Writing of Thoughts in the Early Winter
- Poetry of Zhu Shuzhen

《初冬书怀》

中文原文

触目圆池景，荷枯菊已荒。

风寒侵夜枕，霜冻怯晨妆。

江上风翻赤，庭前橘带黄。

题诗欲排闷，对景倍悲伤。

English Translation

I catch sight of the scene in th’ garden pond

Where lotus is withered and daisy’s dried.

The chilly wind encroaches my night pillow,

And the frost makes my dress-up terrified.

The wind on river rolls ahead in red;

Tangerines before my court are yellow dyed.

I’m to dispel my woes by writing poems,

But the scene makes my sorrows multiplied.

By Zhu Shuzhen

- Last updated: 2024-07-11 11:13:06

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