50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS 唐宋诗词五十首

1 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS .. SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. MINNEAPOLIS MN.. NOVEMBER 2011. 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. CLASSICAL CHINESE POETRY_(1). During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE 220CE), the Chu Ci style of poetry evolved into the fu ( / . "descriptive poem") style, a style marked by the mixture of verse and prose passages that was often used to display the poet's skills and knowledge rather than to convey emotional experiences. This form remained popular during the subsequent Six Dynasties period, although it became shorter and more personal. Fu remained one of the generic pillars of CHINESE poetry until the Tang Dynasty, when another Han form, five character shi poetry, began to dominate. By the Tang period (618 907), poetry was being composed according to regulated tone patterns. The coexistence of regulated and unregulated poetry led to the distinction between unregulated, "ancient.

2 Style" gushi poetry and regulated, "recent style" jintishi poetry. The latter is a stricter form developed in the early Tang Dynasty with rules governing the structure of a poem. The gushi and jintishi forms are examplified, respectively, in the works of the romantic Li Bai and the Confucian Du Fu. Early Tang poetic forms include: lushi / (regulated verse), an eight line poem with five or seven words in each line; zi (verse following strict rules of prosody); and jueju / (truncated verse), a four line poem with five or seven characters in each line. Over time, Tang poetry became more realistic, more narrative and more critical of social norms; these traits can be seen in the work of Bai Juyi. TITLE POET. H nji ng l n f n W ng W i (701 761). sh poem A VIEW OF THE HAN RIVER. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. Ch s i s n xi ng ji With its three southern branches reaching the Chu border, J ngm n ji p i t ng And its nine streams touching the gateway of Jing, Ji ngli ti nd w i.

3 This river runs beyond heaven and earth, Sh ns y uw zh ng . Where the colour of mountains both is and is not. J n y f qi n p The dwellings of men seem floating along B l n d ng yu n k ng . On ripples of the distant sky -- Xi ngy ng h o f ng r These beautiful days here in Xiangyang Make drunken my old mountain Li zu y sh n w ng heart! TITLE POET. Yu y Y Sh d D F (712-770). 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. sh poem REMEMBERING MY BROTHERS ON A. MOONLIGHT NIGHT. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. Sh g du n r n xing A wanderer hears drums portending battle. Qi bi n y y n sh ng By the first call of autumn from a wildgoose at the border, L c ng j ny b i . He knows that the dews tonight will be frost..How much brighter the Yu sh g xi ng m ng moonlight is at home! O my brothers, lost and scattered, Y u d ji f ns n . What is life to me without you? Yet if missives in time of peace W ji w n s sh ng go wrong -- J sh ch ng b d What can I hope for during war?

4 Ku ng n i w i xi b ng . TITLE POET. Z ng W i b ch sh D F (712-770). sh poem TO MY RETIRED FRIEND WEI. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. R n sh ng b xi ng ji n It is almost as hard for friends to meet D ng r c n y sh ng As for the morning and evening stars. J n x f h x . Tonight then is a rare event, G ng c d ng zh gu ng Joining, in the candlelight, . Sh o zhu ng n ng j sh . Two men who were young not long ago B n f g y c ng . But now are turning grey at the temples. To find that half our friends F ng ji b n w i gu . are dead 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. Jj ng h r zh ng ch ng Shocks us, burns our hearts with grief. Y n zh r sh z i We little guessed it would be twenty years Ch ng sh ng j n zi t ng . Before I could visit you again. X bi j n w i h n .. When I went away, you were still unmarried;. r n h ch ng h ng . But now these boys and girls Y r n j ng f zh.

5 In a row W n w l i h f ng Are very kind to their father's old friend. They ask me where I have W n d n i w i y been on my journey;. And then, when we have Q r lu ji ji ng talked awhile, They bring and show me Y y ji n ch n ji . wines and dishes, Spring chives cut in the night- X n chu ji n hu ng li ng . rain Zh ch n hu mi n n n And brown rice cooked freshly a special way. Y j l i sh sh ng ..My host proclaims it a festival, He urges me to drink ten cups Sh sh ng y b zu -- But what ten cups could make me as drunk G n z g y ch ng;zh ng . As I always am with your love M ng r g sh n yu . in my heart? Sh sh li ng m ng m ng ..Tomorrow the mountains will separate us;. 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. After tomorrow-who can say? TITLE POET. Gu n Sh n Yu L B i (701 762). sh poem THE MOON AT THE FORTIFIED PASS. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. M ng yu ch ti n sh n The bright moon lifts from the Mountain of Heaven C ng m ng y n h i ji n In an infinite haze of cloud and sea, Ch ng f ng j w n l.

