Yuan Ming and Qing Poetry – Page 4

Kong Shangren Poem: The Grand River Viewed from the Northern Mountain – 孔尚任《北固山看大江》

北固山[1]看大江 [清]孔尚任孤城铁瓮[2]四山围，绝顶高秋坐落晖[3]。眼见长江趋大海，青天却似向西飞。注释： [1]北固山：山名，在今天江苏省镇江市以北，三面临江。 [2]铁瓮：镇江城的别名。 [3]坐落晖：坐在夕阳中。落晖，夕阳。 The Grand River Viewed from the Northern Mountain Kong Shangren[1] The lonely iron-clad town’s girt by mountains high; Viewing autumn sunset, I sit on mountain crest. So fast the endless River’s eastwards running by; It seems the azure sky were flying to the west. 注释： […]

Kong Shangren Poem: The Grand River Viewed from the Northern Mountain – 孔尚任《北固山看大江》 Read More »

Hong Sheng Poem: Homesickness – 洪昇《客愁》

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客愁 [清]洪昇夜夜贾舡[1]里，思乡愁奈何。醒听北人语，梦听南人歌。注释： [1]贾舡：商人的船。 Homesickness Hong Sheng[1] In trader’s boat night after night, I yearn for homeland out of sight. Awake, I hear the Northern tongue, In dream, I hear but Southern song. 注释： [1]Hong Sheng was a playwright, author of Love in Long-life Hall, telling of the love story of

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Pu Songling Poem: Reply to Wang Shizhen – 蒲松龄《次韵答王司寇阮亭先生见赠》

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次韵答王司寇阮亭先生见赠 [清]蒲松龄志异书[1]成共笑之，布袍[2]萧索[3]鬓如丝。十年颇得黄州梦，冷雨寒灯夜话时。注释： [1]志异书：蒲松龄所著的《聊斋志异》。 [2]布袍：布制长袍，指布衣平民。 [3]萧索：衰败，冷落。 Reply to Wang Shizhen[1] Pu Songling[2] The reader is amused by my stories of ghost. Of my plain dress and greyish hair how can I boast? If my dreams in ten years can afford you delight, I’ve not belied our talk on rainy winter night.

Pu Songling Poem: Reply to Wang Shizhen – 蒲松龄《次韵答王司寇阮亭先生见赠》 Read More »

Wang Shizhen Poem: On River Qinhuai – 王士祯《秦淮杂诗》

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秦淮杂诗 [清]王士祯年来肠断秣陵[1]舟，梦绕秦淮[2]水上楼。十日雨丝风片里，浓春烟景似残秋。注释： [1]秣陵：今南京市，秦朝称为秣陵。 [2]秦淮：秦淮河，是南京市名胜之一。 On River Qinhuai[1] Wang Shizhen For years my broken heart yearns for a sail in vain; My dreams still haunt the riverside bower of yore. The days are veiled in sheet of wind and threads of rain; Spring’s gloomy scene looks like late autumn to deplore.

Wang Shizhen Poem: On River Qinhuai – 王士祯《秦淮杂诗》 Read More »

Wang Shizhen Poem: Passing Again by the Virgin’s Temple – 王士祯《再过露筋祠》

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再过露筋祠 [清]王士祯翠羽[1]明珰[2]尚[3]俨然[4]，湖云祠树碧于烟。行人系缆[5]月初坠[6]，门外野风开白莲。注释： [1]翠羽：指女子细长的眉毛，这里形容“圣女”的美丽。 [2]明珰：用明珠制成的耳环。 [3]尚：还，仍然。 [4]俨然：形容庄重严肃。 [5]系缆：系结船索，停船靠岸。 [6]坠：落下。 Passing Again by the Virgin’s Temple Wang Shizhen[1] Her eyebrows are still green and her earrings still bright, Clouds in the lake vie in greenness with mist-veiled trees. I moor my boat when morning moon sheds parting light; White lotus out of

Wang Shizhen Poem: Passing Again by the Virgin’s Temple – 王士祯《再过露筋祠》 Read More »

Qu Dajun Poem: Before the Flowers – 屈大均《花前》

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花前 [清]屈大均花前小立影徘徊，风解吹裙百摺开。已有泪光同白露，不须明月上衣来。 Before the Flowers[1] Qu Dajun Before the flowers she stands, with her shadow she roves, To blow apart her hundred-fold dress the wind loves. Her face is bathed in tears as bright as dewdrops white. Why should the moon shed on her dress its silver light? 注释： [1]The lonely

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Zhu Yizun Poem: The Green Pavilion – 朱彝尊《来青轩》

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来青轩[1] [清]朱彝尊天书[2]稠叠[3]此山亭，往事犹传翠辇[4]经。莫倚危栏频北望，十三陵[5]树几曾青？注释： [1]来青轩：明神宗皇帝命名的一座山亭，在北京香山寺内，今已废。 [2]天书：天上神仙写的书或信，这里指亭内皇帝书写的匾额。 [3]稠叠：稠密重叠，密密层层。 [4]翠辇：皇帝坐的车子。 [5]十三陵：十三个明朝皇帝的陵墓，在北京昌平天寿山。 The Green Pavilion[1] Zhu Yizun With royal hands the Green Pavilion beautified, Imperial carriages often visited the hillside. Don’t lean on balustrade now for a northern view! E’en trees on thirteen royal tombs have lost green hue. 注释： [1]The Green Pavilion in the

Zhu Yizun Poem: The Green Pavilion – 朱彝尊《来青轩》 Read More »

Ye Xie Poem: On My Native Stream – 叶燮《客发苕溪》

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客发苕溪[1] [清]叶燮客心如水水如愁，容易归舟趁疾流。忽讶[2]船窗送吴语，故山月已挂船头。注释： [1]苕溪：水名，流经作者的家乡吴兴。 [2]讶：惊奇，奇怪。 On My Native Stream Ye Xie My heart runs faster than the waves like grief wide-spread, On rapid current goes my homesick boat ahead. Surprised to hear my native dialect left and right, I find over the mast the moon of yore shine bright.

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Wang Fuzhi Poem: Elegy on My Deceased Wife – 王夫之《悼亡（四首其一）》

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悼亡（四首其一） [清]王夫之十年前此晓霜天，惊破晨钟梦亦仙。一断藕丝无续处，寒风落叶洒新阡[1]。注释： [1]新阡：新筑的墓道。 Elegy on My Deceased Wife (I) Wang Fuzhi Can I forget ten years ago this frosty day; The morning bells broke my dream, my wife passed away? When the lotus root snaps, it can’t be joined again; The chilly wind blows dead leaves o’er her graveside

Wang Fuzhi Poem: Elegy on My Deceased Wife – 王夫之《悼亡（四首其一）》 Read More »

Shi Runzhang Poem: Snow Scene Viewed from the Pavilion – 施润章《雪中阁望》

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雪中阁望 [清]施润章江城[1]草阁俯渔矶[2]，雪满千山失翠微[3]。笑指白云来树杪[4]，不知却是片帆飞。注释： [1]江城：临江的城郭。 [2]渔矶：可供垂钓的水边岩石。 [3]翠微：青翠的山色，也泛指青翠的山。 [4]树杪：树梢。 Snow Scene Viewed from the Pavilion Shi Runzhang The riverside pavilion overlooks the sand; Green peaks are lost where thousands of snow-crowned hills stand. I laugh to point at the tree tip where hangs cloud white, Without knowing it is only a sail in

Shi Runzhang Poem: Snow Scene Viewed from the Pavilion – 施润章《雪中阁望》 Read More »