The Book
- Poetry of Zhu Xi

《观书有感》

中文原文( Chinese )

半亩方塘一鉴开，天光云影共徘徊。

问渠那得清如许，为有源头活水来。

English Translation

There lies a glassy oblong pool,

Where light and shade pursue their course.

How could it be so clear and cool?

For fresh water comes from the source.

By Zhu Xi

- Last updated: 2024-04-17 15:40:08

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