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	<title>四海为家 &#187; chinese poetry</title>
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	<description>four seas as home -- thoughts and observations on china</description>
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		<title>Rice farming</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2010/03/rice-farming/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2010/03/rice-farming/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:16:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[my photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yuanyang]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yuanyang rice terraces]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=927</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[悯农 (李绅） 锄 禾 日 当 午，汗滴 禾 下 土。 谁 知 盘 中 餐，粒粒 皆 辛 苦。 春 种 一 粒 粟，秋收 万 颗 子。 四 海 无 闲 田，农夫 犹 饿 死。]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>悯农 (李绅）</p>
<p>锄 禾 日 当 午，汗滴 禾 下 土。<br />
谁 知 盘 中 餐，粒粒 皆 辛 苦。<br />
春 种 一 粒 粟，秋收 万 颗 子。<br />
四 海 无 闲 田，农夫 犹 饿 死。</p>
<div id="attachment_928" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 458px"><a href="http://www.fourseasashome.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/plowing-the-field1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-928 " title="plowing the field" src="http://www.fourseasashome.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/plowing-the-field1.jpg" alt="" width="448" height="308" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A farmer ploughs a field near a small village in the Yuanyang rice terraces</p></div>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>过故人庄（孟浩然） and 竹里馆（王维）</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/12/%e8%bf%87%e6%95%85%e4%ba%ba%e5%ba%84%ef%bc%88%e5%ad%9f%e6%b5%a9%e7%84%b6%ef%bc%89-and-%e7%ab%b9%e9%87%8c%e9%a6%86%ef%bc%88%e7%8e%8b%e7%bb%b4%ef%bc%89/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/12/%e8%bf%87%e6%95%85%e4%ba%ba%e5%ba%84%ef%bc%88%e5%ad%9f%e6%b5%a9%e7%84%b6%ef%bc%89-and-%e7%ab%b9%e9%87%8c%e9%a6%86%ef%bc%88%e7%8e%8b%e7%bb%b4%ef%bc%89/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:12:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tang dynasty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[孟浩然]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[王维]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[竹里馆]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[过故人庄]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=418</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[These poems by 孟浩然 (Meng Haoran) and 王维 (Wang Wei) are from the 8th century AD, the period of the Tang dynasty known as &#8220;the Flourishing Tang&#8221; (盛唐). Meng Haoran and Wang Wei were friends, and are famous for their landscape imagery. They&#8217;re considered to belong to the &#8220;Fields and Gardens Poets Group&#8221; (田园诗派). A [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>These poems by 孟浩然 (Meng Haoran) and 王维 (Wang Wei) are from the 8th century AD, the period of the Tang dynasty known as &#8220;the Flourishing Tang&#8221; (盛唐). Meng Haoran and Wang Wei were friends, and are famous for their landscape imagery. They&#8217;re considered to belong to the &#8220;Fields and Gardens Poets Group&#8221; (田园诗派). A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Wei_%288th_century_poet%29">famous quote</a> about Wang Wei&#8217;s works states that &#8220;The quality of Wang Wei’s poems can be summed as, the poems hold a painting within them. In observing his paintings you can see that, within the painting there is poetry.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>过故人庄</strong><br />
【唐】孟浩然<br />
故人具鸡黍，邀我至田家。<br />
绿树村边合，青山郭外斜。<br />
开轩面场圃，把酒话桑麻。<br />
待到重阳日，还来就菊花。</p>
<p>Explanation from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/155078.htm">百度百科</a>：</p>
<p><strong>故人具鸡黍，邀我至田家。</strong><br />
老友备好了丰盛的饭菜，邀我到他的田舍做客。<br />
<strong>绿树村边合，青山郭外斜。</strong><br />
村外绿树环绕，村子的四周青山斜立。<br />
<strong>开轩面场圃，把酒话桑麻。</strong><br />
打开窗子面对打谷场和菜园，把酒对饮畅谈农事。<br />
<strong>待到重阳日，还来就菊花。</strong><br />
等到九月重阳节的那一天，我还要来饮酒赏花。</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><strong>竹里馆</strong><br />
【唐】王维<br />
独坐幽篁里，弹琴复长啸。<br />
深林人不知，明月来相照。</p>
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		<item>
