Melancholy Thoughts
- Poetry of Yu Xuanji

《愁思》
Melancholy Thoughts by Yu Xuanji
中文原文( Chinese )

落叶纷纷暮雨和，朱丝独抚自清歌。

放情休恨无心友，养性空抛苦海波。

长者车音门外有，道家书卷枕前多。

布衣终作云霄客，绿水青山时一过。

English Translation

Leaves falling one by one

and rain at dusk is tender

vermilion lute, playing alone

sound of a clear voice singing

try to ignore your regret

at having no intimate friends or lovers

try to build up your character

and cast your bitterness into the sea

sound of a carriage outside the door

come for some venerable elder

heaps of Taoist books

scattered in front of the pillow

raggedly dressed people

eventually go to heaven

green water and blue hills

already here and gone.

Seven-character poem

We can put this poem in the last three years of Yu Xuanji's life. I think we can no longer doubt that she values her calling of Daoism more than her earthly successes. And perhaps, at this time, she is turning away from the influential men -- ministers and poets -- at her gates. Perhaps, up until now, she has been happy to receive them. We should remember that this is poetry and what she is calling her gates, which conjures up the vermillion gates of the well-to-do, could simply be the convent gates. And when she has received visiting men, she may have done so in the outer, public rooms of the monastery where all such men would be greeted and spoken with by monks or nuns, abbots or abbesses.

- Last updated: 2024-12-25 21:11:02
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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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