Li bai poem thoughts on a still night book

My first attempt was in june last year which i found unsatisfactory. Athwart the bedi watch the moonbeams cast a trailso bright so cold so frail. Li po was born in 701 in what is now known as suyab, kyrgyzstan and died in 762 in dangtu, china. Based on comparative analysis of 5 english versions of li bais still night thoughts, the paper attempts to make a study of chinese to english poetry translation. This is a poem du fu 712770 ad wrote after his friend and fellow great tangdynasty poet, li bai 701762 ad, was exiled from government to the southern frontier. His poetry work is still famous in the chinese culture and across the globe. Thoughts in a tranquil night poem by li po poem hunter. He left home in 725 to wander through the yangtze river valley. The tang dynasty was the strongest era in chinese history. Song by tzuyeh, translated by arthur waley a flirtatious fourthcentury confession of a young womans passion is vivid, sharp and sensual carol rumens. The following is probably the most popular chinese quatrain. Li bai was born in the year of 701 during the tang dynasty.

After leaving the court, li bai formally became a taoist, making a home in shandong, but wandering far and wide for the next ten some years, writing poems. This poem was written by li bai during the tang dynasty. Apr 12, 2014 li bai, also known as li po or li bo, 701762 c. Since poetry is a special form of art in that poetry presents profound meaning and intensive emotions by means of. Li bai is often regarded, along with du fu, as one of the two greatest poets in chinas literary history. They had a lasting impact on chinese poetry throughout the ages, from classical sources down to mao zedong. The project gutenberg ebook of the poet li po, by arthur waley and bai li this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. So, i am rereading and retelling li bai s famous poem, thoughts on a silent night. Li bai, one of the two major poets of the tang dynasty, a lover of detachment and freedom, deliberately avoided the lushi and chose the less formal verse forms to sing of friendship or wine. Thou fosterchild of silence and slow time, sylvan historian, who canst thus express a flowry tale more sweetly than poem sample wall street at night long, vast shapes cooled and flushed with darkness lidless windows glazed with a flashing luster from a. Li left his home at changming, szechwan, about 720, and for twenty years wandered from place to place, occasionally seeking official employment but not through the. Beside my bed a pool of light is it hoarfrost on the ground. In the poem, he first compares the sorrow of parting with the dead to the sorrow of parting with an old friend.

Where crowns a purple haze ashimmer in sunlight rays the hill called incenseburner peak, from far to see, hung oer the torrents wall, that waterfall vault sheer three thousand feet, youd say the milky. Here is one of his most famous poems, which also happens to be my personal favorite. It was so funny, such a coincidence, to see it up on the promo board today, reminding me of such a time. But in disposition of the several parts of a poem, in carrying the balance of rhyme and tone through a composition of several hundred or even in some cases of a. Where crowns a purple haze ashimmer in sunlight rays the hill called incenseburner peak, from far to see, hung oer the torrents wall, that waterfall vault sheer three thousand feet, youd say the milky way was tumbling from the high heavens, star on star. This is my second attempt the first attempt is in the notes. The main theme of the poems is intertwined with taoism.

I have revised my rendition of this famous poem by li bai first posted here on 28. They had a lasting impact on chinese poetry throughout. I will master you in pronouncing chinese words with pinyin. Apr 23, 2014 it was the custom of the time to indulge socially, so the following poemone of his most famous piecesexplores the unusual problem of drinking alone, for which li bai finds an uncommon solution. Li bai 701762, also known as li bo, courtesy name taibai, was a chinese poet acclaimed from his own day to the present as a genius and a romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Spring dawns and quiet night thoughts delaine rogers medium. In the loom she weaves brocade, the qin river girl. Aug 12, 2008 the following is probably the most popular chinese quatrain. Li po, was an acclaimed even in his own times and in modern times is considered a poetic genius. So, i am rereading and retelling li bais famous poem, thoughts on a silent night. Having lived through tough times where unfair treatment was common among chinese, li bai poems inspired people to learn how to express their thoughts li 55.

Bed before bright moon shine think be ground on frost raise head view bright moon lower head think home before my bed, the moon is. Li bai 701762 was perhaps the most famous chinese tang poet living in what has been described as the golden age of chinese poetry. It was the custom of the time to indulge socially, so the following poemone of his most famous piecesexplores the unusual problem of drinking alone, for which li bai finds an uncommon solution. Farewell to meng haojan by li po famous poems, famous. Li bai is one of the most prominent chinese poets from his own time till present days. Poem discussion li bai, who was also known as li po, was a chinese famous poet who lived during the sixth century. Fusang, the tree of immortality, has crumbled to kindling wood. Thoughts on a silent night moonlight falls at the foot of my bed, seeming like frost on the frozen ground. China developed more advanced technologies than other nations. In this poem, autumn, li bai returns to chinese history, hearkening back to the reign of emperor wu, seventh emperor of the han dynasty who ruled from 1 87, a record of 54 years, not surpassed for almost 1,800 years.