		<title>送杜少府之任蜀州（王勃） and 登幽州台歌（陈子昂）</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e9%80%81%e6%9d%9c%e5%b0%91%e5%ba%9c%e4%b9%8b%e4%bb%bb%e8%9c%80%e5%b7%9e%ef%bc%88%e7%8e%8b%e5%8b%83%ef%bc%89-and-%e7%99%bb%e5%b9%bd%e5%b7%9e%e5%8f%b0%e6%ad%8c%ef%bc%88%e9%99%88%e5%ad%90%e6%98%82/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e9%80%81%e6%9d%9c%e5%b0%91%e5%ba%9c%e4%b9%8b%e4%bb%bb%e8%9c%80%e5%b7%9e%ef%bc%88%e7%8e%8b%e5%8b%83%ef%bc%89-and-%e7%99%bb%e5%b9%bd%e5%b7%9e%e5%8f%b0%e6%ad%8c%ef%bc%88%e9%99%88%e5%ad%90%e6%98%82/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:02:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tang dynasty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[王勃]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[登幽州台歌]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[送杜少府之任蜀州]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[陈子昂]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=343</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As many of you know, I&#8217;ve been posting poems from my Chinese poetry class on this blog, in case anyone reading this might be interested in delving into the world of Chinese poetry. In true Chinese teaching style, we have to memorize one or two poems every week, and since our teacher tries to choose [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As many of you know, I&#8217;ve been posting poems from my Chinese poetry class on this blog, in case anyone reading this might be interested in delving into the world of Chinese poetry. In true Chinese teaching style, we have to memorize one or two poems every week, and since our teacher tries to choose poems that are both important but also not too difficult for us to understand and memorize, this collection of poems seems like a good place to start for students of Chinese who are interested in Chinese poetry.</p>
<p>We&#8217;re going through the poetry in chronological order, and we have now reached the early Tang dynasty （both of the poems below are from the 7th century AD).</p>
<p>The first poem is by 王勃, and is about saying goodbye to a friend who is leaving to take a post in a faraway kingdom. The third line in this poem, &#8220;海内存知己，天涯若比邻&#8221;, is often quoted in Chinese to express feeling close to a friend or loved one despite being far away from each other.</p>
<p><strong>送杜少府之任蜀州<br />
</strong>〖唐〗 王勃<br />
城阙辅三秦，风烟望五津。<br />
与君离别意，同是宦游人。<br />
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。<br />
无为在歧路，儿女共沾巾。</p>
<p>Translation into English, from <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%B5%B7%E5%86%85%E5%AD%98%E7%9F%A5%E5%B7%B1%EF%BC%8C%E5%A4%A9%E6%B6%AF%E8%8B%A5%E6%AF%94%E9%82%BB">wiktionary</a>:</p>
<p><strong>Seeing off Vice-prefect Du on the occasion of his appointment to the state of Shu</strong></p>
<p>The watch towers are protected by the three Qin states, I can make out the land of the five crossings in the distance.<br />
My mood (is somber) as I part from you, We are both officials traveling (far from home).<br />
When one has a close friend in this world, the far ends of heaven are like next door.<br />
(Therefore, when we reach the) fork in the road (where we must part), let us not exchange kerchiefs moistened (with tears like) women and children.</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p>The second poem for this week is by 陈子昂, and is about feeling lonely when reflecting over how short a human life is in the great expanse of history. <strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>登幽州台歌</strong><br />
〖唐〗陈子昂<br />
前不见古人，后不见来者。<br />
念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下！</p>
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		<item>
		<title>上邪</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e4%b8%8a%e9%82%aa/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e4%b8%8a%e9%82%aa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:28:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[上邪]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[汉代]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=227</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This 汉代 poem is about a woman who promises her everlasting love to her 君子. The style is called 乐府, meaning that it&#8217;s composed in the style of a folk song. The most famous poems written in this style are 《陌上桑》 and 《孔雀东南飞》, but 《上邪》 is a little bit shorter (=easier to memorize). 上邪 上邪！ [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This 汉代 poem is about a woman who promises her everlasting love to her 君子. The style is called 乐府, meaning that it&#8217;s composed in the style of a folk song. The most famous poems written in this style are 《陌上桑》 and 《孔雀东南飞》, but 《上邪》 is a little bit shorter (=easier to memorize).</p>
