This perfect full moon signifies union, family reunion. My shadow only trails and follows. In front of my bed is the bright moonlight. and turn to my shadow. First heard this poem in an introductory Chinese language class 20+ years ago -instantly became my favorite. He was born in 701 and lived 61 years. Li Bai www.PoemHunter.com - The World's Poetry Archive 6 Required fields are marked *. 疑是地上霜 It was either the late autumn or the early winter; it was not a balmy hot summer night, but a rather cold night. “Quiet Night Thoughts” (静夜思) by poet, Li Bai (李白, 701–762 AD). The most popular version is 床 = bed as the sleeping bed. We are now three. Dītóu sī gùxiāng His verse is notable for the strong voice and personality it reflects, uncommon in the 8th century. There is an interesting article called “李白”床前明月光”的”床”找到物证 类似马扎”( Lǐ Bái “chuáng qián míngyuè guāng “de “chuáng “zhǎodào wù zhèng lèisì mǎ zā — The 床 chuáng in Li Bai’s 床前明月光, an evidence was found, and it is similar to mǎ zā). I pour myself a drink, no loved one near. Anyone interested in Li Bai’s poems must read this one. THE MOON AT THE FORTIFIED PASS. Lived door to door in our lane, Two little friends we were. I raise my head to look at the bright moon. The third definition is 床 = 胡床 hú chuáng ，胡床 is today’s 马扎 mǎ zā 。It is a wooden folding chair which came from outside of northwestern border. It was written by Li Bai / Li Po of the Tang dynasty. The army of Han has gone down the Baiteng Road, As the barbarian hordes probe at Qinghai Bay. Dītóu sī gùxiāng Su Shi 苏轼, a great poet of Song 宋 Dyansty wrote a ci poem called Shui diao ge tou 水调歌头 Prelude to water melody. Yuè jì bù jiě yǐn, Tried to make an English version that scans and rhymes while staying as true to each character as I could. Something was disturbing him. In the Ming Dynasty, it changed the third line to 举头望明月, and the first line still remains the same as old time’s 床前看月光. Ong Schan Tchow, Pine In moonlight, 2012 Ong Schan Tchow, Pine In moonlight, 2012. When ever I read it brings smile on my face… I dont know how many time I hve read it and how many time I will read it…, Your email address will not be published. There are different explanations about what is the 床 chuáng in 床前看月光 chuáng qián kàn yuèguāng or 床前明月光 chuáng qián míngyuè guāng . Chuáng qián míng yuè guāng The moon does not share in drink. Another Li Bai's poem: Longlane Refrain by Li Bai When I was young, I often picked flowers and played at the gate of longlane. With a pot of wine amidst the flowers, I drink without human company. It was the moonlight! Download the latest version here. When you were sad, did you look … Drunk, I rise and approach the moon in the stream, Birds are far off, people too are few. Du Fu spoke about how a full moon scatters restless gold across the waves. 暫伴月將影， If the search, I found that there are other versions, older versions, such as Song Dynasty version and Yuan Dynasty version, they are the same as the Japanese version. While lucid still, we have such fun together! 我歌月徘徊， POSTSCRIPT 2 (8.12.2008): I have further revised my new translation of Li Bai's Night Thoughts. 宋刊本《李太白文集》、宋人郭茂倩所编的《乐府诗集》、洪迈编《万首唐人绝句》，元萧士斌《分类补注李太白集》、明高木秉《唐诗品汇》第一句均作“床前看月光”，第三句也均作“举头望山月”。 Zàn bàn yuè jiāng yǐng, It is known that from the battlefield Few ever live to return. — Li Bai "Drinking Alone by Moonlight" (月下獨酌), one of Li Bai's best-known poems, as translated by Arthur Waley in More Translations From the Chinese (1919) Variant translation: From a pot of wine among the flowers I drank alone. Good Old Moon by Li Bai. In Chinese spoken world, for students, this poem is also the first classic poem to learn in middle school Chinese textbook. The Difficult Road poem is some description of a rough, a little bit unnatural domestic scene or landscape. This paper scrutinizes the poem “Drinking Alone with the Moon” by Li Bai to capture the cultural image the poet was trying to display. The different versions of the poem: Which one is the authentic version written by Li Bai? Li Bai recalls his innocent observations of the moon as a child. Explore The Solitude of … When I learn this poem, I remember a song called “Ming Yue Ji Shi You”.. You mounted bamboo horse and rode around, Flinging a branch of green plum. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Xǐng shí tóng jiāo huān, And it was, My all time favorite poem. reunited at last on the distant river of stars. Li Bai wrote this poem during his demotion. When you were sad, did you look up and smile? 唐人万首绝句》首先对此作了修改： Though not stated in the original poem, “bright” is implied. Also, they think the poet should have basic common sense to know that there is no frost inside the house. (New York: Dutton). I raise my cup to the bright moon. So, dear readers, what do you think 床 stands for in this poem? Raising my cup, I invite the bright moon A bright moon rising above Tian Shan Mountain, Lost in a vast ocean of clouds. And since not one battle famous in history 床前看月光，疑是地上霜；举头望明月，低头思故乡。 During Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, Xi’s father was purged from the Communist Party. Yǐng tú suí wǒ shēn; The poem “Drinking Alone with The Moon” is likely from that period of his life. While it was expected in traditional Confucian ritual to remain a loyal subject to the Emperor and abide by the Emperor's wishes, filial pietyalso formed one of t… 2. The world is going through turbulence....and this poem proves it admirably 2 0 Reply. Why after he saw the moon in the sky, then Li Bai lowered down his head and thought of his hometown? The shape of full moon is like all family members are at home, and no one is absent. 床前明月光，疑是地上霜；举头望山月，低头思故乡。 Thus, he raised his head and looked at the mountain moon. 舉頭望山月 There was no one with me — Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright —translated by David Bowles Yǒng jié wúqíng yóu, He prefaces his poem by warning readers that he did not understand the moon when he was younger, and believed it to be exquisite objects like 白玉盘 (a white jade plate) or 镜 (a mirror). You might say it is all because of the moon! Victor 26 August 2019. ASIN B00085NWJI; Stimson, Hugh M. (1976). Li Bai drinking alone made friends with the moon and his shadow, Li Bai, his shadow, and the moon. He is noted for his elegant romantic poetry and for his prolific output: around 1000 poems have survived the centuries in various archives. The first line“床前看月光” was changed to “床前明月光”，while the third line remains the same。 Moonlight is supposed to be gentle and soothing, but here, why it worked as an irritating source? Li Bai: Imitate the Ancients: Twelve Poems: No. In front of my bed is the bright moonlight. 9; Recent Comments. The argument about 床 chuáng: What 床 it really was? Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. When I was a boy I called the moon a white plate of jade, sometimes it looked like a great mirror hanging in the sky, first came the two legs of the fairy and the cassia tree, but for whom the rabbit kept on pounding medical herbs, I just could not guess. While in Qing Dynasty, first two versions changed the first line from 床前看月光 to 床前明月光, while the third line remains the same as old form. Apr 23, 2018 - Explore Buckskin's board "Li Bai" on Pinterest. Nah, it was not. Li Po also known as Li Bai was a sixth century Chinese poet. (Durham, NH: Oyster River Press). Teresa Teng 邓丽君 and Fei Wang 王菲 both sang it. While he was drunk, his strongly felt helpless about his demotion. Li drew inspiration for the poem through personal experiences as a Confucian scholar detached from his hometown. Then the poet realized that it was not frost on the ground, but the moonlight. Reprinted: New York: Paragon, 1965. However later, in the 乾隆 Gānlōng era (1735-1796), in 蘅塘退士’s (Héng táng tuì shì refers to Qing scholar Sun Zhu 孫洙, Retired Master of Hengtang) 唐诗三百首 (tángshīsānbǎi shǒu, The Three Hundred Tang Poems), the two lines which got alternated got put together and became the famous version we know today. Li Bai is a poet who can associate with mountains and rivers; he converses with the sun and the stars, as you and I chat with our old friends; he drinks at the banquet of the planets, he rides on the tails of comets. Li Bai, also known as Li Po, was arguably the greatest poet of China’s Tang dynasty, and possibly of all its history. Jǔ tóu wàng shān yuè It is quietly beautiful and plays intricately with sound and pacing to further the poem’s beauty. Li Bai (or Li Po; 701-762) was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period. Facing the Moon: Poems of Li Bai and Du Fu. Thank you for posting this. 15 reviews His work is one of the glories of Chinese poetry’s golden age, and it has not ceased to delight readers in the twelve centuries since. Xínglè xū jí chūn. 我舞影零亂； Viewing Heaven's Gate Mountains Li Bai The River Chu cuts through the middle of heaven's gate, … Some other subjects that he studied in his poetry which may apply were an interest in alchemy, friendship and solitude. I raise my head to look at the mountain moon. The long wind, across thousands upon thousands of miles, Blows past the Jade-gate Pass. One of the reasons is this poem is a concise five character quatrain, totally only 20 characters in it, it is highly unusual and unruly to repeatedly use míng yuè two words. I raise my head and look at the bright moon, I lower my head and think of home. Chuáng qián kàn yuè guāng With vivid imagery detailing the specifics of his imagination, Li conveys the beauty of a child’s observations. Li Bai. Jǔ bēi yāo míng yuè, The second definition of 床= the 床 as in 井床 jǐng chuáng as in 井台上的围栏 jǐng Tái shàng de wéilán 。井台 means 井口周围高出地面的部分 jǐng kǒu zhōuwéi gāochū dìmiàn de bùfen (the part of well opening which is higher than the ground). 3. The shape of full moon is like all family members are at home, and no one is absent. The head lifts gazing at the moon, and sinks back down with thoughts of home.” The poem now reads-Li Bai (701-762): Night Thoughts 1 Before the well, the moonlight so bright, 2 Be it frost aground? 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What do you think 床 stands for in this poem in an introductory Chinese language 20+.
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