6 And the wind, that has come a thousand miles, Chu d y m n gu n . Beats at the Jade Pass H n xi b i d ng d o China marches its men down Baideng Road While Tartar troops peer H ku Q ngh i w n across blue waters of the Y u l i zh ng zh n d And since not one battle famous in history Bb ji n y u r n hu n Sent all its fighters back again, Sh k w ng bi n s . The soldiers turn round, looking toward the border, And think of home, with S gu du k y n . wistful eyes, G o l u d ng c y And of those tonight in the upper chambers Tt n x w i y ng xi n Who toss and sigh and cannot rest. 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. TITLE POET. Z Y Qi G L B i (701 762). sh poem A SONG OF AN AUTUMN MIDNIGHT. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. Ch ng n y pi n yu A slip of the moon hangs over the capital;. W n h d o y sh ng Ten thousand washing-mallets are pounding;. Qi f ng chu b j n.

7 And the autumn wind is blowing my heart Z ng sh y gu n q ng . For ever and ever toward the H r p ng h l Jade Oh, when will the Tartar troops be conquered, Li ng r n b yu n zh ng And my husband come back from the long campaign! TITLE POET. Y u Zi Y n M ng Ji o (751 814). sh poem A TRAVELLER'S SONG. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. C m sh u zh ng xi n . The thread in the hands of a fond-hearted mother Y u zi sh n sh ng y Makes clothes for the body of her wayward boy;. L n x ng m m f ng Carefully she sews and thoroughly she mends, Dreading the delays that will Y k ng ch ch gu . keep him late from home. But how much love has the Shu y n c n c o x n . inch-long grass For three spring months of the B o d s n ch n hui . light of the sun? 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. TITLE POET. D ng Y uzh ut i G Ch n Z ng (661 702). sh poem ON A GATE-TOWER AT YUZHOU.

8 CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. Qi n b ji n g r n Where, before me, are the ages that have gone? H u b ji n l i zh And where, behind me, are the coming generations? Ni n ti n d zh y u y u . I think of heaven and earth, without limit, without end, D chu ng r n r l i xi . And I am all alone and my tears fall down. TITLE POET. L B i (701 762). sh poem Xu nzh u Xi Ti o L u Ji nbi Ji osh Sh y n A FAREWELL TO SECRETARY SHUYUN. AT THE XIETIAO VILLA IN XUANZHOU. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. Q w q zh Since yesterday had to throw me and bolt, Zu r zh r b k li . Lu n w x n zh . Today has hurt my heart even more. J n r zh r du f n y u .. Ch ng f ng w n l s ng The autumn wildgeese qi y n have a long wind for escort Du c k y h n g o l u As I face them from this villa, drinking my wine. 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. P ng l i w nzh ng Ji n The bones of great writers n g are your brushes, in the School of Heaven, Zh ng ji n Xi o Xi y u And I am a Lesser Xie q ng f growing up by your side.

9 J hu i y x ng zhu ng s f i We both are exalted to , distant thought, . Y sh ng q ng ti n l n r Aspiring to the sky and the yu bright moon. Ch u d o du n But since water still flows, shu shu g ng li though we cut it with our swords, J b i xi o ch u ch u g ng ch u . And sorrows return, though we drown them with wine, R n sh ng z i sh b . Since the world can in no ch ng y . way answer our craving, M ng zh o s n f n ng pi n I will loosen my hair zh u tomorrow and take to a fishingboat. TITLE POET. Ji ng J n Ji L B i (701 762). sh poem BRINGING IN THE WINE. CHINESE PINYIN ENGLISH. J n b ji n See how the Yellow River's Hu ngh zh shu ti n sh ng waters move out of heaven. l i . B n li d o h i b f hu . Entering the ocean, never to return. See how lovely locks in bright J n b ji n mirrors in high chambers, Though silken-black at G o t ng m ng j ng b i b i f . Zh o r q ng s m ch ng xu.

10 Morning, have changed by night to snow..Oh, let a man of spirit R n sh ng d y x j n hu n venture where he pleases And never tip his golden cup 50 CLASSIC CHINESE POEMS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, MPLS., MN.. M sh j nz n k ng du yu empty toward the moon! Ti n sh ng w c i b y u y ng Since heaven gave the talent, let it be employed! Qi n j n s n j n hu n f l i Spin a thousand pieces of silver, all of them come back! P ng y ng z i ni qi w i l Cook a sheep, kill a cow, whet the appetite, Hu x y y n s n b i b i And make me, of three hundred bowls, one long drink! ..To the old master, Cen, C n f z D n Qi Sh ng And the young scholar, Danqiu, Bring in the wine! Ji ng j n ji j n m t ng Let your cups never rest! . Y j n g y q Let me sing you a song! Let your ears attend! Q ng j n w i w c r t ng . What are bell and drum, rare dishes and treasure? Zh ng g zhu n y b z gu Let me be forever drunk and D n yu n ch ng zu b never come to reason!