詩中有畫，畫中有詩

There is a picture in the poem and a poem in the picture.


Welcome to this bilingual website of Chinese poetry.

This site is designed for bilingual readers who are interested in classical Chinese poetry but are intimidated by its rigid rules and tonal patterns. It is especially intended for those who learn Chinese as a second language, and those who left mainland China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong in their early years.

No, I am neither a scholar of Chinese poetry nor a translator by profession. When it comes to shi and ci poetry, I am but a self-taught learner and late starter. I did not  start writing my first “real” poem until four years into retirement. However, I do have a passion for making the study of classical Chinese poetry easier and less complicated.

I enjoy the bilingual approach to interpreting and translating classical Chinese poetry. The bilingual approach is actually the tool I used to learn the craft of writing shi and ci poems.

Please be advised that my translations are intended as reading aids, not "stand-alone" English poems. By which I mean my translations should always be accompanied by the original text.

Thank you for your courtesy and hope you will come back soon!

-- E. C. Chang


Footprints
Updated periodically

New Poems or New Translations

淡濃肥瘦

張暢繁


西風黃葉又愁人。再綠園林待早春。
一別秋光鶯燕杳, 續來寒雨雪霜頻。
修容護色顏難保, 濟弱扶傾愛可伸。
美景良辰能幾許, 淡濃肥瘦總歸塵。

At the End

West wind and yellow leaves keep my spirit down again.
Spring must come back for the woods to turn green.
With autumn gone, orioles and swallows can no longer be found.
Snow and frost will increase after some cold rains.
Cosmetic intervention cannot preserve a pretty face.
By helping the poor and the weak, love will not be extended in vain.
Good time and beautiful scenes: how long can they last?
Be they light or dark; fat or thin,
all things will become dust at the end.




浮沉

張暢繁

風霜五十載，異地共浮沉。
入座膚顏定，尋幽曲徑深。
包容消百慮，勉勵抵千金。
臨老融詩畫，長春在此心。

*初次在南方到醫生診所﹐不知候診室有黑白之分。

To Sink or Float

Fifty years of frost and wind.
We came to this land to float or sink.
Skin complexion then dictated where one could sit.
The path for our dreams was winding and deep. 
Forgiving nature alleviated all worries and anxiety.
Encouraging words were better than a lot of money.
In our sunset years we are passionate about poetry and art.
Our youthful spirit will never fade from our heart.



 
 

沙灘上看日出

張暢繁

日升日落送年華。潮往潮來激浪花。
何必愁春傷亂絮，宜多面海賞明霞。
朝陽弄巧浮紅嶺，曉筆塗空換碧紗。
飛鳥入圖充配角，得天獨厚岸為家。

Sunrise at the Beach

Each cycle of sunrise and sunset
bids farewell to one day of my years.
Each up-and-down surge of tide
breaks off numerous spindrifts in white.
Don’t be saddened by fallen petals in disarray.
Not to worry that spring will soon go away.
Come here frequently to face the sea;
enjoy the rosy clouds in front of me.
With its magic wand, the morning sun
shows off the floating red mountains.
With its marvelous brush, it replaces the dark sky
with an emerald background and white curtains.
Flying birds enter the pictures as supporting cast.
Making their home on the shore, they are blessed
to be the first to see all the best.



 

陶淵明 《歸去來兮辭》

歸去來兮！田園將蕪胡不歸？既自以心為形役，奚惆悵而獨悲？悟已往之不諫，知來者之可追；實迷途其未遠，覺今是而昨非。舟搖搖以輕揚，風飄飄而吹衣。問征夫以前路，恨晨光之熹微。乃瞻衡宇，載欣載奔。童僕歡迎，稚子候門。三徑就荒，松菊猶存。攜幼入室，有酒盈樽。引壺觴以自酌，眇庭柯以怡顏。倚南窗以寄傲，審容膝之易安。園日涉以成趣，門雖設而常關。策扶老以流憩，時翹首而遐觀。雲無心以出岫，鳥倦飛而知還。景翳翳以將入，撫孤松而盤桓。歸去來兮，請息交以絕游。世與我而相違，復駕言兮焉求？悅親戚之情話，樂琴書以消憂。農人告余以春及，將有事乎西疇。或命巾車，或棹孤舟。既窈窕以尋壑，亦崎嶇而經丘。木欣欣以向榮，泉涓涓而始流。羡萬物之得時，感吾生之行休。已矣乎！寓形宇內復幾時？何不委心任去留？胡為惶惶欲何之？富貴非吾願，帝鄉不可期。懷良辰以孤往，或植杖而耘耔。登東皋以舒嘯，臨清流而賦詩。聊乘化以歸盡，樂夫天命復奚疑。


Go Back to my Old Home! 

Tao Yuanming
Translated by E. C. Chang

Go back to my old home!
My fields and gardens will turn into a wasteland soon!
Why don’t I go home?
Didn’t I intend to serve my body with all my heart?
Why regret now and feel sad alone?

Learn from my past mistakes.
It is still time to change the direction before it is too late.
Actually, I have not gone astray very far.
I feel that I am making the right decision now
as I made a wrong one in the past.

The boat floats forward swiftly;
The wind blows my clothes gently.
“What road lies ahead?” I ask a wayfarer.
I wish the light at dawn could be a little brighter.

Suddenly, my humble house is in sight;
I run in a hurry with great delight.
My young servants come out to greet me.
My young children stand at the door waiting for me.

Weeds are all over the garden paths.
Pines and chrysanthemums are unscathed.
I hold my youngest one and walk inside.
I see a jar on the table filled with wine.

I fill the cup and drink the wine;
I casually look at the tree in the courtyard with a smile.
Leaning against the southern window, I feel a sense of pride,
I am content with this cozy place that will bring peace to my mind.

I enjoy my daily walk in the garden.
Although there is a door, it is usually not open.
Carrying a cane, I wander or rest anytime I like.
Occasionally I raise my head to look into the horizon or the sky.

Clouds drift freely and leisurely beyond the mountain.
When tired, birds know that it is time to return.
The sun gets dimmer as it sets at twilight.
I linger around and gently touch a lone pine.

Go back to my old home?
Stop traveling; stop socializing with others who sing a different tune.
I am at odd with this mundane world.
No longer do I need to ride in a carriage just to show I am a person of worth.

Heart-to-heart talks with my kin bring me joy every day.
Reading or playing my harp can keep my worries away.
When farmers tell me that spring has arrived,
It is time to get ready for farming by the western side.

I may choose to ride on a covered cart；
or row a small boat on the water.
I can walk through the winding paths to explore a deep valley.
Or walk over a road that is rugged and hilly.

Trees grow vigorously;
Spring water trickles sluggishly.
I envy that all living things flourish at the right time.
It saddens me to know that my life can come to an end anytime.

That’s enough!
How long do I remain part of the universe?
Why not just take it easy and learn to enjoy my inner peace?
Why put myself in a constant state of anxiety?

It is not my goal to seek wealth and power in life.
Nor it is my dream to search for something like a paradise.
On a fine day, I will go out alone and wander around.
Or, after planting my cane, I will pull out the weeds on the ground.

I can shout aloud on the mount beside the eastern marsh.
I can also compose a poem by a stream with clear water.
So let me be content to live the rest of my life.
I will accept Heaven’s will without doubt in my mind.

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