese )

南天春雨时，那鉴雪霜姿。

众类亦云茂，虚心能自持。

多留晋贤醉，早伴舜妃悲。

晚岁君能赏，苍苍劲节奇。

English Translation

Southern Gates of Heaven, spring rains time.

Bright mirrors of hoarfrost and snow

Reflect a multitude of clouds above.

With an empty mind, you can grasp it all.


Many remain of these distinguished drunkards,

Old friends all of Shun's sad wife.

In your waning years, you will be rewarded

With a strange period of flourishing power.

As for the poem, the Southern Gates of Heaven were the names of fortified passes on the border. Empty-mindedness was a part of Daoism in China before even the advent of Bodhidharma and his Zen. Shun is the legendary early king. But I am too ignorant to know anything about his wife or her legendary sadness. Xue Tao's guests were probably older men who would be amused to hear they would flourish in a particular way once again, knowing they would not, as biology never runs backwards.

- Last updated: 2024-11-16 21:56:15
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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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