Chinese Poetry

Chinese poetry celebrates the beauty of heaven and earth, nature, and the universe. At its core, we find aesthetic imagery, the poetic image drawn from the external world. There is a mutual dependence between the author's description of landscapes and objects and the expression of feelings in literary creation. As Fan Xiwen (Song Dynasty) states, "Scenery has no place in poetry unless there are feelings for it; feelings cannot be stirred without the inspiration of scenery." Wang Fuzhi (late Ming Dynasty philosopher) adds, "Sentiment and scenery seem to be two distinct things, but in fact, they cannot be separated. A good poet knows how to integrate them seamlessly." A rich and profound content of thought, expressed with concise and refined language, and an elegant metric: these characteristics represent the unique aesthetic style of Chinese poetry.

◯ 楚辞 Songs of Chu (Chuci). Qu Yuan (340 a.C. - 278 a.C.)
◯ 中国古诗 Ancient Chinese Poems (202 a.C. - 589 d.C.)
◯ 唐诗 Tang Poems (618 d.C. - 907 d.C.)
◯ 宋词 Song Dynasty Poems (960 d.C. - 1279 d.C.)

“Twelve Lyrical Reflections (I)” by Zhang Jiuling (Taken from "The Kingdom of Chinese Poetry" p. 201)

In spring, the green leaves of the orchid grow lush
In autumn, fragrant osmanthus flowers gleam white
How much joy there is in this vital surge!
In nature, every day seems a celebration
Who can understand the hermit of the woods
Who, listening to the wind, sits full of joy?
Grass and trees have their inner heart
Why would a beautiful soul ever tear them out?

Zhang Jiuling (678-740) was prime minister during the Kaiyuan period of Emperor Xuanzong and an important poet in the early heyday of the Tang dynasty. This poem, written by the poet after his exile to Jingzhou, is part of a collection called “Lyrical Reflections”, in which he uses things and situations from the outside world to evoke poetic feelings. The poet has fully understood human dynamics and life experiences, so he is able to adapt to circumstances and be in a serene and happy state of mind.

“Autumn Thoughts” by Ma Zhiyuan (Taken from "The Kingdom of Chinese Poetry" p. 393)

Dry vines, ancient trees, crows at dusk
A small bridge, flowing water, country houses
An old abandoned path, cold autumn wind, a bony horse
The sun sets in the west
A broken heart wanders at the edge of the world

Ma Zhiyuan (1250-1321) was a famous playwright and Sanqu author of the Yuan Dynasty. Praised by posterity as “the ancestor of autumn thoughts”, this Sanqu uses the technique of “liejin” and elegant language to create a melancholy atmosphere, achieving the beauty of Tang couplets. Liejin is a rhetorical figure in classical Chinese poetry that consists of using an entire sentence composed entirely of nouns or nominal phrases, without the use of verbs, adjectives or prepositions, while still achieving an artistic effect of description and emotion.

“Ode to the Willow Fluff” by Cao Xueqin (Taken from "The Kingdom of Chinese Poetry" p. 469)

In front of the white jade hall, the spring dances begin
In the east wind, the willow fluff pirouettes with grace and lightness
Swarms of bees and butterflies in profusion flutter haphazardly
When have the fluff ever gone away with the flowing water?
Why should they fall to the ground in the dust?
The willow tree, a thousand threads,
a thousand bonds of love that never change
It doesn't matter whether the fluff stays close or scatters far away
Spring, do not laugh if I, a willow fluff, have no roots
With the help of the favourable wind
I rise up to the blue clouds

Cao Xueqin (1715-1763), great master of Qing dynasty literature. He was skilled in poetry and painting, but unfortunately his works have been lost. Only the classic novel “The Dream of the Red Chamber” remains, which left a valuable cultural and spiritual legacy to Chinese literature and culture. This poem, taken from the 70th chapter of “The Dream of the Red Chamber” and composed by Xue Baochai (one of the main characters of the novel), is unique and original in its conception. The melody is fluent and harmonious, blending emotions and scenes to achieve the ultimate expression of “fusion between the object and the self”. The last phrase, which uses a natural object to express an aspiration, is the climax of the poem.

"Déjà vu" by Chen Chong (Taken from "Butterfly Dreams. Chinese Poems" p. 3)

Waterways and mountains all around
a landscape already seen in a dream
a life-giving song awakens the lonely valley
and clouded peaks
Carefree wildflowers flood the mountain
once again it's spring
birds chattering and floral aromas enchant
the rainbow heart

Dressed in brilliant colors I enter
the emerald waters
is it real or is it just my fantasy?
I am in the Mysterious Heart
The colors fade away
the wind will bring them back
the soul goes round and round
dream after dream
How many springs and autumns?

Contemporary poet Chen Chong also incorporates the aesthetic concept of classical Chinese poetry into her verses, using vivid images of the natural world combined with deep and rich emotions.