Example 2: 唐诗三百首

These are a selection of poems written during the Tang Dynasty (618–690, 705–907 CE).


This poem is about climbing the Stork Tower and the views that are visible there. The Stork Tower is a multi-level pagoda located on the shores of the Yellow River in Puzhou, Shanxi, China.

登鹳雀楼
王之涣 〔唐代〕
白日依山尽,黄河入海流。
欲穷千里目,更上一层楼。

This poem is about the thoughts the poet has at night. He observes the way the moon is shining and is reminded of how he misses his homeland.

静夜思
李白 〔唐代〕
床前明月光,疑是地上霜。
举头望明月,低头思故乡。

The poem focuses on Chinese red beans, which grow in southern parts of China. These beans are also called 相思子 (beans of longing). Thus, the poet expresses longing through the symbolism of the red beans.

相思
王维 〔唐代〕
红豆生南国,春来发几枝。
愿君多采撷,此物最相思。

This poem is about someone sitting alone in the bamboo grove, far away from other people.

竹里馆
王维 〔唐代〕
独坐幽篁里,弹琴复长啸。
深林人不知,明月来相照。

This poem is about someone observing the empty mountains. Although he does not see people, he hears their voices. The sun shines and reflects on the greenery.

鹿柴
王维 〔唐代〕
空山不见人,但闻人语响。
返景入深林,复照青苔上。

This poem is about someone all alone in a different city and thinking about their brothers on the double ninth festival (September 9th of the old Chinese calendar).

九月九日忆山东兄弟
王维 〔唐代〕
独在异乡为异客,
每逢佳节倍思亲。
遥知兄弟登高处,
遍插茱萸少一人。

This poem is about someone saying farewell to one of their friends at the Yellow Crane Tower. The Yellow Crane Tower is on the shore of the Yangtze River in Wuhan, Hubei, China.

黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵
李白 〔唐代〕
故人西辞黄鹤楼,
烟花三月下扬州。
孤帆远影碧空尽,
唯见长江天际流。

The Tang Dynasty poet passed by the region of the Red Cliff (now in Hubei Province) and contemplates the decisive Battle of Red Cliffs at the end of the Han Dynasty. He awed at the remaining artifacts of the battle.

赤壁
杜牧 〔唐代〕
折戟沉沙铁未销,
自将磨洗认前朝。
东风不与周郎便,
铜雀春深锁二乔。

Remembers the older properity of the region of 朱雀桥 and 乌衣巷 (of Eastern Jin Dynasty Nanjing), the poem sighs at bare and desolate grasses that remains now, in the Tang Dynasty--conveying the temporal nature of wealth and prosperity.

乌衣巷
刘禹锡 〔唐代〕
朱雀桥边野草花,
乌衣巷口夕阳斜。
旧时王谢堂前燕,
飞入寻常百姓家。

The first two sentences recall the time the poet spent with Li Guinian in the past, expressing the his longing for the heyday in the early years of Kaiyuan (713-741). The last two sentences express feelings about the decline of state affairs and the hardships of artists. It expresses the feeling that the times are dying and the life is desolate and falling.

江南逢李龟年
杜甫 〔唐代〕
岐王宅里寻常见,
崔九堂前几度闻。
正是江南好风景,
落花时节又逢君。