<p><strong>上邪</strong></p>
<p>上邪！<br />
我欲与君相知，<br />
长命无绝衰。<br />
山无陵，<br />
江水为竭，<br />
冬雷震震，<br />
夏雨雪，<br />
天地合，<br />
乃敢与君绝！</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p>In modern Chinese, from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/70178.htm?fr=ala0">百度百科</a>：</p>
<p>天啊！我愿与你相爱，让我们的爱情永不衰绝。除非高山变成平地，除非江河干得不见一滴水，除非冬天打雷，夏天下雪，天和地重合到一起——到那时才敢对你说出一个“绝”字。</p>
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		<item>
		<title>敕勒歌</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e6%95%95%e5%8b%92%e6%ad%8c/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/11/%e6%95%95%e5%8b%92%e6%ad%8c/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:52:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[敕勒歌]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=170</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We have a slightly shorter poem to memorize for this week&#8217;s 古代汉语 class, a folk song from the 敕勒 (Chile) people from northern China. 敕勒歌 北朝民歌 敕勒川,阴山下。 天似穹庐，笼盖四野。 天苍苍，野茫茫， 风吹草低见牛羊。]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>We have a slightly shorter poem to memorize for this week&#8217;s 古代汉语 class, a folk song from the 敕勒 (Chile) people from northern China.</p>
<p><strong>敕勒歌<br />
</strong>北朝民歌</p>
<p>敕勒川,阴山下。<br />
天似穹庐，笼盖四野。<br />
天苍苍，野茫茫，<br />
风吹草低见牛羊。</p>
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		<item>
		<title>饮酒 &#8212; 陶渊明</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/10/%e9%a5%ae%e9%85%92-%e9%99%b6%e6%b8%8a%e6%98%8e/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:05:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tao yuanming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[陶渊明]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[饮酒]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.fourseasashome.com/?p=150</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is one of the most famous poems by 陶渊明 (Tao Yuanming, also known as 陶潜, Tao Qian), a poet who was born in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and lived from 365 to 427 AD. He served as low-ranking official, but left his post when he became too fed up with the infighting and corruption of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is one of the most famous poems by 陶渊明 (Tao Yuanming, also known as 陶潜, Tao Qian), a poet who was born in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and lived from 365 to 427 AD. He served as low-ranking official, but left his post when he became too fed up with the infighting and corruption of the Jin dynasty court, saying that he would not &#8220;为五斗米折腰&#8221; (bow like a servant in return for five bushels of grain). He then spent the rest of his life on his farm, drinking and writing poetry.</p>
<p>His poems are famous for their references to nature and idealization of rural life (he&#8217;s sometimes called China&#8217;s most respected &#8220;pastoral poet&#8221;, 田园诗人). The poem 饮酒 is in total made up of 20 parts, but section 5, below, is the most famous. It&#8217;s about living a peaceful life removed from worldly concerns. You might hear people cite this line: “采菊东篱下，悠然见南山” (&#8220;picking chrysanthemums by the east fence, I glance up and see the beautiful scenery of the southern mountains&#8221;)</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p>饮酒 （其五）<br />
陶渊明</p>
<p>结庐在人境，而无车马喧。<br />
问君何能尔，心远地自偏。<br />
采菊东篱下，悠然见南山。<br />
山气日夕佳，飞鸟相与还。<br />
此中有真意，欲辨已忘言。</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p>Translation into 现代汉语 (partly from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/1601181.htm">百度百科</a>, partly from my textbook):</p>
<p>我在人很多的地方做了间小屋，可从没有烦神应酬车马喧闹。<br />
试问我为什么能这样，那是因为只要存心远离尘世，便会觉得居住的地方也远离尘世了。<br />
我在小屋东边篱笆那儿采摘菊花，不经意地看见了南山（即庐山）。<br />
山上的景色在傍晚非常好，鸟儿们也结伴而归。<br />
这当中有（人生的）真实意义，我想要言说却又无法用言语表达出来。</p>
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		<item>
		<title>七哀 &#8212; 曹植</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/10/%e4%b8%83%e5%93%80/</link>
