Five-Character Quatrains

Yuan Zhen — Traveling PalaceDesolate, the ancient traveling palace; its flowers glow red in solitude.White-haired palace women still live there, sitting idly to speak of Xuanzong.

Wang Zhihuan — Climbing Stork TowerThe white sun sinks behind the hills; the Yellow River flows into the sea.To see to the end of a thousand miles, climb one story higher.

Wang Jian — The New BrideOn the third day she enters the kitchen, washes her hands and makes a soup.Not yet knowing her mother-in-law's tastes, she has her young sister-in-law try it first.

Wang Wei — LongingRed beans grow in the southern land; how many branches have sprouted this spring?Gather as many as you can for me: these bear longing more than anything.

Wang Wei — Miscellaneous PoemYou have come from my native place; you must know what has happened there.At the patterned window before our house, has the winter plum come into flower?

Wang Wei — Deer EnclosureOn the empty mountain no one appears; only the echoes of human voices sound.Returning sunlight enters the deep woods and shines again upon the green moss.

Wang Wei — Bamboo Grove PavilionI sit alone among secluded bamboo, play my zither and sing aloud.No one knows I am in the deep woods; the bright moon comes to shine on me.

Wang Wei — FarewellI have seen you off among the hills; at dusk I close my brushwood door.The spring grass will grow green next year: dear friend, will you come back?

Bai Juyi — Asking Liu NineteenNewly brewed wine, green with foam;A little stove of red clay.Evening comes, and snow is on the way:Will you come and drink a cup?

A Poet of the Western Frontier — Song of GeshuThe seven stars of the Dipper ride high; by night Geshu wears his sword.Even now the riders watching for grazing horses dare not pass Lintao.

Li Bai — Thoughts on a Quiet NightBefore my bed I see the moonlight;I take it for frost upon the ground.I lift my head to gaze at the mountain moon;I lower it, remembering home.

Li Bai — A Bitter HeartA lovely woman rolls up her beaded curtain, sits deep within and knits her slender brows.I see only the wet tracks of tears; I do not know whose memory fills her with pain.

Li Shangyin — Climbing Leyou PlainToward evening, troubled at heart, I drive my carriage up the ancient plain.The setting sun is beautiful beyond measure; it is only that dusk is drawing near.

Li Duan — Hearing the ZitherThe zither rings on golden bridges; her white hands play before the jade chamber.Longing for young Zhou to look her way, again and again she brushes a string awry.

Li Pin — Crossing the Han RiverBeyond the southern mountains no letters came;I passed one winter, then another spring.The nearer I come to home, the more afraid I grow:I dare not ask the travelers who come this way.

Du Fu — The Eight FormationsHis achievements overshadowed a kingdom divided in three; his fame was made by the Eight Formations.The river flows on, but their stones remain unmoved; his lasting regret was failing to conquer Wu.

Meng Haoran — Staying on the Jiande RiverI move my boat to moor beside a misty islet; at dusk a traveler's sorrow is renewed.Across the broad plain the sky hangs below the trees; in the clear river the moon draws close to me.

Meng Haoran — Spring DawnSleeping in spring, I did not know dawn had come; everywhere I hear birds calling.In the night, the sounds of wind and rain: how many blossoms have fallen?

Jin Changxu — Spring LamentDrive away that golden oriole: do not let it sing upon the branch.Its song startles me out of my dream before I can reach Liaoxi.

Liu Zongyuan — Snow on the RiverAcross a thousand mountains, no birds fly; on ten thousand paths, not a human trace.One boat, an old man in straw cape and hat, fishing alone amid snow on the cold river.

Wei Yingwu — Sent to Secretary Qiu on an Autumn NightI think of you on this autumn nightAs I stroll and sing beneath the chilly sky.Pine nuts fall on the empty mountain;You, secluded there, must still be awake.

Zu Yong — Looking at the Remaining Snow on Mount ZhongnanOn Zhongnan's shaded slopes the view is lovely; piled snow floats among the clouds.Sunset shines above the forest; in the city, evening cold deepens.

Zhang Hu — Song of He ManziThree thousand miles from my native land;Twenty years within the deep palace.I sing one verse of “He Manzi”;Two tears fall before my lord.

Jia Dao — Seeking a Recluse, but Not Finding HimBeneath a pine I ask a boy; he says, “My master has gone to gather herbs.He is somewhere in these hills, but the clouds are deep, and I don't know where.”

Pei Di — Seeing Cui Nine OffAs you return to the mountains, go as far as you please;Take in all the beauty of the hills and valleys.Do not be like the man of Wuling,Who visited Peach Blossom Spring only for a while.

Liu Changqing — Sending Lingche OffBlue in the distance stands Bamboo Grove Temple; far away its evening bell is heard.Carrying his bamboo hat through sunset, he walks alone into the green hills.

Liu Changqing — Playing the ZitherClear notes sound upon seven strings; I listen still, hearing cold wind among the pines.I love this old melody, but few people play it now.

Liu Changqing — Sending Off a MonkA solitary cloud and a wild crane: how could you dwell among men?Do not buy land on Mount Wozhou; the people of our age already know where it lies.

Quan Deyu — In the Style of Jade TerraceLast night the ties of my skirt came undone;This morning a lucky spider flew across my room.I must not neglect my makeup:Could it be my husband coming home?

