Chinese Poems
CCBG Poetry Event
静夜思 (jìng yè sī / Quiet Night Thoughts)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 李白 (Lǐ Bái)
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
(chuáng qián míng yuè guāng, yí shì dì shàng shuāng. jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè, dī tóu sī gù xiāng.)
Translation: The moonlight pours onto the floor in front of my bed, So white and bright that I mistook it for frost on the ground. As I lift my head I look at the Moon, As I droop my head I miss my hometown.
咏鹅 (yǒng é / Ode To The Goose)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 骆宾王 (Luò Bīn Wáng)
鹅鹅鹅，曲项向天歌。白毛浮绿水，红掌拨清波。
(é é é, qū xiàng xiàng tiān gē. bái máo fú lǜ shuǐ, hóng zhǎng bō qīng bō.)
Translation: Goose, goose, goose, Your curved neck singing towards the sky. Your white feathers floating on the green waters, Your red webbed feet paddling the clear ripples.
江南 (jiāng nán / South of the Yangtze River)
Period: Han Dynasty | Author: 汉乐府 (Anonymous folk verse from Han Dynasty)
江南可采莲，莲叶何田田，鱼戏莲叶间。鱼戏莲叶东，鱼戏莲叶西，鱼戏莲叶南，鱼戏莲叶北。
(jiāng nán kě cǎi lián, lián yè hé tián tián, yú xì lián yè jiān. yú xì lián yè dōng, yú xì lián yè xī, yú xì lián yè nán, yú xì lián yè běi.)
Translation: It’s lotus harvest season in Jiangnan, What some luscious lotus leaves. The fish swims cheerfully between the lotus leaves. The fish swims cheerfully to the east of the lotus leaves, The fish swims cheerfully to the west of the lotus leaves, The fish swims cheerfully to the south of the lotus leaves, The fish swims cheerfully to the north of the lotus leaves.
悯农 (mǐn nóng / Compassion For The Farmers)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 李绅 (Lǐ Shēn)
锄禾日当午，汗滴禾下土。谁知盘中餐，粒粒皆辛苦。
(chú hé rì dāng wǔ, hàn dī hé xià tǔ. shéi zhī pán zhōng cān, lì lì jiē xīn kǔ.)
Translation: Weeding in the paddy under the midday sun, Sweat dripping into the soil. Does anyone know the meal on the plate, Each grain comes with labor.
游子吟 (yóu zǐ yín / Song Of The Departing Child)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 孟郊 (Mèng Jiāo)
慈母手中线，游子身上衣。临行密密缝，意恐迟迟归。谁言寸草心，报得三春晖。
(cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn, yóu zǐ shēn shàng yī. lín xíng mì mi féng, yì kǒng chí chí guī. shéi yán cùn cǎo xīn, bào dé sān chūn huī.)
Translation: Threads in the hands of a loving mother, Turning into clothes for her child. Just before her child’s departure, she stitches densely, Worrying about their late reunion. How can the heart of the young grass, Repay the sunshine of the entire Spring?
春晓 (chūn xiǎo / Spring’s Dawn)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 孟浩然 (Mèng Hào Rán)
春眠不觉晓，处处闻啼鸟。夜来风雨声，花落知多少。
(chūn mián bù jué xiǎo, chù chù wén tí niǎo. yè lái fēng yǔ shēng, huā luò zhī duō shǎo.)
Translation: Early morning of spring in bed I’m lying, Not awake till I hear the birds crying. After one night of wind and showers, How many are the fallen flowers?
清明 (qīng míng / The Qing Ming Festival)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 杜牧 (Dù Mù)
清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。借问酒家何处有，牧童遥指杏花村。
(qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn, lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún. jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu, mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūn.)
Translation: The rain drizzles down on Qing Ming Day, The traveler is tired and his soul is in dismay. Where is a tavern? He asks a cowherd, Who points to the Village of Apricot Blossoms faraway.
敕勒歌 (chì lēi gē / The Song of Chi Le)
Period: Northern and Southern Dynasties | Author: 乐府古诗 (Anonymous ancient folk verse)
敕勒川，阴山下。天似穹庐，笼盖四野。天苍苍，野茫茫。风吹草低见牛羊。
(chì lēi chuān, yīn shān xià. tiān sì qióng lú, lóng gài sì yǎ. tiān cāng cāng, yě máng máng. fēng chuī cǎo dī xiàn niú yáng.)
Translation: The Chi Le plain spreads out by where the Yin Mountains lies. The sky, looking like a yurt, covers the ground from above. The sky, so blue; the wilderness, boundless. When the grass is bent by the blowing wind, sheep and cattle come into sight.
回乡偶书 (huí xiāng ǒu shū / Returning Home)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 贺知章 (Hè Zhī Zhāng)
少小离家老大回，乡音无改鬓毛衰。儿童相见不相识，笑问客从何处来？
(shào xiǎo lí jiā lǎo dà huí, xiāngyīn wú gǎi bìn máo cuī. ér tóng xiāng jiàn bù xiāng shí,
xiào wèn kè cóng hé chù lái?)
Translation: In youth, I left, now aged, I’ve come home, my native tongue unchanged, my hair grown thinner. Unknown am I, to the children I meet, smiling they ask, “Where are you from?”
登鹳雀楼 (dēng guàn què lóu / Ascend the Crane Tower)
Period: Tang Dynasty | Author: 王之涣 (Wáng Zhī Huàn)
白日依山尽，黄河入海流。欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。
(bái rì yī shān jìn, huáng hé rù hǎi liú. yù qióng qiān lǐ mù, gèng shàng yì céng lóu.)
Translation: The white sun behind the mountain falls, the Yellow River flows into the sea. In order to take a boundless view, (I will) climb up another floor.