Learning a poem by heart can be a great way to remember some important structures and vocabulary in your new language, as well as a glimpse into the culture of the people who speak that language. Below is a poem by Lĭ Bái 李 白, a widely known Chinese poet from the 6th century. His poem Night Thoughts Jìng Yè Sī 静 夜 思 is presented and translated into English below.
Chuáng qián míng yuè guāng,
床 前 明 月 光，
Yí shì dì shàng shuāng.
疑 是 地 上 霜。
Jŭ tóu wàng míng yuè,
举 头 望 明 月，
Dī tóu sī gù xiāng.
低 头 思 故 乡。
I wake and moonbeams play around my bed,
Glittering like frost to my wondering eyes.
Upwards the glorious moon I raise my head,
Then lay me down and thoughts of home arise.
Li Bai (701-762) was born in Suiye in Central Asia. When he was 42, Emperor Tang Xuan Zong ordered him to go to the court in Chang’an. He stayed there for three years and was bitterly disappointed. During the years of the An Lushan rebellion, he joined the staff of Prince Li Lin. Later, after Li Lin tried to seize power and failed, Li Bai was exiled to Yelang, but was granted amnesty on his way to Yelang and was freed. He went to East China and died at 62 in Dangtu, Anhui.
This poem is one of the most famous ancient poems of China. In it, there are several frequently-used words which we can learn:
1 明月 míng yuè bright moon
2 举头 jŭ tóu to raise one’s head
3 低头 dī tóu to bow one’s head
4 故乡 gù xiāng hometown
