These 10 Short Poems Astonish Life's Beauty, Worth Reading at Least Once in a Lifetime
Tang·Sue Tao
Green lotus scattered across fragrant steps, pairs of mandarin ducks in between. Mandarin duck grass, a joyful delight, simply treats spring as long, ignoring the early autumn.
Life should be like mandarin duck grass, rejoicing when happy, enjoying life’s beauty, for life’s fortunes are uncertain, and beauty fades quickly.
Tang·Li Ye
Closest to, furthest from, east and west, closest to, furthest from, clear stream, highest to, tomorrow’s moon, most beloved to, distant to, husband and wife.
What was once beloved may become a lifelong pain; what was once intimate may turn into strangers. Love and hate are often just a line apart. It takes a wise person to understand the quiet sadness in this poem.
Tang·Liu Cha
The sun rises ten feet high in Fusang, human affairs as thin as hair.
Angry farmers see injustice, grinding a thousand swords in their hearts.
The world is often unfair, knowing it cannot be changed, but still wielding the sword of justice in their hearts.
Tang·Jia Dao
Ten years to sharpen a sword, frost blades untested.
Today I show you a sword, who has grievances?
Who dares challenge me with a sword!
Though long in hardship, they never yield, the sword sleeps in its scabbard, waiting for a moment of glory.
Later Zhou·Liang Yimeng
A piece of white cloud, green mountains in front and behind, a piece of white cloud outside the green mountains, green mountains in front and outside, white clouds fly away, green mountains remain.
“Green mountains never move, white clouds come and go.” This ancient and profound poem reveals several mysteries of life. Perhaps love is a gentle embrace.
Song·Yang Wanli
The wind in the river calls me to sing, the moon in the river calls me to drink.
I fall asleep among fallen flowers, the sky and earth are my bed.
The wind and moon summon me to sing and drink, I fall asleep among fallen flowers, the sky and earth are my bed.
Yuan·Zhao Mengfu
Lightly breaking through piles of snow, half to seek monks, half to probe plum blossoms.
Monks don’t find plum blossoms, plum blossoms haven’t bloomed, wild monkeys laugh at me, only echoing back.
It’s joyful to seek and find, and joyful to seek but not find, a smiling face in all the journey.
Yuan·Deng Qingyang
Life is like a guest in the world, ultimately returning, why worry about where you are?
Like the plum blossoms, year after year, in every place.
Savoring life’s joys, embracing all that comes, finding peace and beauty in every moment.
Ming·Liu Bowen
Buy a yellow cow to learn farming, build a thatched hut beside the forest and spring.
Thinking of old age, few days left, therefore go to the mountains for a few years.
Serving as officials and writing poetry and drinking wine, all dreams, a truly divine existence.
The world’s prices keep rising, old age, even poems are worthless.
Liu Bowen, a prominent figure in Ming Dynasty, possessing high power and status, he relinquished his position at 60, returning to his home village, earning fame before and after his death.
Ming·Yuan Hongdao
One day walking on the lake, one day sitting on the lake.
One day living on the lake, one day lying on the lake.
Walking, sitting, dwelling, lying – this briefly captures the entire West Lake experience, a joyful, dreamlike state, reflected in the beauty of West Lake.
This poem, seemingly rebellious and using common language, breaks the boundaries of traditional poetry, simple yet profound and worth contemplating.
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