		<comments>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/10/%e4%b8%83%e5%93%80/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:41:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[七哀]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[曹操]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[曹植]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The next poem from my 古代文化 class: 七哀 (Seven Sorrows), written in the 3rd century AD by 曹植, one of the sons of 曹操, of Three Kingdoms fame. 曹操 and his two sons 曹丕 and 曹植 were all accomplished poets, and are together known as &#8220;the three Caos&#8221;. From Wikipedia: Their poems formed the backbone [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The next poem from my 古代文化 class: 七哀 (Seven Sorrows), written in the 3rd century AD by 曹植, one of the sons of 曹操, of Three Kingdoms fame. 曹操 and his two sons 曹丕 and 曹植 were all accomplished poets, and are together known as &#8220;the three Caos&#8221;. From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cao_Zhi">Wikipedia</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>Their poems formed the backbone of what was to be known as the <em>jian&#8217;an</em> style (建安風骨). The civil strife towards the end of th<span style="color: #000000;">e Eastern Han Dynasty gave the <em>jian&#8217;an</em> poems their characteristic solemn yet heart-stirring tone, while lament over the ephemerality of life was also a central theme of works from this period. In terms of the history of Chinese literature, the <em>jian&#8217;an</em> poems were a transition from the early folksongs int</span>o scholarly poetry.</p></blockquote>
<p>This poem, 七哀, is on the surface about a woman who wastes away alone and miserable in her home because her husband has been away traveling for more than ten years, and whose only wish is to be able to reenter her husband&#8217;s heart. Scholars believe that in reality, 曹植 was describing his own feelings towards his older brother 曹丕, who had isolated him from politics and banished him to the countryside for fear of threats to his power (or, as the story is told now, because 曹丕 was jealous that 曹植 was better at writing poetry). Here&#8217;s the poem:</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8211;</p>
<p><strong>七哀</strong></p>
<p>曹植</p>
<p>明月照高楼，流光正徘徊。<br />
上有愁思妇，悲叹有余哀。<br />
借问叹者谁，言是宕子妻。<br />
君行逾十年，孤妾常独栖。<br />
君若清路尘，妾若浊水泥。<br />
浮沉各异势，会合何时谐？<br />
愿为西南风，长逝入君怀。<br />
君怀良不开，贱妾当何依？</p>
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		<title>周南·关雎</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/10/%e5%91%a8%e5%8d%97%c2%b7%e5%85%b3%e9%9b%8e/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:41:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guan ju]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[关雎]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s the next poem we&#8217;ve had to memorize for  my 古代文化 class, a poem called 关雎. It can be translated into English as &#8220;Guan cry the ospreys&#8221;, and it was written in the 7th century BC, making it one of China&#8217;s oldest poems. Although the exact meaning is debated, it&#8217;s essentially about finding a beautiful [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here&#8217;s the next poem we&#8217;ve had to memorize for  my 古代文化 class, a poem called 关雎. It can be translated into English as &#8220;<em>Guan</em> cry the ospreys&#8221;, and it was written in the 7th century BC, making it one of China&#8217;s oldest poems. Although the exact meaning is debated, it&#8217;s essentially about finding a beautiful girl who would be a good match for a young gentleman. Note the juxtaposition of alternating lines describing nature with lines describing the courtship process (see bottom of the post for an English translation).</p>
<p>周南·关雎</p>
<p>关关雎鸠，在河之洲。<br />
窈窕淑女，君子好逑。<br />
参差荇菜，左右流之。<br />
窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。<br />
求之不得，寤寐思服。<br />
悠哉悠哉！ 辗转反侧。<br />
参差荇菜，左右采之。<br />
窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。<br />
参差荇菜，左右芼之。<br />
窈窕淑女，钟鼓乐之。</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p>And the 意思 in 现代汉语, from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/63780.htm?fr=ala0">百度百科</a>:</p>
<p>雎鸠鸟在河中沙洲，<br />
不停地鸣叫。<br />
文静美好的姑娘，<br />
是男儿的好配偶。<br />
在船的左右两边捞，<br />
长短不齐的水草。<br />
文静美好的姑娘，<br />
