Moss
- Poetry of Yuan Mei

《苔》
Moss by Yuan Mei
中文原文( Chinese )

白日不到处，青春恰自来。

苔花如米小，也学牡丹开。

English Translation

Where sunlight cannot penetrate,

There verdant spring at will may go.

The grain-like moss will imitate

The peony’s large flower and grow.

（许渊冲 译）

- Last updated: 2024-07-31 22:00:46
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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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