古诗二首 ~ Two Short Classical Chinese Poems - Intermediate

Unlocking the Imagery and Emotion of Short Tang Dynasty Poetry

Sep 21, 2024

Classical Chinese poetry is a window into the cultural and artistic heritage of China, offering timeless reflections on nature, life, and the human experience. Today, I’m excited to share two short classical Chinese poems from the Tang Dynasty that are perfect for intermediate learners. These poems provide an opportunity to practice reading and interpreting classical Chinese while connecting with the rich imagery and profound emotions that have captivated readers for centuries.

The first poem, 《画》 ("Painting") by Wang Wei, uses vivid imagery to depict a tranquil landscape scene, capturing the serenity and beauty often found in traditional Chinese paintings. It invites the reader to appreciate the delicate balance between stillness and life in nature.

The second poem, 《山行》 ("Mountain Walk") by Du Mu, takes us on a journey through a mountainous landscape in late autumn. Through its rich descriptions of the natural scenery and the poet's reflections, this poem beautifully illustrates the changing seasons and the fleeting moments of beauty in nature.

In this post, we will explore these two poems, examining their language, themes, and the beauty of their expressions. Whether you are a language learner or a poetry enthusiast, I hope these poems inspire you to appreciate the elegance and depth of classical Chinese poetry.

Let’s embark on this poetic journey together!

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第一首《画》

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远  看  山  有  色，
近  听  水  无  声。
春  去  花  还  在，
人  来  鸟  不  惊。

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第二首《山行》

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远  上  寒  山  石  径  斜，
白  云  深  处  有  人  家。
停  车  坐  爱  枫  林  晚，
霜  叶  红  于  二  月  花。

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感谢合作！

Download text PDF file HERE.

These PDFs are designed to help you immerse yourself fully in the language, focusing on reading and comprehension without Pinyin or vocabulary lists. You can download, print them out, and use them for study and review at your own pace.

Poem breakdown by sentence with vocabulary and audio

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第一 (dì yī) – first
一首 (yì shǒu) – one (measure word for poems or songs)
画 (huà) – painting, picture

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远 (yuǎn) – far
看 (kàn) – to look, to see
色 (sè) – color

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近 (jìn) – near
无 (wú) – without, no
声 (shēng) – sound, voice

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春 (chūn) – spring (season)
去 (qù) – to go, to leave
花 (huā) – flower
还 (hái) – still
在 (zài) – to be at, to exist

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鸟 (niǎo) – bird
惊 (jīng) – to startle, to be surprised

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山行 (shān xíng) – Mountain Walk

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上 (shàng) – up, above; to go up, to ascend
寒 (hán) – cold
石 (shí) – stone, rock
径 (jìng) – path
斜 (xié) – slanted, inclined

"Far up the cold mountain, the stone path slants,"

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云 (yún) – cloud
深 (shēn) – deep
处 (chù) – place, location
人家 (rén jiā) – household, people’s home; people

"In the depths of the white clouds, there’s a person’s home."

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停 (tíng) – to stop
车 (chē) – vehicle, car
坐 (zuò) – to sit
爱 (ài) – to love, to enjoy
枫林 (fēng lín) – maple forest

"I stop my carriage, enjoying the evening maple forest,"

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霜 (shuāng) – frost
叶 (yè) – leaf
红 (hóng) – red
于 (yú) – than (used in comparisons)
二月 (èr yuè) – February
花 (huā) – flower

"Where the frosted leaves are redder than the flowers of February."

Character Radical

The 水 (shuǐ) “water” radical represents tranquility and harmony, which are themes throughout both poems. 氵(shuǐ) is the simplified form of 水.

Example from the reading:

深 (shēn) – deep (from 《山行》)

Other Common Examples of the 言 radical:

江 (jiāng) – river
波 (bō) – wave
河 (hé) – river
海 (hǎi) – sea
泉 (quán) – spring (as in a water spring)

Identify the Radical!

Here are 8 questions for you. The answer key is at the end of the post.

1. Which radical is found in 河 (hé) “river”?

A) 口 (mouth)
B) 氵 (water)
C) 木 (wood)

2. What is the radical in 语 (yǔ) “language”?

A) 言 (speech)
B) 目 (eye)
C) 人 (person)

3. Which radical is in 霜 (shuāng) “frost”?

A) 冫 (ice)
B) 氵 (water)
C) 雨 (rain)

4. What is the radical for 深 (shēn) “deep”?

A) 口 (mouth)
B) 氵 (water)
C) 木 (wood)

5. Which radical appears in 花 (huā) “flower”?

A) 艹 (grass)
B) 火 (fire)
C) 土 (earth)

6. Identify the radical in 洗 (xǐ) “to wash”:

A) 火 (fire)
B) 氵 (water)
C) 木 (wood)

7. Which radical is found in 跑 (pǎo) “to run”?

A) 足 (foot)
B) 氵 (water)
C) 木 (wood)

8. What is the radical in 白 (bái) “white”?

A) 日 (sun)
B) 人 (person)
C) 白 (white)

Yin-yang Character Groups

Yin-yang character groups illustrate the balance and complementary nature of concepts in the Chinese language. Here are three pairs that align with the themes of the combined poems:

远 (yuǎn) – 近 (jìn): far and near
有 (yǒu) – 无 (wú): have and have not / exist and not exist
上 (shàng) – 下 (xià): up and down / above and below

Identify the Radical - Answer Key:

1 - B
2 - A
3 - C
4 - B
5 - A
6 - B
7 - A
8 - C

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