In ancient China, many poets expressed reflections on the past and often lamented the passage of time through their poetry. The four following poems span over nearly a thousand years, and all revolve around this central theme. Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published Painted Zither (锦瑟) 作者：李商隐 （Author: Li Shangying, 9th century) 锦瑟无端五十弦，Painted zither without reason 50 strings 一弦一柱思华年。one string one bridge feel flowering year 庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶，Master Zhuang dawn dream confuse butterfly 望帝春心托杜鹃。Emperor Wang spring heart entrust cuckoo 沧海月明珠有泪，Blue sea moon bright pearl ..read more

With the imminent arrival of the Chinese Year of the Dragon, in the article, we translated two poems centered around this mythical creature – Dragon. Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published 龙移 The Move of the Dragon 唐・韩愈 (Han Yu, Tang dynasty, 8th century) 天昏地黑蛟龙移，sky dusk ground black scaly dragon dragon move 雷惊电激雄雌随。thunder startle lightning stimulate male female follow 清泉百丈化为土，clear spring hundred ten feet turn into dust 鱼鳖枯死吁可悲。fish turtle dry die alas deserve sorrow Thanks for reading Chinese Poetry Substack! Subscribe for fr ..read more

In ancient China, some renowned political figures had a penchant for poetry. We have translated poems from Cao Cao, a prominent warlord from the Three Kingdoms period. In this article we translated two poems written by Yuan Shikai, a famous general and statesman from the late 19th to early 20th century. Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published 自题渔舟写真 Self-Portrait of a Fishing Boat in Ink 百年心事总悠悠，hundred years heart affairs always long long 壮志当时苦未酬。strong ambition at that time bitter not realize 野老胸中负兵甲，wild old man chest inside bear military armor ..read more

In ancient China, the intellectual elites generally opposed wars whose primary objective was to expand an empire's territory. Despite the presence of belligerent emperors and warlords engaged in conflicts, a considerable body of poetry in ancient China highlights the excruciating pain and brutal deaths inflicted upon commoners by such wars. In this article, we translated two poems, one by Cao Cao and the other by Du Fu, shedding light on the suffering and loss of life experienced by common people due to warfare. Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published 蒿里行 Wa ..read more

There have been several instances in Chinese history when multiple members of the same family became renowned for their poetry. One such instance was with the Cao clan during the Three Kingdoms period (220 ACE to 280 ACE). The brilliant warlord Cao Cao, whose poem we've translated (The Moon and the Magpie post, April 24, 2023), as well as his two sons, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, all wrote poems that are still read and studied today.  The four poems that follow were written by Cao Cao’s two sons, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi. Though the two princes are brothers, the styles of their poems are very differen ..read more

In ancient Chinese history, the final rulers of a state or dynasty were commonly perceived as having strayed from moral principles, leading to their perceived abandonment by the heavens. In reality, though, they were simply incompetent at governing a nation. Surprisingly, some of them were talented in writing poems and dedicated a substantial amount of their lives to the pursuit of art and literature. In this article, we translated two poems composed by the last monarchs of distinct dynasties in ancient China. These verses were penned in the aftermath of their respective states' defeat, when t ..read more

More than a thousand years after his death, Du Fu is still admired as one of China’s greatest poets, yet he was deeply disappointed by his failure to also become a great statesman. During Du Fu’s lifetime, China was devastated by the An Lushan Rebellion which cost millions of lives. As a Confucian, Du Fu wished to help the emperor to restore social order and to alleviate the suffering of the common people, but he never became more than a low ranking official. The following two poems were written by Du Fu under the same title "Qu River". The poems reflect Du Fu’s deep frustration over his faile ..read more

In our most recent Substack article, we translated three of Du Fu's poems. These poems shed light on the hardships endured by Du Fu, his family, and millions of others during and after the An Lushan Rebellion of 755. The devastation brought about by war significantly contributed to the weakening of the Tang Dynasty. The late Tang Dynasty faced additional challenges, notably the revolt of Huang Chao, a former salt smuggler who, with his army, laid siege and pillaged the Tang Dynasty's capital, Chang'an. Simultaneously, the diminishing royal power of the Tang Empire paved the way for the ascent ..read more

Some classic Chinese poems portray the grievances experienced by women in ancient Chinese history. The following three poems delve into the grievances of women in distinct ways, each offering a unique perspective. 春怨        Spring Sorrow Thanks for reading Chinese Poetry Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. 刘方平 （Author: Liu Fang Ping, 8th Century) 纱窗日落渐黄昏，gauze window sun set gradually dusk 金屋无人见泪痕。golden chamber no person see tear trace 寂寞空庭春欲晚，lonely lonely empty courtyard spring desire late 梨花满地不开门    pear blossom full of gro ..read more

More than a thousand years after his death, Du Fu is still admired as one of China’s greatest poets. His early and middle years coincided with the pinnacle of the Tang Dynasty's prosperity. However, in his 40s, he witnessed the catastrophic An Lushan Rebellion. An Lushan, a regional military commander in the northern part of the then Tang Dynasty, initiated this uprising at the end of 755 AD. This rebellion precipitated an eight-year civil war within the Tang Dynasty, marked by severe famine, substantial population loss, societal disarray, and a consequential weakening of the dynasty. Du Fu pe ..read more