Chinese Classical Poem 0027: A Song Of Picking Lotus
--By Wang Changling(690-757) [Tang]

LISTEN TO THE TEXTLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM


Hi, friends, today I would like to introduce a new Chinese classical poem for you : Cai Lian Qu -- A Song Of Picking Lotus by Tang Dynasty (A.D.618-A.D.907) poet Wang Changling (aboutA.D. 690 - A.D.757).

Wang Changling was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations in A.D.727. He had been an official in Jiang Ning -- today's Nan Jing City. So he was also called Wang Jiang Ning. He is one of a representative poets of the heroism/frontier fortress poetry genre in Tang Dynasty.

As I told you that Tang Dynasty is the greatest times in Chinese poetry history, except the great poets Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and also there were many poets and poetry genres then, such as the pastoral and landscape poetry genre, the heroism or say frontier fortress poetry genre are very famous. About latter, we have learned few little poems by some typical poets, such as Wang Zhihuan and his Deng Guan Que Lou-- Step Up The Guanque Tower,andChenshen and his Baixue Ge -- White Snow Song.

Wang Changling was very good at Jue Jue of 7 words, especially be good on the heroism/frontier fortress poems
Anyway, as all of the great poets, Wang Changling could not only write the poems about the frontier lives and landscape with a high heroism spirit, but also he was good at the poems about women and leave-off feelings and so on.

So, people said his Jue Jue of 7 words could be compared beauty with Libai's and he has a very high reputation as a highly skilled man on Jue Ju of 7 words. And he has a same as reputation as Wang Zhihuan, Chenshen and Gao Shi in China’ Poetry history. There are more than 180 poems by him in the world now. :-)

Cai Lian Qu -- A Song Of Picking Lotus is just a small, but very sweet poem to write some beautiful girls who are picking lotus in the water country of the south of Yangtze River. :-)

As usual, I wrote a short music to match it and hope it is a little helpful to your Chinese learning. :-)

Note: You are welcomed to hit any Chinese word that you need to help to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read it.

MAIN MEANING OF THE POEMLISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM

The green skirts of the girls'
seem as being cut by the lotus leaves,
The pretty lotuses are blossoming
to the girls' pink faces...
Both of them mix into the lotus pool
and the girls could not been seen at all...
We just realize that some poeple are coming
after hearing their beautiful songs...

NEW WORDS:

Note: You are welcomed to hit any Chinese word that you need to help to see its Chinese pinyin, meaning, pronunciation and follow me to read it.

CHINESE CHARACTERS AND PRONUNICATION:

采莲曲 -- cǎi lián qǔ

王昌龄 -- Wáng Chānglíng

荷叶罗裙一色裁 -- Héyè luóqún yīsè cái，
芙蓉向脸两边开 -- fúróng xiàngliǎn liǎnbiā kāi。
乱入池中看不见 -- Luàrù chízhōng kànbújiàn,
闻歌始觉有人来 -- wéngē shǐjué yǒurēnlái。

I am thinking people enjoy this poem maybe for it is beautiful artistic conception. You see, the bright green lotus leaves and the skirts of girls are in a same colors, the pink flowers are setting off the red faces of girls, the words that "Luan Ru" -- "Mix Into" makes the peaceful picture of the flowers   has something moving and also the words "Wen Ge" -- "Hear Songs" adds the picture some sounds. :-) So, I do feel this is a poem as a picture with pretty colors, activities and also sounds, very beautiful and also gives people a big imagination room. :-) So, it is very famous in China and even children's books have often chose it in them. :-)

That is all for this poem. Hope you enjoy it. :-)

LISTEN TO SHIRLEY TO SING THE POEM

If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn , or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are welcomed to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends as well. :-)   


--Shirley
Written and Recorded On Sun, Jan 15, 2006