Yuan Zhen — The Old PalaceThe old travel palace stands deserted; palace flowers bloom red with no one near.A palace woman with white hair is still there, sitting at ease and talking about Emperor Xuanzong.

Wang Zhihuan — Climbing the Stork TowerThe white sun sets behind the hills; the Yellow River flows into the sea.If you want to see a thousand miles farther, climb another floor.

Wang Jian — A Newly Married WomanOn the third day she enters the kitchen, washes her hands and makes soup.She doesn't yet know her mother-in-law's taste, so she has her husband's younger sister try it first.

Wang Wei — Thinking of YouRed beans grow in the south; how many branches do they put out in spring?I hope you pick a great many; they remind people of those they miss most.

Wang Wei — An Occasional PoemYou come from my hometown, so you should know how things are there.When you came past my patterned window, had the winter plum tree bloomed yet?

Wang Wei — Deer EnclosureThere is no one to be seen on the empty mountain; I hear only the sound of voices.The reflected sunlight enters the deep woods and shines again on the green moss.

Wang Wei — Pavilion in the BambooI sit alone among dense bamboo, playing the zither and calling out for a long time.Nobody in the deep woods knows I'm here; the bright moon comes to shine on me.

Wang Wei — FarewellAfter seeing you off in the mountains, I shut my brushwood door at dusk.Next year the spring grass will grow green. Will you come back?

Bai Juyi — Asking Liu NineteenThe newly brewed wine has green bubbles,And a small stove made of red clay is burning.It's getting late and looks like snow.Can you come have a cup?

A Westerner — Song of GeshuThe seven stars of the Big Dipper stand high; Geshu wears his sword at night.Even now those watching for a chance to graze horses dare not cross Lin Tao.

Li Bai — Thoughts on a Quiet NightI see moonlight before my bed;I think it may be frost on the ground.I lift my head to look at the moon over the mountain;I lower it and think of home.

Li Bai — ResentmentA beautiful woman rolls up her beaded curtain; she sits deep inside, frowning.I see only that tears have wet her face; I do not know whom she resents.

Li Shangyin — Climbing Leyou PlainAt dusk I feel uneasy and drive my carriage up the old plain.The setting sun is endlessly beautiful, but evening is close.

Li Duan — Listening to the ZitherThe zither sounds, with its gold-colored bridges; pale hands play in front of the jade room.She wants Zhou to look at her, so she deliberately strikes a wrong note now and then.

Li Pin — Crossing the Han RiverBeyond the mountains, letters from home stopped;I passed the winter and then the spring.The closer I get to home, the more afraid I am;I dare not ask anyone coming from there for news.

Du Fu — The Eight FormationsHis achievements surpassed the three divided kingdoms; his Eight Formations made his name.The river flows, but the stones do not move; his lasting regret was failing to conquer Wu.

Meng Haoran — Spending the Night on the Jiande RiverI move the boat to moor at a misty island; at dusk my worries as a traveler return.The open fields make the sky look lower than the trees; in the clear river the moon seems close to me.

Meng Haoran — Spring DawnI slept through the arrival of spring dawn; everywhere I hear birds calling.Last night there was wind and rain. How many flowers have fallen?

Jin Changxu — A Spring ComplaintDrive away the yellow orioles; don't let them sing on the branches.Their singing wakes me from my dream, before I can reach Liaoxi.

Liu Zongyuan — Snow on the RiverAcross a thousand mountains not a bird flies; on ten thousand paths there are no human tracks.A single boat holds an old man in a straw raincoat and hat, fishing alone on a snowy, freezing river.

Wei Yingwu — To Official Qiu on an Autumn NightI think of you on this autumn night;I take a walk and speak verses in the cool air.Pine nuts fall on the empty mountain;You, living alone, must still be awake.

Zu Yong — Looking toward the Snow on Mount ZhongnanThe northern slopes of Zhongnan look beautiful; snow piles up to the edges of the clouds.After the sky clears, light shines above the woods; the city grows colder at dusk.

Zhang Hu — He ManziMy homeland is three thousand miles away;I have been in the deep palace for twenty years.At a single singing of “He Manzi,”Tears fall from both my eyes before you, my lord.

Jia Dao — Looking for a Recluse and Not Finding HimUnder the pines I ask a boy. He says his master went to gather herbs.“He's somewhere on this mountain, but the clouds are thick and I don't know where.”

Pei Di — Seeing Cui Jiu OffGo back to the mountains, whether deep or shallow;Make sure you enjoy the beauty of their hills and valleys.Don't be like the man from WulingWho visited Peach Blossom Spring only for a while.

Liu Changqing — Seeing Lingche OffThe bamboo-grove temple stands dark green; its evening bell sounds from far away.Carrying his straw hat in the setting sun, he returns alone into the distant green hills.

Liu Changqing — Playing the ZitherThe seven strings give a clear sound; I listen quietly to the cold wind in the pines.I love this old tune myself, but few people play it now.

Liu Changqing — Seeing a Monk OffA lone cloud and a wild crane: how could they stay among people?Don't buy a place on Mount Wozhou; people already know where it is.

Quan Deyu — A Poem in the Jade Terrace StyleMy skirt's ties came undone last night;Today a lucky spider flies nearby.I must not put away my makeup;Could my husband be coming home?