At an Inn in Xinshi
- Poetry of Yang Wanli

《宿新市徐公店》

中文原文( Chinese )

篱落疏疏一径深，树头新绿未成阴。

儿童急走追黄蝶，飞入菜花无处寻。

English Translation

The fence is thinly built, the path leads far away;

The trees have new leaves but provide not yet shade.

A chased yellow butterfly seeks refuge among rape flowers,

Leaving the children puzzled where to find and catch it.

Yang Wanli

- Last updated: 2024-12-29 20:34:08

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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.

List of Chinese poets