Clear Stream, Afloat in a Boat
- Poetry of Zhang Xu

《清溪泛舟》

中文原文( Chinese )

旅人倚征棹，薄暮起劳歌。

笑揽清溪月，清辉不厌多。

English Translation

Wanderers lean hard on their oars and,

in the dusk, they sing a sailor's song.

Laughing, I throw a rope around the moon in the river.

In this clear radiance, even I'm not bored.

By Zhang Xu

- Last updated: 2024-11-10 11:28:52

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