男儿日夜都想她。<br />
思念追求不可得，<br />
醒来做梦长相思。<br />
悠悠思念情意切，<br />
翻来覆去难入眠。<br />
长短不齐的水草，<br />
姑娘左右去摘采。<br />
文静美好的姑娘，<br />
弹琴鼓瑟表示亲近。<br />
长短不齐的水草，<br />
姑娘左右去挑选。<br />
文静美好的姑娘，<br />
敲击钟鼓使她快乐。</p>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_ju">Wikipedia</a> has this English version:</p>
<p>&#8220;Guan guan&#8221; cry the ospreys<br />
On the islet in the river.</p>
<p>The beautiful and good young lady<br />
Is a fine mate for the lord.</p>
<p>Varied in length are the water plants;<br />
Left and right we catch them.</p>
<p>The beautiful and good young lady<br />
Waking and sleeping he wished for her.</p>
<p>He wished for her without getting her.<br />
Waking and sleeping he thought of her:</p>
<p>Longingly, longingly,<br />
He tossed and turned from side to side.</p>
<p>Varied in length are the water plants;<br />
Left and right we gather them.</p>
<p>The beautiful and good young lady<br />
Zithers and lutes greet her as friend.</p>
<p>Varied in length are the water plants;<br />
Left and right we cull them as vegetable.</p>
<p>The beautiful and good young lady<br />
Bells and drums delight her.</p>
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		<title>Poem of the day: 迢迢牵牛星</title>
		<link>http://www.fourseasashome.com/2009/10/poem-of-the-day/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:18:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Maria</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[chinese poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[七夕节]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[河汉女]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[牵牛星]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Something for readers of Chinese: a poem about long-distance relationships. Well, it&#8217;s actually about the Cowherd star, 牵牛星, who is a mortal, and the Weaver Girl, 织 女, or in the poem, 河汉女, who is a fairy. They get married, but the Goddess of Heavens objects, and after the Cowherd goes up to the heavens [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;">Something for readers of Chinese: a poem about long-distance relationships. Well, it&#8217;s actually about the Cowherd star, 牵牛星, who is a mortal, and the Weaver Girl, <span lang="zh-Hans" xml:lang="zh-Hans">织 女, or in the poem, 河汉女, who is a fairy. They get married, but the Goddess of Heavens objects, and after the Cowherd goes up to the heavens to look for his wife, the Goddess separates them with the Milky Way, only allowing them to reunite once a year. The festival 七夕节, which is sometimes known as Chinese Valentine&#8217;s Day, commemorates their sad story. Poor lovers&#8230; but it makes for beautiful poetry. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">————————————————————————————————————————</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>迢迢牵牛星</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">迢迢牵牛星，皎皎河汉女。</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">纤纤擢素手，札札弄机杼。</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">终日不成章，泣涕零如雨。</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">河汉清且浅，相去复几许？</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">盈盈一水间，脉脉不得语。</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">————————————————————————————————————————</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And here&#8217;s a translation into modern Chinese, from <a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/327972.htm">百度百科</a>:</p>
<p>远远的牵牛星，灿烂明亮的织女星。</p>
<p>织女举起柔美雪白的双手，札札地穿梭织布。</p>
<p>她一整天也不能把布织起，哭得泪如雨下。</p>
<p>天河又清又浅，相隔又有多远呢？</p>
<p>只隔一条又清又浅的河，含情脉脉却不能相互说话。</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: left;">
<p style="text-align: left;">
<div id="_mcePaste" style="overflow: hidden; position: absolute; left: -10000px; top: 158px; width: 1px; height: 1px;">Well, it&#8217;s actually about the Cowherd star, 牵牛星, who is a mortal, and the Weaver Girl, <span lang="zh-Hans" xml:lang="zh-Hans">织 女, or in the poem, 河汉女, who is a fairy. They get married, but the Goddess of Heavens objects, and after the Cowherd goes up to the heavens to look for his wife, the Goddess separates them with the Milky Way, only allowing them to reunite once a year. The festival 七夕节, which is sometimes known as Chinese Valentine&#8217;s Day, commemorates their sad story. </span></div>
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