Mandarin Monday: A Few Chinese Poems About Spring for World Poetry Day
After last week’s surprise temperature plummet and unexpected snow fall, surely spring is finally on the way? Well, Mar 20 is actually the Sping Equinox, so officially (and hopefully) we can say goodbye to winter and welcome the warm spring weather for a few weeks before we’re all melting in another Beijing summer.
Not only is Mar 20 the Spring Equinox, but Mar 21 marks World Poetry Day as well! So we thought we'd celebrate both by sharing some ancient Chinese poems about spring.
Spring Morning 春晓 Chūn Xiǎo
Meng Haoran 孟浩然 Mèng Hào Rán
This spring morning in bed I'm lying,
Not to awake till the birds are crying.
After one night of wind and showers,
How many are the fallen flowers?
春眠不觉晓，chūn mián bù jué xiǎo，
处处闻啼鸟。chù chù wén tí niǎo.
夜来风雨声，yè lái fēng yǔ sheng,
花落知多少。huā luò zhī duō shào.
Light Rain Early in Spring 初春小雨 Chū Chūn Xiǎo Yǔ
Han Yu 韓愈 Hán Yù
In light rain, Heaven Street is moist like butter,
The grass is green from afar, but not nearby.
The spring is best this time every year,
The mist of willow blossom fills the capital.
天街小雨润如酥，tiān jiē xiǎo yǔ rùn rú sū,
草色遥看近却无。cǎo sè yáo kàn jìn què wú.
最是一年春好处，zuì shì yì nián chūn hǎo chu,
绝胜烟柳满皇都。jué shèng yān liǔ mǎn huáng dōu.
Spring Sleep 春眠 Chūn Mián
Bai Juyi 白居易 Bái Jūyì
The pillow's low, the quilt is warm, the body smooth and peaceful,
Sun shines on the door of the room, the curtain not yet open.
Still the youthful taste of spring remains in the air,
Often it will come to you even in your sleep.
枕低被暖身安稳, zhěn dī bèi nuǎn shēn ān wěn,
日照房门帐未开。rì zhào fáng mén zhàng wèi kāi.
还有少年春气味, hái yǒu shào nián chūn qì wèi,
时时暂到梦中来。 shí shí zàn dào mèng zhōng lái.
Spring Thoughts 春思 Chūn Sī
Li Bai 李白 Lǐ Bái
The grasses of Yan are like jade threads,
The mulberry trees of Qin have low, green branches.
The day you think of returning home,
my heart is already broken.
One does not know the spring breeze,
so why does it enter my bed curtains?
燕草如碧丝，yàn cǎo rú bì sī,
秦桑低绿枝。qín sāng dī lǜ zhī.
当君怀归日，dāng jūn huái guī rì,
是妾断肠时。shì qiè duàn cháng shí.
春风不相识，chūn fēng bù xiāng shí,
何事入罗帏。hé shì rù luó wéi.
Written in a Village South of the Capital 题都城南庄 Tí Dū Chéng Nán Zhuāng
Cui Hu 崔护 Cuī Hù
In this house on this day last year, a pink face vied
In beauty with the pink peach blossoms side by side.
I do not know today where the pink face has gone;
In the vernal breeze still smile pink peach blossoms full-blown.
去年今日此门中，qù nián jīn rì cǐ mén zhōng,
人面桃花相映红。rén miàn táo huā xiāng yìng hóng.
人面不知何处去，rén miàn bù zhī hé chù qù,
桃花依旧笑春风。táo huā yī jiù xiào chūn fēng.
If you're in the mood for even more poety, you can head over to Camera Stylo this Thursday at 8pm, for Spittoon's monthly poetry night (Spittoon Poetry Night takes place every fourth Thursday of the month).
READ: Spring has (Finally) Sprung! Here's Where to See Blossoms in Beijing
Images: Unsplash (Alexander Schimmeck, Lan Lin, Ren Ran)