He is the author of the poetry collection my minotaur dos madres press, 2010 and translator of facing the moon. I look up and see the bright moon, and look down, reminded of my hometown. An example is the poem to danqiu, translated by arthur chinese languages. I lift my eyes and see the moon, i bend my head and think of home. His family name was li and he is sometimes known as li po and li bai due to the difficulty of translating certain early chinese characters. This was considered the peak period of chinese poetry with almost 50,000 poems created by 60 poets do the math. My favorite chinese poem quiet night thoughts by li bai. This is the most famous poem among li bais creation.

He lived during the golden age of chinese art and culture, the tang dynasty 618907 c. He was a gifted student, studied the classic confucian works as well as other more esoteric and romantic literature. Chp221the history of tang poetry part 4 teacup media. Almost every native chinese people know about this poem as they have to learn and memorize it in school. The retelling changing the meaning ever so slightly. He left home in 725 to wander through the yangtze river valley and write poetry. David bowles april 23, 2014 september 18, 2014 chinese.

Raising my cup, i invite the bright moon and turn to my shadow. In 742 he was appointed to the hanlin academy by emperor xuanzong, though he was eventually expelled from court. One brief journey betwixt heaven and earth, then, alas. Thoughts in the still of the night 1 so luminous is the moonlight on the floor before my bed, 2 and so white that, apparently, the ground is frosted instead. Thoughts in the silent night by li bai stay safe and healthy. David hinton is the author of hunger mountain, a book of essays exploring consciousness and landscape, and the mappoem fossil sky. Thoughts on a still night classical chinese poetry. In the first poem, thoughts on a still night, depicts a man separated to his family. I have translated one as downstream to jiangling and the other. He has not heard any news from li bai in his exile, but sees him in a dream. An anthology of ancient chinese poems by qu yuan and other poets penguin classics the songs of chu. The text below is a qingdynasty version, with mandarin pronunciation. Bed before bright moon shine think be ground on frost raise head view bright moon lower head think home before my bed, the moon is shining bright, i think that it is frost upon the ground. I do not dare to speak in a loud voice, i fear to disturb the people in heaven.

Poems of li bai and du fu oyster river press, 2007. Li bai also known as li bo or li taibai, of the high tang period, ranks alongside du fu as one of the two leading figures of chinese poetry. Li bai has 96 books on goodreads with 9789 ratings. Since that it is inspired in the taoist belief that man has an intuitive connection to nature, vice versa, the poems of li bai has a central theme of relationship of man to nature.

This episode will focus more on li bais story and legend rather than an indepth analysis of his poetry. Sep 14, 2016 thoughts in a tranquil night by li po. Quiet night thoughts analysis li po characters archetypes. Li bai was part of the group of chinese scholars called the eight immortals of the wine cup in a poem by fellow poet du fu. Gazing at the cascade on lu mountain american literature. Thoughts on a still night li bai before my bed, the moon is shining bright, i. During this age, the most famous and talented chinese poets emerged. Li bai also known as li bo or li taibai, 701 762 is the most popular chinese poet, with a distinctively romantic style. Li bai is showcased in this fourth installment of laszlos not very deep dive into the history of tang poetry.

Drinking alone under the moon by li bai david bowles. These are the four seasons and the four ballads of li bai. Staying the night at a mountain temple li bai the high tower is a hundred feet tall, from here ones hand could pluck the stars. Were still in the high tang period of chinese poetry.

Poems of li bai and du fu, feature translations of two of chinas most celebrated poets. Avavel this poem used to be in a section of my literature text book in school, and it still amazes me that as short as it was, i could still get lost in it. The rabbit in the moon pounds the medicine in vain. The great chinese poet li po was born in 701 and grew up in western china, in sichuan province near chengdu.

Bed before bright moon shine think be ground on frost raise head view bright moon lower head think home paraphrase. A comparative analysis on five versions translations of still night thoughts by li bai abstract. Emperor wu led han china through its greatest expansion. You can see how li bai perfectly capture the loneliness and homesickness on a full moon night with just four simple sentences. Sparknotes bookrags the meaning summary overview critique of explanation pinkmonkey. Li bai was a confucian scholar who resided far from his home village in ancient china to fulfill his duties to the emperor. Aug 02, 2007 you have to remember that li bai also known as li po or li pai lived between 701762 ad in the prosperous tang period of the tang dynasty 618907 ad. Apr 11, 2020 these are the four seasons and the four ballads of li bai. He and his friend du fu 712770 were the two most prominent figures in the flourishing of chinese poetry in the tang dynasty, which is often called the golden age of chinese poetry. Moonlight falls at the foot of my bed, seeming like frost on the frozen ground.

Gazing at the cascade on lu mountain, a poem by li bai. Li bai lived and wrote poems at bishan or bi mountain, today baizhao mountain in yandian, hubei. The poet li po, by arthur waleythe project gutenberg ebook. Chinese famous poet li bai also known as li po 275 words. Quiet night thought is unique among li bais poems for its vagueness.