A Spring Day
- Poetry of Zhu Xi

《春日》

中文原文( Chinese )

胜日寻芳泗水滨，无边光景一时新。

等闲识得春风面，万紫千红总是春。

English Translation

I seek for spring by riverside on a fine day,

O what refreshing sight does the boundless view bring?

I find the face of vernal wind in easy way:

Myriads of reds and violets reveal only spring.

By Zhu Xi

- Last updated: 2024-04-16 21:32:24

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