Matching Poem for My New Neighbor to the West, Inviting Him over for Wine
- Poetry of Yu Xuanji

《次韵西邻新居兼乞酒》
Matching Poem for My New Neighbor to the West, Inviting Him over for Wine by Yu Xuanji
中文原文( Chinese )

一首诗来百度吟，新情字字又声金。

西看已有登垣意，远望能无化石心。

河汉期赊空极目，潇湘梦断罢调琴。

况逢寒节添乡思，叔夜佳醪莫独斟。

English Translation

Imagine a small poem

chanted a hundred times

each word bringing new feelings

sounding golden

my thoughts have climbed the wall

between our houses

I gaze into the distance—

my heart's not made of stone

the Milky Way looks expectant

out there in the vastness

Hunan's rivers are waking up

the zither is fully tuned

every April the Cold Food Festival

leaves me a little homesick

silent night, mellow wine—

don't make me pour it alone.

Seven-character poem

This poem is probably also from late in Yu Xuanji's life when she has established herself poetically, probably in Chang'an, where she now, probably, lives. She doesn't mark this poem as an answer to Wen Tingyun. So it is probably to some other poet in her circle of literary friends. The original poem must have been about climbing over a wall to ask a new neighbor to the west for wine and finding they were about to ask you for the same.

- Last updated: 2024-12-25 21:28:58
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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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